Pub. 988-0148-622 www.lowrance.com iFINDER Go Handheld Mapping GPS Receiver Operation Instructions Copyright © 2005 Lowrance Electronics, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA. No part of this manual may be copied, reproduced, republished, transmitted or distributed for any purpose, without prior written consent of Lowrance Electronics. Any unauthorized commercial distribution of this manual is strictly prohibited. Lowrance and iFINDER GO are registered trademarks of Lowrance Electronics, Inc. eXitSource Database, copyright 2001-2005 Zenrin Co. Ltd. Exit Authority and eXitSource are trademarks of Zenrin Co. Ltd. Lowrance Electronics may find it necessary to change or end our policies, regulations and special offers at any time. We reserve the right to do so without notice. All features and specifications subject to change without notice. All screens in this manual are simulated. For free owner's manuals and other information, visit our web site: www.lowrance.com Lowrance Electronics Inc., 12000 E. Skelly Dr., Tulsa, OK USA 74128-2486 WARNING! A CAREFUL NAVIGATOR NEVER RELIES ON ONLY ONE METHOD TO OBTAIN POSITION INFORMATION. CAUTION When showing navigation data to a position (waypoint), a GPS unit will show the shortest, most direct path to the waypoint. It provides navigation data to the waypoint regardless of obstructions. Therefore, the prudent navigator will not only take advantage of all available navigation tools when traveling to a waypoint, but will also visually check to make sure a clear, safe path to the waypoint is always available. WARNING! When a GPS unit is used in a vehicle, the vehicle operator is solely responsible for operating the vehicle in a safe manner. Vehicle operators must maintain full surveillance of all pertinent driving, boating or flying conditions at all times. An accident or collision resulting in damage to property, personal injury or death could occur if the operator of a GPS-equipped vehicle fails to pay full attention to travel conditions and vehicle operation while the vehicle is in motion. Introduction Welcome to the exciting world of GPS satellite navigation! We know you're anxious to begin finding your way with this amazing technology, but we have a favor to ask. Before you grab the batteries and head outside, please give us a moment or two to explain how our manual can help you get the best performance from this remarkable little GPS unit. First, we want to thank you for buying an iFINDER. Whether you're a first-time user or a professional navigator, you'll discover that the iFINDER is a true pocket-sized, full-featured mapping GPS receiver. Our goal for this book is to get you on the road or out to the woods and water fast, with a minimum of fuss. Like you, we'd rather spend more time traveling, and less time reading the manual! In the following pages you can find instructions on how to use all of the iFINDER's basic functions. NOTE: For the power users out there, the iFINDER Go also has an Advanced Mode, which allows you an even greater degree of control over your device's settings. For details on Advanced Mode Operation, look for the iFINDER Go Advanced User's Guide on our web site, www.lowrance.com. If you would like to know more about GPS and its companion system WAAS, visit our web site and check out the GPS Product Guide section (www.lowrance.com/Support/gps.asp). It includes a GPS tutorial, frequently asked questions and a glossary. Batteries The unit requires two 1.5-volt AA batteries. Do not mix different battery types. Mixing battery types may cause leakage. The following page contains an 11-step quick reference for Easy Mode operation. If you don't want to carry the manual with you as you practice with iFINDER, you might consider photocopying this quick reference page and tucking it into your pocket. 1 iFINDER Easy Mode Quick Reference 1. Install two AA batteries in the battery compartment on back of case. 2. To turn on iFINDER, press and release PWR key. 3. Opening screen displays map of North America at the 4,000 mile zoom range. Rotate through the three main Page screens (Map Page, Satellite Status Page, Navigation Page) by repeatedly pressing PAGES key. Switch Pages to display Satellite Status Page. 4. Wait while unit locates satellites and calculates current position. Process is visible on Satellite page. This takes an average of 1 minute or less under clear sky conditions (unobstructed by terrain or structures). When the unit acquires position, a position acquired message appears. 5. With position acquired, press PAGES key to display Map Page, which shows a bird's eye view of the earth. You can move around the map by: Zoom in closer to see greater detail: press ZIN (zoom in key.) Zoom out to see more area, less detail: press ZOUT (zoom out key.) Scroll map north, south, east or west using arrow keys . To stop scrolling and return to current position on map, press EXIT key. 6. Set Home waypoint at your current position so you can navigate back here: press ENT|ENT. 7. Zoom/scroll map to find a nearby object or location. Use arrow keys to center cursor cross-hair over the map object or location. 8. To navigate to the selected location: press MENU|ENT|EXIT. Follow steering arrow on Map Page or compass bearing arrow on Navigation Page. 9. At destination, Arrival Alarm goes off; to clear it, press EXIT. Cancel navigation: press MENU| to CANCEL NAVIGATION|ENT| to YES|ENT. 10. Navigate back home by Go To Home or Navigate Trail. Go Home: press FIND|ENT; follow navigation arrows. Trail: press MENU| to NAVIGATE TRAIL|ENT. Wait while route is calculated, then follow arrows. 11. Back home, Arrival Alarm goes off; press EXIT. Cancel navigation: press MENU| to CANCEL NAVIGATION|ENT| to YES|ENT. 2 Easy Mode Operation This section addresses Easy Mode operation for iFINDER's main GPS functions. The principles are the same in both operating modes, so this discussion also serves as a good introduction to Advanced Mode work. The iFINDER Keypad You'll control the iFINDER Go with its keyboard, which includes: PWR/LIGHT (Power & Light) ­ The PWR key turns the unit on and off and activates the backlight. Turn off the unit by pressing and holding the PWR key for 3 seconds. PAGES ­ Pressing this key switches the unit between the three different page screens in Easy Mode. (Satellite, Navigation and Map.) Each page represents one of the unit's major operation modes. MENU ­ Press this key to show the menus, which allow you to select or adjust a feature from a list. ARROW KEYS ­ These keys are used to navigate through the menus, make menu selections, move the map cursor and enter data. ENT/SAVE (Enter & Save) ­ This key allows you to save data, accept values or execute menu commands. EXIT ­ The Exit key lets you return to the previous screen and clear data or close menus. FIND ­ The Find key launches the iFINDER search menus. ZOUT and ZIN ­ (Zoom Out and Zoom In) ­ These keys let you zoom the screen in or out to see either a larger geographic area on the map, or greater detail in a smaller map area. You can press ZOUT and ZIN at the same time to create a Man Overboard waypoint at your current location and begin navigating back to it. Main Menu Easy Mode has a single Main Menu, which contains the commands you'll use to operate your iFINDER. Some important Main Menu commands and their functions are: 3 Screen command: changes the contrast or brightness of the display. Software Info command: shows the product name and software version of the unit's operating system software, as well as copyright notices. Advanced Mode command: used to switch to Advanced Mode operation. Pages Easy Mode has three Page displays that represent the three major operating modes. They are the Satellite Status Page, the Navigation Page and the Map Page. They are accessed by pressing the PAGES key, which cycles among them. Navigation Page This Page has a compass rose. It shows your direction of travel and the direction to a recalled waypoint. The navigation screen looks like the one in the following image when you're not navigating to a waypoint or other destination. Your position is shown by an arrow in the center of the screen. Your trail history, or path you've taken, is depicted by the line extending from the arrow. Present position arrow Compass rose Trail line Navigation information display The Navigation Page looks like this when iFINDER is not navigating. When navigating to a waypoint or following a route, the Navigation screen looks like the one shown in the following image. 4 Current track or heading, shown in degrees Waypoint symbol Compass bearing to destination Bearing arrow Trail line Destination name Navigation information display Navigation Page, backtracking a trail. Satellite Status Page This Page, shown in the following images, provides detailed information on the status of iFINDER's satellite lock-on and position acquisition. To get to the Satellite Status Page: press PAGES repeatedly until the page you want appears. This page shows you the quality and accuracy of the current satellite lock-on and position calculation. Satellite Page shown at left with no position and no satellites, in center with satellites acquired (but no lock), and at right with a 3D position lock. 5 WARNING: Do not begin navigating with this unit until the numbers have stopped flashing! On any display page, a flashing current position indicator/question mark symbol and flashing GPS data displays indicate that satellite lock has been lost and there is no position confirmed. Map Page The map screens show your course and track from a "bird's-eye" view. By default, this unit shows the map with north always at the top of the screen. If you're navigating to a waypoint, the map also shows your starting location, present position, course line and destination. Using the map is as simple as pressing the PAGES key. A screen similar to those in the following images appears. The arrow flashing in the center of the screen is your present position. It points in the direction you're traveling. The solid line extending from the arrow is your plot trail, or path you've taken. Map Page screen and various zoom levels. Use the Zoom In and Zoom Out keys to enlarge or reduce the map's coverage area and the amount of mapping detail shown. The map data loaded in your iFINDER Go contains a low-detail world map and a medium detail USA map. The Go2 model contains the same maps plus high detail USA lake, river and coastal shoreline data. 6 The low-detail world map contains some large cities and most country political boundaries. The medium-detail U.S. map contains: all incorporated cities; shaded metropolitan areas; county boundaries; some major city streets; Interstate, U.S. and state highways; lakes and streams and more than 60,000 navigation aids and 10,000 wrecks and obstructions in U.S. coastal and Great Lakes waters. The map also contains exit services information for Interstate highways. The iFINDER Go2 International contains a worldwide reference map with basic coverage of country political boundaries, major lakes, rivers and coastal waters, plus key cities, and major and minor highways. Moving Around the Map: Zoom & Cursor Arrow Keys The map is presented from a bird's eye view perspective. The current zoom range shows in the lower left corner of the screen. 1. Press the ZIN key (zoom in) to move in closer and see greater detail in a smaller geographic area. 2. Press the ZOUT key (zoom out) to move farther away and see less map detail, but a larger geographic area. When you are walking or riding in a vehicle, the map will automatically move as you move. This keeps your current location roughly centered on the screen. You can manually pan or scroll the map northward, southward, eastward or westward by using the arrow keys, which launches the cross-hair map cursor. This allows you to look at map places other than your current position. To clear the cursor, press EXIT, which jumps the map back to the current position or the last known position. Selecting Any Map Item with the Cursor 1. Use the zoom keys and the arrow keys to move around the map and find the item you wish to select. 2. Use the arrow keys and center the cursor cross-hair on the desired object. On most items, a pop-up box will give the name of the selected item. You will also notice a black ring surrounds the item as it becomes 7 selected. Once that happens, if you press FIND the Find Menu will pop up with an extra option at the top of the list: SELECTED ITEM. Press ENT to see the Waypoint Information screen for the selected item. Set Home Waypoint A waypoint is simply an electronic "address," based on the latitude and longitude of a position on the earth. Easy Mode allows you to save two waypoints (Home and Man Overboard). To save a Home Waypoint: 1. Press and release ENT. 2. The SAVE AS HOME WAYPOINT? menu appears, with YES highlighted. To accept yes, press ENT. The w ...