Lowrance LRA-1000 manual

Pub. 988-0161-011 www.lowrance.com Radar Operation Instruction Manual[...]

Copyright © 2006 Lowranc e Electronics, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be co pi ed, reprod uced, republished, trans- mitted or distributed for any purpos e, without prior written cons ent of Lowrance Electronics. Any unauthorized comm erc ial dist ribution of this manual is st rictly prohibited. Lowrance  is a registered t[...]

i Table of Contents Warnings and Cautions .......................................................... iii Section 1: In troduction............................................................. 1 Models Covered ............................................................................. 1 Update Display Un it Software ................................[...]

ii Browse data files: ................................................................ 24 Copy data files: .................................................................... 25 Delete a data file: ................................................................. 26 Stop or play a data fi le: .......................................................[...]

iii Warnings and Cautions Caution: Use this radar at your own risk . This radar was designed for use as a navigation aid. It should not be used for purposes th at require precise measurements of direction, distance, topography or location. Always compare the navigation information received from your radar with data from other navigation aids and so[...]

iv WARNING: Microwave Radiation Hazard The microwave energy radiated by a radar antenna is harmful to humans, especially to the eyes. NEVER look directly into an open waveguide o r into the path of ra- diation from an enclosed antenna. Radar and other ra- dio frequency radiation can upset cardiac pacemakers. If someone with a cardia c pacemaker sus[...]

1 Section 1: Introduction Thank you for buying a Lowrance Radar with the RIM 100 radar inter- face module. Your radar consists of three main compo nents: the radar scanner unit (an tenna), your display unit (sold separately) and the RIM 100 radar interface module whi ch connects the sca nner and display units. WARNING: Radar radiation can be harmfu[...]

2 This manual covers th e following radar units: LRA-1000, LRA-1500, LRA-2000 radomes; and LRA-4000, LRA-5000 open array radars. Update Display Unit Software Your display unit must have s oftware version 1.3.0 or later t o work with radar. Depending on when you bought your display, it may require a software update. To a void delays in setting up yo[...]

3 When the echo retur ns, it is processed by a com puter to det ermine rela- tive distanc e, position and bearing of the object th at reflected the sig- nal. This informati on is displayed on the display unit's screen. Other boats or ships, navigational marker s, landmasses and the like are re- ferred to as targets. By knowing how long it take[...]

4 Basic Radar Display Components Your unit has three electronic bearing lines and three variable range markers. An enlarged example of EBLs and VRMs is on the next page. PPI Position status Display mode Range Range Ring Interval Echo Trail status A nti-Rain Clutter A nti- Se a Clutter Radar Echo Expansion status Interference Rejection status Ga in [...]

5 Basic Radar Display Components VRMs and EBLs allow you to track the distance and bearing of multiple radar targets. NOTE: This manual is printed in black and white, but a fre e color version (in Acrobat  PDF format) is avai lable for display or downlo ad from the Lowrance web site. The color ma nual is particularly useful for understanding Sec[...]

6 Notes[...]

7 Section 2: Radar Setup This section will teach you how to pr epare your radar for oper ation. Be- fore you begin radar s etup, the radar scanning unit, RIM 100 module and display unit m ust all be installe d and their cables connected. The display unit must be running so ftware version 1.3.0 or later. WARNING: Do NOT attempt to execute Radar Setu[...]

8 Radar only highlighted on Radar Pages menu (left). Radar menu with Radar Power selected (right). 6. Press MENU , then use ↑ ↓ to se le ct R ADAR P OWER from the radar m enu and press ENT . A confirmation messag e will appear. Press ← to select Y ES and press ENT . A warm-up countd own will commence that will var y depending on th e model of[...]

9 Radar Setup The Radar Setup men u allows you to setup and adjust radar s ettings, like Transmit Off Z one and Antenna Park. Most of the settings in the Radar Se tup menu will o nly have to be set once, but we recomm end you check the settin gs periodical ly for general maintenanc e. NOTE: Before starting radar setup, take your vessel out on open [...]

10 Anti-Rain Clutter 1. To set Anti-Rain Clutter to zero, press MENU , select A NTI -R AI N C LUTTE R (FTC) and press ENT . 2. That will launch the Anti-Ra in Clutter vertical scrollbar. Press ↓ un- til the Anti-R ain Clutter is s et to zero percent. Press EXIT . (Notice th e corresponding valu e in the upper ri ght-hand corn er of the screen.) M[...]

11 The 2 kW models, the LRA-1000 and LRA-150 0, will have only one ring on the display. The 4 kW rad ars — LRA-2000, LRA-4000 and LRA-5000 — will have two ri ngs on the display. Se e the followin g figures. Before adjusting the Trigger Delay for 4 kW rad ars, two rings will be shown on the screen (left). As Tri gger Delay is increased, the lar [...]

12 If you over apply the Trigger Delay, the bl ack circle will dis appear. De- crease the Trigger Delay leve l and it will reappear. 3. Press EXIT to return to the main page dis play. Adjust Main Bang Suppression Main Bang Suppressi on is only for 4k W units — LRA 2000, LRA 4000 and LRA 5000. This feature filters out electronic n oise close t o y[...]

13 Main Bang Suppression begins with the same red ring we resized dur- ing Trigger Delay setup (left). Slowly increase Mai n Bang Suppression to make the ring as thin as possible (enlar ged view, right). 5. Press EXIT to clear the scrollbar from the screen. Now res et Gain, Anti- Sea Cl utter and An ti-R ain Clut ter b ack to a desi red le vel. Adj[...]

14 3. Use ← → to a djust the position of the green head ing line, so its lin e to the reference point's rad a r image matches your bow' s actual line to the reference point. 4. Press EXIT to remove the he ading line arrows from the display. Adjust Transmit Off Zone The Transmit Off Zone is a feature that a llows you to select an area [...]

15 1. From the Radar Setup menu, press → | ↓ to s elect A DJUS T T RANSMIT O FF Z ONE and press ENT . That will launch the Adjust Transmit O ff Zone dialogs in the upper right-hand corner of the scr een. 2, Use ↑ ↓ , ← → to set up the Transm it Off Zone in the desired area. The zone will be colored red on the radar display. 3. Press EXI[...]

16 Notes[...]

17 Section 3: Basic Operation Pages The Radar Page has four display options: Radar Only, Radar with Map, Radar with Sonar and Radar with Gauges. GPS only units do not sup- port the Radar w ith Sonar page, so they h ave three displ ay options: Radar Only, Radar with Map and Radar with Gauges. Radar Page Menu with Radar Only selected. To access Radar[...]

18 Radar Only option (left) with Radar with Map display (right). Radar with Sonar The Radar with Sonar option allows you to monitor radar information, while viewing so nar returns. Not availab le on GPS only uni ts. Radar with Gauges The Radar with Gau ges display wi ll split the screen between the radar page and the gaug e page. The gauge pag e ca[...]

19 Radar Menu When a radar page is the active page, you can access the radar menu by pressing MENU . To access the main menu, press MENU | MENU . Radar Menu. Gain This is used to adjust the sensiti vity of the receiver. Sett ing Gain to a low level wil l clear up some of the clutter on the screen, but also could eliminate some desir ed echoes. A hi[...]

20 Gain vertical scrollbar (left) with Anti-Sea Clutter scrollbar (r ight). Anti-Sea Clutter (S TC): This lowers receiver sens itivity at shorter ranges to reduce or eliminate echoes that ref lect back at the anten na due to wave action close to the vessel. Caution Increasing STC may reduce or elimin ate weak echoes, like small vessels. Use only th[...]

21 Anti-Rain Clutter vertical scrollb ar (left) with Interference Rejection scrollbar (right). Interference Rejection This feature fi lters out signals fr om other radars close to your locati on. To adjust Interferen ce Rejection: 1. Select I NTERFERENCE R EJECTION from th e radar menu and press ENT . That will launch the Int erference Reject ion v[...]

22 Radar Range selected (left). Li st of radar ranges (right). To turn on or turn off Radar Echo Expans ion: Highlight R ADAR E CHO E XPANSION on the radar menu, then pr ess ENT to turn it on (check) or turn it off (unc heck). Press EXIT to clear the radar menu. Radar Echo Expansion is good for seeing weak ec ho returns — like birds — at a dist[...]

23 Adjust Radar PPI Offset Adjusts vertical an d horizontal offset of the P PI, allowing you to see more of what is in fr ont, behind or on either side of you. To Adjust Ra dar PPI Offset: 1. Select A DJUST R AD AR PPI O FFSET from the radar menu and press ENT . 2. Four arrows will surround the PPI. Use ↑ ↓ , ← → to m ove the Plan Position [...]

24 Log Radar Data If your unit has a hard drive (LCX-26cHD, LCX-111cHD, GlobalMa p 6600cHD & GlobalMap 7600c HD) the Log Radar Data feature allows you to save radar logs. Saving a rada r log allows y ou to reuse the lo g in the unit's sim ulator, wh ich can aid you in be ing more proficien t at ra- dar interpretati on. To record a radar lo[...]

25 Browse Files selected from the Radar Chart Logging me nu (left). Browse Files menu (right). When you select a file fr om the fi le browse men u, you can cop y, delete, play or stop playing a data file. To copy data files: 1. Select the desired file from th e Browse Files m enu and press ENT . 2. The File Information window wi ll appear with thre[...]

26 4. Next use ↑ ↓ to highlight th e C OPY F ROM dialog box. Select yo ur unit 's hard drive as the Copy-Fro m location and pr ess ENT . 5. Highlight the C OPY button and press ENT . To delete a da ta file: 1. Highlight D ELETE from th e File Informat ion window and pr ess ENT . 2. A confirmation messa ge will appe ar. Press ← to Y ES an[...]

27 Transmit Off Zone and Tune, all of wh ich are addressed in th e section on Radar Setup. You can also m odi fy Radar Orient ation, Radar Color Scheme and Antenna Park fr om the Radar Setu p menu. Radar Orientation Displays the or ientation of your radar, which by de fault is set to Heading Up. Radar Color Scheme Your radar has eight color optio n[...]

28 Selecting Adjust Antenna Park will plac e a dialog box in the upper right-hand corner of the screen . Use Arrow keys to adjust it. To adjust A ntenna Park: 1. Make sure the vessel is not moving, then, from th e Radar Setup menu, press → | ↓ to A DJUST A NTENN A P ARK an d press ENT . That will dis- play the Adjust An tenna Park dial og box i[...]

29 Radar Information screen (left). Radar Power confirm ation message (right). Radar Power Turns the radar on and off. To turn radar on or off: 1. To turn the radar on or off, highlight R A DAR P OWER on the radar menu and press ENT . 2. A confirmation messa ge will appear . Press ← to Y ES to continue. Press EXIT to get back to the main page dis[...]

30 Simulators highlighted on the Syst em Setup menu (left). Radar Simu- lator On selected on Radar Simulato r menu (right). Notice the simula- tor has not been turned on, si nce the checkbox is unchecked. 5. Press ↓ to R AD AR S IMULATOR O N and press ENT to turn on (check) the simulator checkb ox. Repeat thes e steps to turn off the simu lator. [...]

31 Section 4: Advanced Operation Radar Only page display. Reading the Display The radar page displays digit a l info rmation on th e screen which covers, Range Rings, Gain, A nti-Sea Clutter (ST C), Anti-Rain C lutter (FTC) and when active, El ectronic Bearing Lin es (EBL) and Variable Range Markers (VRM). Gain The percent age listed next to Gain ,[...]

32 Anti-Sea Clutter (S TC) The STC percentage d isplays the curren t Anti-Sea Clutter setting on your radar screen. Anti-Rain Clutter (FTC) The FTC percent age displa ys the current Ant i-Rain Clutt er setting on your radar screen. Electronic Bearin g Line (EBL) A radial line that can be rotat e d 360 ° , th e electronic bearing l ine is used to m[...]

33 To find the distanc e to a radar target, incr ease the size of the VRM un- til it is lined u p with the targ et. Check the display in the bottom right - hand corner to see y our distance from the tar get in nautical miles. 4. Use ← → to m ove the Electr onic Bearing Lin e around the dis play. Line up the EBL with a radar target to det ermine[...]

34 3. Press ↓ to call up the EBL-VRM menu. Select the last EBL-VRM op- tion and press ENT . Press ↑ | → to mak e the VRM and EBL visible on the screen, then press ENT . This is a zoomed in view from the previous image, clearly s howing the radar target, Variable Range Marker and Electronic Bear ing Line. To reposition EBL a nd VRM: 1. Press ?[...]

35 Radar screen with all three EBL-VR M options visible on the disp lay. Notice the EBL and VRM readings in the bottom left and r ight-hand corners of the screen. To remove EBL-VRM from the dis play: 1. Press ↓ to call up the EBL-VRM menu. Se lect the EBL- VRM you want to remove and press ENT . 2. Press EXIT and the desired EBL-VRM will b e remov[...]

36 VRMs and EBLs allow you to track the distanc e and bearing of multiple radar targets. VRM1 VRM2 VRM3 EBL1 EBL3 EBL2[...]

37 Section 5: Radar Interpretation Interpreting im ages on your radar screen involves as much art as it does science. If you want to be c onfident with your radar at night, you n e e d t o p r a c t i c e i n d a y l i g h t . T o b e r e a d y f o r f o g o r a b l i n d i n g r a i n squall, you must practice in fair weather. Making you an ex per[...]

38 Anti-Rain Clutter (FTC) fig. 2. FTC set to 12% Anti-Rain Clutter (FTC) fig. 3. FTC set to 25 %.[...]

39 Anti-Rain Clutter (FTC) fig. 4. FTC set to 50%. Anti-Rain Clutter (FTC) fig. 5. FTC set to 62%. The rain has virtually disa ppeared from the screen.[...]

40 Echo Trails This four-figur e sequenc e shows how Echo Trails trac ks target move- ment over time . The bo at is statio nary. Several boats will be trailed. Color mode is default. Echo Trail update int erval set to 30 seconds. Echo Trails fig. 1. Elapsed time = zero . Echo Trails fi g. 2. Elapsed time = 5 seconds. Ar rows show trav el directi on[...]

41 In fig. 3, note the tar get off the bow approachin g at high speed from the north. The "dotted" trail indicates higher speed than targets w ith more solid trails. Be alert; this boat is a collisi on risk. Echo Trails fig. 3. Elapsed time = 8 sec onds. Echo Trails fi g. 4. Elapsed time = 12 seconds. Ta rget 5 veered by you r starboa rd [...]

42 Typical Small Boat Targets Small boat targets fig. 1. Bow is headed in to the wind. Here, boats ap- pear as larger red targets. Birds are smaller green targets. Small boat targets fig. 2. Boat h a s turned, with the wind (and wave clutter) off port quarter. Boat Wave action Boats Birds Wave action Boats Boats[...]

43 Small boat targets fig. 3. Landma sses return a strong echo and thus appear red in default color mode. Small boat targets fig. 4. Three targets, with one boat just offshore. Wave action Boats Boat Boat Wave action Boats Bird[...]

44 Shoreline Images This sequence illustrates a boat entering a chan nel. The green line is the track the vessel wi ll take. The m agenta line fr om the stern is a GPS trail. Study these radar returns wi t h their corresponding maps and you'll get a feel for how radar dis plays a shoreline. This channel is sur- rounded by steeply sl oping, roc[...]

45 Shoreline fig. 3. Shoreline fig. 4. 1 7 9 10 11 2 5 4 6 1 7 6 9 10 8 2 3 5 1 7 6 9 11 10 2 5 4 4 1 7 8 9 10 2 3 4 5 6 11 11 12 12 13 13 3 3 8 8 12 12[...]

46 Recommended Reading For additiona l instruction check out thes e two books and a U. S. gov- ernment manual: The Radar Book: Effective Naviga tion an d Collision Avoidance , by Kevin Monahan. ISBN 1-93 2310-05 -3, 235 pages, paperback. Published in 2003 by FineEdge.com LLC, 14004 Biz Point Lane, Anacortes, WA 98221 USA. Radar for Mariners , by Da[...]

47 Appendix I: Glossary Anti-Rain Clutter (FTC) : used to r educe or elimina te massive num- ber of small echoes that clutter th e display during rain or snow storms. Anti-Sea Clutter (S TC) : lowers rec eiver sensitivity at shorter rang es to reduce or elim inate sea clutt er echoes, which ar e most prevalent around the vess el. ARPA : automatic r[...]

48 Heading Line Adjustment: the H e ading Line is used to make sure the green headi ng line (zero p o int) on your radar d isplay is lin ed up the bow of your vess el. Heading Up : when your heading is displayed at the top of the screen, you are in Headin g Up mode. Interference Rejection : filters out sign als from other radars close to your locat[...]

49 Transmit Off Zone : an area set up in the radar transmiss i on path where the radar w ill not transmit a microw ave pulse. Tuning : intermediate frequ e ncy adjustment that enhances th e per- formance of the radar. VRM (Variable Rang e Marker) : a range ring used to meas ure the precise distanc e to a target, the vari able range marke r may be a[...]

50 FCC Compliance This device complies with Part 15 and Part 80 of the U.S. Fed- eral Communications Commission (FCC) Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause un- desired operation.[...]

51 LOWRANCE EL ECTRONICS FULL ONE- YEAR WARRANTY "We," "our," or "us" refers to LOWR ANCE ELECTRONICS, INC., the manufacturer of this product. "You" or "your" refers to the first person wh o purcha ses this product as a consumer item for personal, family or househ old use. We warrant this product a [...]

52 How to Obtain Service… …in the USA: We back your investm e nt in quality prod ucts with quick, exper t service and genuine Lowra nce parts. If you're in the United States and you have technical, retur n or repair questions, please contac t the Factory Customer Ser vice Departm ent. Befor e any product can be returned, you must call cust[...]

Accessory Orde ring Informa tion for all countries To order Lowrance accessories for your unit, please contact: 1) Your local marin e dealer or consumer el ectronics store. Most quality dealers that handle marine electronic equipment or ot her consumer electronics sh ould be able to ass ist you with these it ems. To locate a Lowrance d ealer near y[...]

Visit our web site: Lowrance Pub. 988-016 1-011 © Copyright 2006 All Rights Reserved Printed in USA 033106 Lowrance Electronics, Inc.[...]