Lowrance M56 manuel d'utilisation

Pub. 988-0152-021 www.lowrance.com M56 S/Map Fish-finding Sonar & Mapping GPS Installation and Operation Instructions[...]

Copyright © 2003 Lowrance Electronics, Inc. All rights reserved. Lowrance ® is a registered trademark of Lowrance Electronics, Inc. Marine-Tex  is a trademark of Illinois Tool Works Inc. 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 n[...]

i Table of Contents Sec. 1: Read Me First! .................................................................... 1 Capabilities and Specif ications: M56 .................................................. 3 How your Sonar Works....................................................................... 4 How your GPS Works ................................[...]

ii Fish I.D.  (Fish Symbols & Depths) ............................................... 51 FishReveal  ..................................................................................... 52 FishTrack  ....................................................................................... 54 Grayline  ................................[...]

iii Find Distance from Point to Point ................................................... 97 Icons................................................................................................... 98 Create Icon on Map ...................................................................... 98 Create Icon at Current Position.........................[...]

iv Pop-Up Help .................................................................................... 123 Reset Options .................................................................................. 124 Screen Contrast and Brightness .................................................... 124 Set Language ............................................[...]

1 Section 1: Read Me First! How this manual can get you out on the water, fast! Welcome to the exciting world of digital sonar and GPS! We know you're anxious to begin finding fish, but we have a favor to ask. Before you grab the unit and begin installing it, please give us a moment or two to explain how our manual can help you get the best pe[...]

2 When you come to a sonar menu command on the unit's screen, you can look it up in the manual by skimming over the table of contents or the in- dex, or just flipping through Section 3 or scanning through the sonar op- tions in Section 4. If you're having difficulty with your sonar, you can find an answer to the most common problems in Se[...]

3 Capabilities and Specifications: M56 General Display: ............................ High-contrast Film SuperTwist LCD. Diago- nal viewing area: 3.5" (8.9 cm). Resolution: ...................... 160 pixel x 240 pixel resolution; 38,400 total pixels. Backlighting: .................. LE D ba c k l i t s c r ee n w i t h m u lt i p l e lighting l[...]

4 GPS Receiver/antenna: ......... Internal 12 parallel channel GPS/WAAS. Position updates: .......... Every second. Position points: ............. 1,000 waypoints; 1,000 event marker icons. Man Overboard: ............. MOB feature precisely marks man overboard location with special icon, then automatically displays navigation data to that position.[...]

5 The receiver amplifies this return signal, or echo, and sends it to the display, where an image of the object appears on the scrolling sonar chart. The sonar's microprocessor calculates the time lapse between the transmitted signal and echo return to determine the distance to the object. The whole process repeats itself several times each se[...]

6 tion, look over this segment describing how GPS and its new companion WAAS work together to get you where you're going. The Global Positioning System (GPS) was launched July 17, 1995 by the United States Department of Defense. It was designed as a 24- hour-a-day, 365-days-a-year, all weather global navigation system for the armed forces of t[...]

7 Like most GPS receivers, this unit doesn’t have a compass or any other navigation aid built inside. It relies solely on the signals from the sat- ellites to calculate a position. Speed, direction of travel, and distance are all calculated from position information. Therefore, in order for the unit to determine direction of travel, you must be m[...]

8 menu command to use by finding the boldface command text. The fol- lowing paragraphs explain how to interpret the text formatting for those commands and other instructions: Arrow Keys The arrow keys control the movement of dotted cross-hair lines on your mapping screen called the cursor. The arrow keys also control a hori- zontal line depth curso[...]

9 Section 2: Installation & Accessories Preparations You can install the sonar and GPS systems in some other order if you prefer, but we recommend this installation sequence: CAUTION: You should read over this entire installation section before drill- ing any holes in your vehicle or vessel! 1. Determine the approximate location for the sonar/G[...]

10 Remember, the transducer location and installation is the most critical part of a sonar installation. Recommended Tools and supplies If you prefer the option of routing the cable through the transom, you will need a 5/8" drill bit. NOTE: The following installation types also call for these recommended tools and required supplies that you mu[...]

11 boat hulls have a flat keel pad that offers a good mounting surface. On vee hulls, try to place the transducer where the deadrise is 10 ° or less. Left, vee pad hull; right, vee hull. A pod style transducer is shown here, but the principle is the same for Skimmers inside a hull. 4. If the transducer is mounted on the transom, make sure it doesn[...]

12 Align transducer centerline with hull bottom. However, there are times when you may need to adjust the transducer slightly higher or lower. (The slots in the mounting brackets allow you to loosen the screws and slide the transducer up or down.) If you fre- quently lose bottom signal lock while running at high speed, the trans- ducer may be comin[...]

13 Second, the transducer angle cannot be adjusted for the best fish arches on your sonar display. (This is not an issue for flasher-style sonars.) Lack of angle adjustment can be particularly troublesome on hulls that sit with the bow high when at rest or at slow trolling speeds. Third, a transducer CAN NOT shoot through wood and metal hulls. Thos[...]

14 Reassemble the transducer and bracket and place them against the transom. Again, check to see if you can move the transducer so it's parallel with the ground. If you can, then go to step 3. If it doesn't, repeat step 2, but use a different alignment letter until you can place the transducer on the transom correctly. Insert bolt and che[...]

15 Position transducer mount on transom and mark mounting holes. Side view shown at left and seen from above at right. 5. Attaching transducer to transom. Remove the transducer from the bracket and re-assemble it with the cable passing through the bracket over the bolt as shown in the following figures. Route cable over bolt and through bracket. Si[...]

16 6. Route the transducer cable through or over the transom to the sonar unit. Make sure to leave some slack in the cable at the tra nsd uce r. If possible, route the transducer cable away from other wiring on the boat. Electrical noise from the engine's wiring, bilge pumps, VHF radio wires and cables, and aerators can be picked up by the son[...]

17 3. Route the transducer cable alongside the trolling motor shaft. Use plastic ties (not included) to attach the transducer cable to the troll- ing motor shaft. Make sure there is enough slack in the cable for the motor to turn freely. Route the cable to the sonar unit and the trans- ducer is ready for use. Transducer mounted on trolling motor, s[...]

18 If the arch slopes up – but not back down – then the front of the trans- ducer is too high and needs to be lowered. If only the back half of the arch is printed, then the nose of the transducer is angled too far down and needs to be raised. NOTE: Periodically wash the transducer's face with soap and water to re- move any oil film. Oil a[...]

19 Testing Determines Best Location Ideally, the shoot-thru transducer should be installed as close to the transom as possible, close to the centerline. This will give you the best performance during high speed maneuvers. Shoot-thru-hull transducer locations for high speed or trolling speed operation. To choose the proper location for shoot-thru-hu[...]

20 2. Next, take the transducer out of the water and place it in the water in the sump of the boat, face down. (The transducer face is shown in the figure on the following page.) Notice how the signal strength de- creases. The second bottom signal will probably disappear and the bot- tom signal intensity will likely decrease. 3. Now move the transd[...]

21 Epoxy transducer to hull. WARNING: Use only the epoxy available from LEI. It has been for- mulated to work with these installation procedures. Other epoxy types may be too thin or may not cure to the right consistency for optimum transducer performance. 2. The epoxy consists of the epoxy itself and a hardener. Remove the two compounds from the p[...]

22 5. After the epoxy has cured, route the cable to the sonar unit and it's ready to use. POWER AND CABLE CONNECTIONS The unit works from a 12-volt battery system. For the best results, at- tach the power cable directly to the battery. You can attach the power cable to an accessory or power buss, however you may have problems with electrical i[...]

23 lead, black is negative or ground. Make sure to attach the in-line fuse holder to the red lead as close to the power source as possible. For example, if you have to extend the power cable to the battery or power buss, attach one end of the fuse holder directly to the battery or power buss. This will protect both the unit and the power cable in t[...]

24 In-dash mounting template for M56. NOTE: This figure is not printed to scale. Bracket Installation Mount the unit in any convenient location, provided there is clearance when it’s tilted for the best viewing angle. You should also make sure there is enough room behind the unit to attach the power/transducer cable. (See the following drawings, [...]

25 Front view (left) and side view (right) showing dimensions of the M56 when mounted on quick release bracket. If you wish, you can fill in the hole around the cable with a good marine sealant compound. (Some marine dealers stock cable hole covers to con- ceal the opening.) This unit uses a quick release mounting bracket. When you run the ca- ble [...]

26 M56 quick release mounting bracket. Slots in the base allow routing the cable from beneath the mount. Attach the unit to the bracket by first connecting the power/transducer cable. Then, hold the sonar unit vertically and slide it onto the bracket from above. (The back of the unit should be touching the front of the bracket as you lower it into [...]

27 Adjust viewing angle: use one hand to press and release the spring- loaded ratchets while you move the unit with the other hand. An op- tional GBSA-3 swivel base is shown with the quick release bracket. Portable Sonar Installation Like many Lowrance products, the M56 sonar is capable of portable operation. It uses the optional PPP-12 portable po[...]

28 NOTE: When the unit is not in use, we recommend you unplug the power connector to reduce the possibility of corrosion or battery drain. When you store the unit, always remove the batteries because dead batteries can leak and corrode the contacts. After installing the batteries, plug the cable's power connector into the socket on the battery[...]

29 If the batteries do lose a charge, you can sometimes restore them by placing them in a warm room or car interior. A better way is to replace them with batteries that have been kept warm. WARNING: Never heat the batteries over an open flame or direct hot air onto them. A fire or explosion could result. Portable Transducer Assembly Recommended too[...]

30 Portable transducer installed on boat transom. NOTE: For optimum operation, the portable transducer should be adjusted so that it is parallel to the ground. For more information on this, see the earlier segment on Transducer Orientation and Fish Arches. Now that you have your unit installed, move on to Sec. 3, Basic Sonar Operations . There, we&[...]

31 Section 3: Basic Sonar Operation KEYBOARD BASICS The unit sounds a tone when you press any key. This tells you the unit has accepted a command. Numbers in the photo correspond to key ex- planations below: Lowrance M56 Sonar, front view, showing screen and keyboard. (A close-up of the keyboard can be found at the beginning of Sec. 6) 1. PWR (Powe[...]

32 4. ARROW KEYS – These keys are used to navigate through the menus, make menu selections, move the plotter cursor and sonar chart cursor and enter data. 5. ENT (Enter) – This key allows you to save data, accept values or execute menu commands. It is also used to create event marker icons. 6. EXIT – The Exit key lets you return to the previo[...]

33 Main Menu. The Main Menu commands and their functions are: Screen command: changes the contrast or brightness of the display screen. Sounds command: enables or disables the sounds for key strokes and alarms and sets the alarm style. Alarms command: turns GPS alarms on or off and changes alarm thresholds. Route Planning command: used to plan, vie[...]

34 time. You run a command by using ↑ or ↓ to highlight the command and then pressing ENT . To clear the menu screen and return to the Page display, press EXIT . Sonar Page Menu. Most of these functions are discussed in Sec. 4, Advanced Sonar Operation . Sonar Menu Commands The Sonar Menu contains commands for the major sonar features and optio[...]

35 • Sonar Features command: launches the Sonar Features menu which controls many functions and options, including screen color mode, auto depth and sensitivity, surface clarity, noise rejection, Fish I.D.  sym- bols, the zoom bar and zone bar. • Ping Speed command: sets the rate at which sonar pings are made. Pages The M56 has four major So[...]

36 Sonar chart display options (from left) full sonar chart and split zoom. Sonar chart display options (from left) digital data and flasher. You can customize how the Sonar Page pictures and other data are dis- played in many ways . We'll discuss all of those features and options in the Advanced Sonar Operation section, but to show you how ea[...]

37 Basic Sonar Quick Reference 1. Mount the transducer and unit. Connect the unit to electric power and the transducer. 2. Launch your boat. 3. To turn on the unit, press and release PWR key. 4. Head for your fishing grounds. Your unit automatically displays digi- tal depth and surface water temperature in the corner of the screen. The auto setting[...]

38 Sonar Operations As you can see from the quick reference on the previous page, basic operation is pretty easy, right out of the box. If you are a sonar novice, try operating the unit with the factory defaults until you get a feel for how it's working. As you're learning the basics, there is one setting you might want to tinker with fro[...]

39 You can change the sensitivity level whether you are in Auto Sensitiv- ity mode or Manual Sensitivity mode. The adjustment method works the same in both modes, but it gives you slightly different results. Adjusting sensitivity in Auto Sensitivity Mode is similar to manually ad- justing a car's speed with the accelerator pedal while cruise c[...]

40 NOTE: If you want to change the sensitivity in Manual Mode, first turn off Auto Sensitivity: from the Sonar Page, press MENU | ↓ to A UTO S ENSITIVITY | ENT | ↑ to S ENSITIVITY | ENT . Press ↓ or ↑ to pick a different sensitivity setting. When it's set at the desired level, press EXIT . Important Tip: While you are experimenting and[...]

41 Other Free Training Aids The following section discusses Fish I.D., fish alarms and other fea- tures in greater detail. If you or a friend has Internet access, you can also learn more about interpreting what you see on your sonar screen. Visit our web site, WWW.LOWRANCE.COM . Be sure to check out the free Sonar Tutorial, which includes animated [...]

42 Notes[...]

43 Section 4: Sonar Options & Other Features Material in this section is arranged in alphabetical order. ASP  (Advanced Signal Processing) The ASP  feature is a noise rejection system built into the sonar unit that constantly evaluates the effects of boat speed, water conditions and interference. This automatic feature gives you the best [...]

44 3. Press ↓ or ↑ to select a setting, then press ENT . 4. To return to the previous page, press EXIT | EXIT . Alarms This unit has three different types of sonar alarms. The first is a Fish Alarm. It sounds when the Fish I.D.  feature determines that an echo is a fish. Another alarm is the Zone Alarm, which consists of a bar on the side of[...]

45 3. Press ↑ or ↓ until the depth is correct, then press ENT . 4. Press ← to S HALLOW A LARM E NABLED | ENT | EXIT . 5. To turn off the alarm, press MENU | MENU | ↓ to A LARMS | ENT | ↓ to S ONAR A LARMS | ENT | ENT | EXIT . To switch to a different depth setting, open the Sonar Alarms menu and repeat the instructions in step 3 above. To[...]

46 3. To set the upper boundary for the Zone Alarm, use ← or → to select U PPER , then press ↑ or ↓ to move the top of the bar to the desired depth. 4. To set the lower boundary for the Zone Alarm, use ← or → to select L OWER , then press ↑ or ↓ to move the bottom of the bar to the desired depth. 5. Press EXIT | ← to Z ONE A LARM [...]

47 Chart Speed The rate that echoes scroll across the screen is called the chart speed. The default is maximum; we recommend that you leave the speed set there for virtually all fishing conditions. However, you might consider experimenting with chart speed when you are stationary or drifting very slowly. You may sometimes achieve bet- ter images as[...]

48 At left, Sonar Page menu with Depth Cursor command selected. At right, sonar chart with the depth cursor active. The line indicates the large fish is 40.53 feet deep. The cursor can be moved to any location on the screen, letting you pin- point the depth of a target. 1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU | ↓ to D EPTH C URSOR | ENT . 2. The depth[...]

49 2. The Depth Range Control Scale appears. Press ↑ or ↓ to select a dif- ferent depth range. A dark bar highlights the selected range. Range numbers in gray cannot be selected. 3. When the new range is selected, press EXIT to clear the menu. Depth Range - Manual You have complete control over the range when the unit is in the man- ual mode. T[...]

50 At left, Sonar Page Menu with Upper and Lower Limits command se- lected. At right, Sonar Chart Limits menu, with Upper Limit selected. To change the upper and lower limits: 1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU | ↓ to U PPER A ND L OWER L IMITS | ENT . The Sonar Chart Limits menu appears, with Upper Limit selected. 2. To set the upper limit, pres[...]

51 FasTrack  This feature automatically converts all echoes to short horizontal lines on the display's far right side. The graph on the rest of the screen con- tinues to operate normally. FasTrack gives you a rapid update of condi- tions directly under the boat. This makes it useful for ice fishing, or when you're fishing at anchor. Wh[...]

52 Does that mean Fish I.D. is broken? No — the feature is simply inter- preting sonar returns in a specific way to help take some of the work out of reading the screen. Remember: Fish I.D. is one of the many tools we provide so you can analyze your sonar returns for maximum fish finding information. This and other features can help you successfu[...]

53 white. Also note that when using FishReveal, we recommend that you turn off Auto Sensitivity and turn up Sensitivity to near maximum. Sonar Color Mode command with FishReveal selected. To turn FishReveal on: 1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU | ↓ to S ONAR F EATURES | ENT . 2. Press ↓ to S ONAR C OLOR M ODE | ENT | ↓ to F ISH R EVEAL | ENT[...]

54 FishTrack  The FishTrack feature shows the depth of a fish symbol when it ap- pears on the display. This lets you accurately gauge the depth of tar- gets. This feature is available only when the Fish I.D. feature is on. The default setting for FishTrack is off. To turn on FishTrack: ( Note: These instructions will turn on FishTrack and Fish I[...]

55 At left, Sonar Page menu with Grayline command selected. At right, the Grayline control bar. To adjust the Grayline level: 1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU | ↓ to G RAYLINE | ENT . 2. The Grayline Control Bar appears. Press ↓ to decrease Grayline; press ↑ to increase Grayline. 3. When it's set at the desired level, press EXIT . Hype[...]

56 When selected, a check mark appears beside the data type. (If you wish, you may now use ↓ or ↑ to select other Data Types for display.) Data list showing "Ground Speed" turned on to display on Sonar Page. 3. To return to the previous page, press EXIT | EXIT . To turn off displayed data: 1. Press MENU | ↓ to O VERLAY D ATA | ENT .[...]

57 Sonar chart with Overlay Data turned on. This example shows Depth, Water Temperature and the Ground Speed of the boat. Ping Speed & HyperScroll  Ping Speed controls the rate at which the transmitter and transducer broadcast sonar sound waves — pings — into the water. The unit has a default ping speed of 50 percent. At normal boating s[...]

58 At left, Sonar Menu with Ping Speed command selected. Ping Speed Control Bar, right, at default setting. To change Ping Speed: 1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU | ↓ to P ING S PEED | ENT . 2. The Ping Speed Control Bar appears. Press ↑ to increase ping speed; press ↓ to decrease ping speed. When it's set at the desired level, press E[...]

59 1. Press MENU | MENU | ↓ to S YSTEM S ETUP | ENT | ↓ to R ESET O PTIONS | ENT . 2. Press ↑ or ↓ to Y ES | ENT . 3. All the menus are cleared and all options are returned to the factory settings. System Menu with Reset Options command selected. Sensitivity & Auto Sensitivity The sensitivity controls the ability of the unit to pick up [...]

60 and boat wakes can create enough tiny air bubbles to clutter much of the water column. In that case, a decrease in sensitivity is indicated to reduce some of the clutter. The control bar used to adjust sensitivity up or down is the same whether the unit is in the automatic or manual mode. In automatic you can adjust sensitivity up to 100 percent[...]

61 NOTE: To return to the original factory setting for Auto Sensitivity, see the entry in this section on Reset Options. If sensitivity is in manual mode, the Reset Options command will switch back to Auto and re- set the factory setting at the same time. Tip: For quicker sensitivity adjustments, try leaving the Sensitivity Control Bar on the scree[...]

62 distance from the face of the transducer up to the surface (the water line on the boat). In this example, we will use 1.5 feet. This will be en- tered as a positive 1.5 feet, which makes the depth indicators perform as if the transducer's higher in the water than it really is. 1. Press MENU | MENU | ↓ to S ET K EEL O FFSET | ENT . 2. The [...]

63 Full Sonar Chart. The Overlay Data (depth and water temperature) are each set to a different text size. Split Zoom Sonar Chart A split chart shows the underwater world from the surface to the bot- tom on the right side of the screen. The left side shows an enlarged ver- sion of the right side. The zoom range shows at the bottom left corner of th[...]

64 Digital Data/Chart Flasher The Flasher page represents a flasher style sonar. A circular dial shows all returning echoes at a high screen refresh rate. It uses the Grayline feature to show weaker targets as lighter colors. The bottom depth is also shown as a black bar across the outer circle. Flasher page. Sonar Simulator This unit has a built-i[...]

65 Stop Chart If you are running multiple units on a boat, there are times when you may want to turn off the sonar. This command turns off the sonar and stops the chart from scrolling. Sonar restarts automatically each time you turn on your unit. Press MENU | ↓ to S TOP C HART | ENT | EXIT . To turn on sonar and start the chart scrolling again, r[...]

66 Sonar Features menu with Surface Clarity selected. 2. Press ↑ or ↓ to select clarity level | EXIT | EXIT | EXIT . Upper and Lower Limits See the entry in this section for Depth Range - Upper and Lower Limits Zoom & Zoom Bar "Zooming" the display is used to enlarge small detail, fish signals and the bottom with its associated st[...]

67 At left, Sonar Page, normal view. Center, same view zoomed to 2X. Right, same view zoomed to 4X Zoom Pan Your unit has the handy ability to quickly zoom in on any portion of the water column with just the touch of an arrow key. The Zoom Pan feature lets you rapidly move the zoomed area up and down to different depths. By "pointing" you[...]

68 Notes[...]

69 Section 5: Sonar Troubleshooting If your unit is not working, or if you need technical help, please use the following troubleshooting section before contacting the factory customer service department. It may save you the trouble of returning your unit for repair. For contact information, refer to the last page, just inside the back cover of this[...]

70 3. The water may be deeper than the sonar's ability to find the bottom. If the sonar can't find the bottom signal while it's in the automatic mode, the digital sonar display will flash continuously. It may change the range to limits far greater than the water you are in. If this hap- pens, place the unit in the manual mode, then c[...]

71 To eliminate or minimize the effects of electrical noise, first try to de- termine the cause. With the boat at rest in the water, the first thing you should do is turn all electrical equipment on the boat off. Make sure the engine is also off. Turn your sonar on, then turn off Noise Reject [also known as the ASP feature (Advanced Signal Processi[...]

72 Notes[...]

73 Section 6: Basic GPS Operations This section addresses the unit's most basic GPS operations. The tuto- rials presented in Sec. 6 follow a chronological order. Sec. 7, Advanced GPS Operations , will discuss other more advanced functions and utili- ties. Material in Sec. 7 is arranged in alphabetical order. Before you turn on the M56 and find[...]

74 4. ARROW KEYS – These keys are used to navigate through the menus, make menu selections, move the map cursor and sonar chart cursor and enter data. 5. ENT (Enter) – This key allows you to save data, accept values or execute menu commands. It is also used to create event marker icons. 6. EXIT – The Exit key lets you return to the previous s[...]

75 You can access the Main Menu from any of the display options by pressing MENU | MENU . To clear the menu screen and return to the page display, press EXIT . Main Menu. The Main Menu commands and their functions are: Screen command: changes the contrast or brightness of the display screen. Sounds command: enables or disables the sounds for key st[...]

76 Pages The unit has two Pages that represent the two major operating modes. They are the Map Page and the Sonar Page. Each Page has several sub- set display options. They are accessed by pressing the PAGES key, then using → or ← to select a Page, then ↑ or ↓ to select a display option. (Clear the Pages Menu by pressing EXIT .) Pages Menu,[...]

77 Satellite Page. Left view indicates unit has not locked on to any satel- lites and does not have a fix on its position. Center view shows satel- lites being scanned. Right view shows satellite lock-on with a 3D posi- tion acquired (latitude, longitude and altitude.) This screen shows a graphical view of the satellites that are in view. Each sate[...]

78 Navigation Page This screen has a compass rose that not only shows your direction of travel, but also the direction to a selected waypoint. To get to the Navi- gation Page: Pre ss PAGES | ← to M AP | ↑ or ↓ to N AVIGATION | EXIT . The navigation screen looks like the one below when you're not navi- gating to a waypoint or following a [...]

79 Speed instead. Closing Speed is also known as velocity made good. It's the speed that you're making toward the waypoint. For instructions, see the Customize Page Displays entry in Sec. 8.) Navigation Page, backtracking a trail while creating a new trail. Track is the heading, or the current direction you are actually travel- ing. Beari[...]

80 A circular symbol depicting your destination (waypoint) appears on the screen as you approach the waypoint, as shown on the screen in the previous figure. Travel Time is the time that it will take to reach your destination at your present closing speed. (You can also customize the time window to show Arrival Time instead. Arrival Time is the loc[...]

81 Far left, Map Page opening screen. Center, zoomed to 100 miles and right, zoomed to 15 miles. The maximum zoom range for showing additional map detail is 8 miles. You can continue to zoom in closer, but the map will simply be enlarged without revealing more map content (except for a few major city streets). The background map includes: low-detai[...]

82 GPS Quick Reference Start outdoors, with a clear view of the open sky. As you practice, try navigating to a location at least a few blocks away. While you're learning, navigation in too small an area will constantly trigger arrival alarms. 1. Install the unit. (See complete installation details beginning on page 9.) 2. To turn on the M56, p[...]

83 Find Your Current Position Finding your current position is as simple as turning the unit on. Un- der clear sky conditions, the unit automatically searches for satellites and calculates its position in approximately one minute or less. NOTE: "Clear sky" means open sky, unobstructed by terrain, dense foliage or structures. Clouds do not[...]

84 The selected wreck (the Empress) to the southeast is 12.55 miles away. 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 ob- ject. On most items, a pop-up box will give the name of the se[...]

85 Sequence for setting a waypoint. Step 1: while traveling, quickly press WPT twice to call up Find Waypoint screen (seen in Step 2) and set a point. Step 3: a message says the waypoint has been saved. Step 4: ve- hicle continues on its way; number waypoint symbol is visible on map. NOTE: The Quick Save method uses the default waypoint symbol unti[...]

86 2. Press WPT | WPT . The waypoint is saved and automatically given a name with a sequential number, such as "waypoint 001." The waypoint symbol and number appear on the map. Create Waypoint by Entering a Position 1. Press WPT | → to N EW | ENT . 2. Press ↓ to E NTERED P OSITION | ENT | ↑ to C REATE | ENT . 3. Press ↓ to L ATITU[...]

87 Navigation Page, navigating toward waypoint 001 and leaving a trail. Set Man Overboard (MOB) Waypoint One of boating's most terrifying events is having a friend or family member fall overboard. This situation can be deadly on any body of wa- ter — fresh or salt. It's particularly dangerous at night or if you're out of sight of l[...]

88 Navigating to Man Overboard: "Man Overboard activated" message shown at left. The Navigation Page is shown in the center and Map Page is shown at right. The victim is astern of the vessel; the GPS shows which direction to steer to for the rescue. The man overboard position is also stored in the waypoint list for future reference. It ca[...]

89 Navigate to cursor. In this example, the cursor has selected the town of Oologah, Oklahoma. 3. Press MENU | ENT and the M56 will begin navigating to the cursor location. The Map Page will display a dotted line from your current position to the cursor position. The Navigation Page displays a compass rose showing navigation information to your des[...]

90 Navigate to a Map Place For map places that are in view on the map, you can easily use the Navigate to Cursor command above; just use the cursor to select the map place. The other method involves searching for map places with the Find Waypoint command, launched with the WPT key. Turn to Sec. 9, Searching , for detailed instructions on map place [...]

91 Sequence for saving a trail and beginning a new one. At left, My Trails command. Center, the Trails Menu. The arrow to the right of Trail 3 indicates the trail is "active," and the check to the left indicates the trail is visible on the map display. The right figure shows the Edit Trail menu, with the Name command selected. 2. Press ?[...]

92 You can save and recall up to 10 different plot trails. Tip: Another quick way to stop recording one trail and begin a new one is to use the New Trail command: Press MENU | MENU | ↓ to M Y T RAILS | ENT | → to N EW T RAIL | ENT | EXIT | EXIT | EXIT . Caution: You also have the option of completely turning off trail record- ing, under the tra[...]

93 The other two methods provide a full range of navigation data and work with both the Map Page and Navigation Page. The only difference be- tween them is "navigating a trail" follows a trail forward (from start to end) while "backtracking" follows a trail in reverse (from end to start.) When hiking at walking speed with a hand[...]

94 Navigate a trail menu sequence: Fig. 1, My Trails command. Fig. 2, Trails Menu. Fig. 3, Edit Trail Menu. Fig. 4, Edit Route Menu with Navigate Route command highlighted for Trail 1. A trail is always con- verted to a "route" when you navigate the trail. On the Map Page, the trail you are navigating is represented by a flashing solid li[...]

95 Navigate trail, map views: at left driver is heading southeast straight toward trail point 3. At right, driver has reached point 3 and has turned southwest to follow the trail. Navigate trail, navigation page (compass rose) views: at left, driver is heading northeast straight toward trail point 3; bearing arrow shows the trail point is 61 degree[...]

96 4. Press → to R EVERSE R OUTE | ENT | ← to N AVIGATE R OUTE | ENT . The unit begins showing navigation information along the trail, in reverse. NOTE: If you are already located at or near the end of your trail, the arri- val alarm will go off as soon as you hit Enter. Just press EXIT to clear the alarm and proceed. 5. Now, begin moving and f[...]

97 Section 7: Advanced GPS Operations Find Distance From Current Position To Another Location 1. While on the Map Page press: MENU | ↓ to F IND D ISTANCE | ENT . 2. Center your cursor over the position you want to find the distance to. A rubber band line appears, connecting your current position to the cursor's location. The distance along t[...]

98 Icons Icons are graphic symbols used to mark some location, personal point of interest or event. They can be placed on the map screen, saved and re- called later for navigation purposes. These are sometimes referred to as event marker icons. The M56 has 42 different symbols you can pick from when creating an icon. Icons are similar to waypoints,[...]

99 Delete an Icon You can delete all the icons at one time, you can delete all icons repre- sented by a particular symbol, or you can use the cursor to delete a se- lected icon from the map. 1. Press MENU | ↓ to D ELETE M Y I CONS | ENT . 2. Press ↓ to D ELETE A LL I CONS , D ELETE B Y S YMBOL , or D ELETE F ROM M AP and press ENT . Delete icon[...]

100 Routes A route is a series of waypoints, linked together in an ordered sequence, that's used to mark a course of travel. You can visualize a route as a string of beads: The beads represent waypoints and the string repre- sents the course of travel connecting waypoint to waypoint. The course from one waypoint to the next is a leg; routes ar[...]

101 Edit Route menu, left. Edit Route Waypoints menu, right, with Add From Map command selected. 3. Use the Zoom keys and arrow keys to move the map and cursor until the cursor is centered on the spot where you want your route to begin. (If you are starting at your current position or the current cursor posi- tion, you are already at the starting s[...]

102 Route creation sequence, continued: Fig. 4. Point (3) set at channel mouth. Fig. 5. Fourth waypoint set further south along the beach, at a recogniz- able landmark (Bob Hall Pier). Waypoint PLFM Q W ends the route at an oil platform some distance from the shore. Fig. 6. Press EXIT to save the route and you return to this screen. 5. Move the cur[...]

103 Edit a Route You can edit the route name if you wish. 1. From the N AVIGATION P AGE , press MENU | ENT or from the M AP P AGE press MENU | MENU | ↓ to R OUTE P LANNING | ENT . 2. Press ↓ to route name | ENT | → to E DIT R OUTE N AME | ENT . 3. Press ↑ or ↓ to change the first character, then press → to move the cursor to the next ch[...]

104 Route Planning command on Main Menu, left; Routes menu, center; Edit Route menu, right. Navigate Route command is selected. 2. Press ↓ to select route name | ENT | ENT . 3. Upon arrival at your destination, cancel navigation: press MENU | MENU | ↓ to C ANCEL N AVIGATION | ENT | ← to Y ES | ENT . The following figures show what the Navigat[...]

105 In Fig. 3 the traveler has turned northeast on his new course and is heading straight for Wpt 2, which is 0.28 miles away. Fig. 4 shows route navigation on the Map Page. In this figure, the traveler has reached Wpt 2 and is starting on the leg between Wpts 2 and 3. Navigate a Route in Reverse Here's how you run a route backward, from the e[...]

106 to the next character and repeat until the name is correct. Press ENT then EXIT | EXIT | EXIT | EXIT to return to the previous page display. Tip: You can quickly call up the Edit Trail menu by selecting a trail on the map with the cursor. Simply move the cursor over a trail and a pop-up box appears. Press WPT and the Edit Trail menu opens. At l[...]

107 Waypoints Delete a Waypoint To delete a waypoint from the waypoint list: press WPT | ENT | ENT | ENT | ↓ to waypoint name | ENT | → to D ELETE W AY- POINT | ENT | ← to Y ES | ENT . To return to the previous page, press EXIT | EXIT . To delete a waypoint from the map: 1. Use the arrow keys to select the waypoint with the cursor. 2. Press W[...]

108 Selecting a Waypoint To select a waypoint on the map (for navigating to, for editing, etc.,) use the arrow keys and center the cursor over the waypoint. A highlighted halo will appear around the waypoint. Set a Waypoint by Average Position This feature sets a waypoint at the current position after taking several position readings and averaging [...]

109 Section 8: System & GPS Setup Options Alarms This unit has several GPS alarms. The factory default setting has all the alarms turned on. You can turn the alarms off and on and change their distance settings. You can set an arrival alarm to flash a warning message and sound a tone when you cross a preset distance from a waypoint. For example[...]

110 4. When your adjustments are finished, return to the last page dis- played by repeatedly pressing EXIT . Auto Satellite Search To lock onto the satellites, the GPS receiver needs to know its current position, UTC time and date. (Elevation (altitude) is also used in the equation, but it's rarely required to determine a position.) It needs t[...]

111 1. Press PAGES | ← to M AP | ↓ to S ATELLITES . 2. Press MENU | ↓ to GPS A UTO S EARCH | ENT | ← to Y ES | ENT . Coordinate System Selection The Coordinate System Menu lets you select the coordinate system to use when displaying and entering position coordinates. Menus for changing coordinate system used to display positions. To get to [...]

112 NOTE: When the position format is changed, it affects the way all posi- tions are shown on all screens. This includes waypoints. To change the coordinate system, press ENT while C OORDINATE S YSTEM is highlighted. Press the ↑ or ↓ arrow keys to highlight the desired for- mat. Press ENT to select it. Press EXIT to erase the menus. To setup L[...]

113 Once you've decided on a reference position, you must save it as a way- point. (See the waypoint section for information on saving a waypoint.) After you've saved the reference position as a waypoint, exit from the waypoint screens. 1. Press MENU | MENU | ↓ to GPS S ETUP | ENT . 2. Press ↓ to C OORDINATE S YSTEM | ENT . 3. Press ?[...]

114 Pages can be customized by turning data boxes on or off. These data boxes (sometimes referred to as text boxes, data windows or information displays) are controlled with the Customize command. The boxes usually appear at the edge of the display screen. Information type is abbreviated on the Map and Navigation pages, but spelled out on the Posit[...]

115 change. With the display box highlighted and flashing, press ENT to open a list of options. Scroll ↑ and ↓ to select a different data option, then press ENT . You can repeat these steps to change the display in another box. When all the changes are finished, press EXIT to return to the page display. GPS Simulator The GPS simulator lets you [...]

116 While in simulator mode, you can press EXIT to clear the steering and speed boxes from the screen while continuing the simulation. This will allow you to use the map cursor during a simulation. To turn steering and speed boxes back on again, return to the GPS Simulator menu, se- lect the S TEER WITH A RROWS command, press ENT . Simulating Trail[...]

117 Map Auto Zoom This receiver has an auto zoom feature that eliminates much of the but- ton pushing that other brands of GPS receivers force you to make. It works in conjunction with the navigation features. First, start navigation to a waypoint. (See the waypoint section for more information on navigating to a waypoint.) Then, with the auto zoom[...]

118 Pop-up Map Info From the Map Page, press MENU | ↓ to M AP D ATA | ENT . Press ↓ to P OPUP M AP I NFORMATION . With the option highlighted, press ENT to check it (turn on) and uncheck it (turn off.) After the option is set, press EXIT | EXIT to return to the page display. Fill Land With Gray From the Map Page, press MENU | ↓ to M AP D ATA [...]

119 All datums are named. The GPS system is based on the WGS-84 da- tum, which covers the entire world. Other datums may also cover the entire world, or just a small portion of it. By default, your position shows using the WGS-84 datum. However, it can show your position using one of 191 different datums. Different datums can be selected; to change[...]

120 Map Menu, left, Map Categories Drawn Menu, right. Map Orientation By default, this receiver shows the map with north always at the top of the screen. This is the way most maps and charts are printed on paper. Map orientation at left is shown in north up and at right, track up. This is fine if you're always traveling due north. What you see[...]

121 Another option is course-up mode, which keeps the map at the same orientation as the initial bearing to the waypoint. When either the track-up or course-up mode is on, an "N" shows on the map screen to help you see which direction is north. To change map orientation: from the Map Page, press MENU | ↓ to M AP O RIENTATION | ENT . Use[...]

122 Overlay data uses many of the same types of information available in data boxes (see Customize Page Displays earlier in this section), but the overlaid text is shown without boxes. It's another feature that lets you fully customize the screens to fit your viewing preferences. To change the digital data shown on top of the Sonar Page or the[...]

123 3. To return to the previous page, press EXIT | EXIT . To turn off displayed data: 1. From the Map or Sonar page, press MENU | ↓ to O VERLAY D ATA | ENT . 2. Press ↓ or ↑ to select Data Type | ENT . The selected data type disap- pears from the top of the list and reverts to its previous, unchecked po- sition. (If you wish, you may now use[...]

124 System Setup Menu, left, with Pop-up Help command highlighted. At right, this example shows the Pop-up Help message for the Sensitivity command, located on the Sonar Menu. Reset Options To reset all features to their factory defaults: Press MENU | MENU | ↓ to S YSTEM S ETUP | ENT | ↓ to R ESET O PTIONS | ENT | ← to Y ES | ENT . NOTE: Rese[...]

125 Screen Command, left, and Screen Menu with Contrast bar selected, right. To adjust the display's brightness: Press ↓ to B RIGHTNESS . Press → or ← to move the bar. The left end of the scale is minimum contrast; the right end is maximum contrast. To adjust the screen's display mode: Press ↓ to D ISPLAY M ODE | ENT |press ↑ or[...]

126 Set Local Time Using the correct local time setting is handy when estimating local ar- rival time while navigating. Also, the time and date are saved when a waypoint is created. To access the Set Local Time menu, you must first acquire your posi- tion. Once that is done: press MENU | MENU | ↓ to S YSTEM S ETUP | ENT | ↓ to S ET L OCAL T IME[...]

127 Software Version Information From time to time, Lowrance updates the operating system software in some of its products. These software upgrades are usually offered to customers as free downloads from our web site, www.lowrance.com. These upgrades make the unit perform better or introduce a new fea- ture or function. You can find out what softwa[...]

128 Once in the Sounds menu: To set Key Press Sounds: With the option highlighted, press ENT to check it (turn on) and uncheck it (turn off). After the option is set, press EXIT | EXIT to return to the page display. To set Alarm Sounds: Press ↓ to A LARM S OUNDS . With the option high- lighted, press ENT to check it (turn on) and uncheck it (turn[...]

129 General Trail Options To access the Trails Menu: Press MENU | MENU | ↓ to M Y T RAILS | ENT . Main Menu, left, Trails Menu, center, Trail Options, right. Delete All Trails To remove all of the trails from memory: from the Trails Menu, press → to D ELETE A LL | ENT | ← to Y ES | ENT . Update Active Trail Option This menu lets you change th[...]

130 Trail Update Rate (Time, Distance) You can update a trail by time, with a range from 1 second to 9999 sec- onds; the default is 3 seconds. You can update by distance, with a range from 0.01 mile/nm/km to 9.99 mile/nm/km; the default is 0.10 miles. With one of the Update Criteria selected, use the cursor arrows to highlight either the U PDATE R [...]

131 New Trail To manually start a new trail, in the Trails Menu, use the → to make sure N EW T RAIL is highlighted and press ENT | EXIT . Trail Visible/Invisible and Other Trail Options The name, maximum number of points in the trail, activity, and visi- bility are all changed on the Edit Trail menu screen. The Active setting determines whether o[...]

132 Notes[...]

133 Section 9: Searching NOTE: The background map loaded in your unit lets you search for high- ways and arterial streets in the U.S., as well as land features, in- cluding cities and lakes. For a complete description of what detail is found in the background map, see page 81. The unit's search functions all begin with either the Find Waypoint[...]

134 A Map Place selected by the cursor, left, Waypoint Information screen, right. NOTE: Since the Go To command is highlighted, you can navigate to the selected map place by pressing ENT | EXIT while in the Waypoint In- formation screen. Find Map Places 1. Press WPT , press ↑ or ↓ to select a map place category, then press ENT . You will be giv[...]

135 Find by Nearest option, left, Calculating screen, center, map places list, right. 3. Search by name. Press ↓ | ENT . There are two options: A. You can spell out the map place in the top selection box. Press ↑ or ↓ to change the first letter, then press → to move the cursor to the next letter and repeat until the name is correct, then pr[...]

136 Go To Waypoint option, left; Find on Map option, right. Find Streets or Intersections Find a Street 1. From the Map Page, press MENU | ↓ to F IND S TREETS | ENT and the Find Streets Menu appears. Find Streets command, left, Find Streets menu, right. 2. You must fill in a street name in the First Street dialog box. Press ENT to display the Fin[...]

137 Find Street By Name menu. Spell out name in the top box, or select from the list in the lower box. 3. The Find Streets menu reappears with the street you're searching for in the First Street box. (In this example, it's I-35.) To search for that street, press ↓ to F IND F IRST S TREET | ENT . A message appears asking you to wait whil[...]

138 Map Page showing results of a street search. The cursor points to the located street. If you want to navigate to the found street at the cursor location, just press MENU | ENT | EXIT . Find an Intersection You must enter one street in the First Street dialog box and enter the next street in the Second Street dialog box. 1. From the Map Page, pr[...]

139 street. You could now use similar techniques to select a city or Zip code, but your search will probably be faster if you leave those boxes blank. (You can specify a city and/or Zip code later on to narrow the search, if the resulting list is too long.) Find Intersection command highlighted, left. Intersections Found list, right. 6. To search f[...]

140 Find Waypoints 1. Press WPT | ENT . 2. If searching for the Nearest waypoint, press ENT . If searching for the waypoint By Name , press ↓ to N EAREST | ENT . (To search by name, jump to step 5 below.) Find Waypoint menu, left; Find By Nearest command, center, Find by Name command, right. 3. If you're looking for nearest , the unit says i[...]

141 A. To navigate to the waypoint, press ENT . (The Go To Waypoint command is already highlighted.) The unit will show navigation in- formation to the waypoint. B. To find the waypoint, press → to F IND O N M AP | ENT . The Map Page appears with the cursor highlighting the found waypoint. Waypoint Information screens with the Go To Waypoint comm[...]

142 Find By Name menu, left. Waypoint Information screen, center. At right, the found waypoint is highlighted by the cursor on the Map Page. A. To navigate to the waypoint, press ENT . (The Go To Waypoint command is already highlighted.) The unit will show navigation in- formation to the waypoint. B. To find the waypoint, press → to F IND O N M A[...]

143 Section 10: Supplemental Material Datums Used by This Unit WGS 1984 Default Adindan Mean for Ethiopia, Sudan Adindan Burkina Faso Adindan Cameroon Adindan Ethiopia Adindan Mali Adindan Senegal Adindan Sudan Afgooye Somalia Ain el Abd 1970 Bahrain Ain el Abd 1970 Saudi Arabia Anna 1 Astro 1965 Cocos Islands Antigua Island Astro 1943; Antigua (Le[...]

144 DOS 1968 New Georgia Islands (Gizo Island) Easter Island 1967 Easter Island European 1950 Mean for Austria, Bel- gium, Denmark, Finland, France, West Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Nether- lands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzer- land European 1950 Mean for Austria, Den- mark, France, West Ger- many, Netherlands, Swit- z[...]

145 North American 1927 Mean for CONUS (Continental United States) North American 1927 Mean for CONUS (East of Mississippi River) in- cluding Louisiana, Mis- souri, Minnesota North American 1927 Mean for CONUS (West of Mississippi River) North American 1927 Alaska North American 1927 Bahamas (Except San Salvador Island) North American 1927 Bahamas [...]

146 South American 1969 Mean for Argentina, Bo- livia, Brazil, Chile, Co- lombia, Ecuador, Guy- ana, Paraguay, Peru, Trinidad & Tobago, and Venezuela South American 1969 Argentina South American 1969 Bolivia South American 1969 Brazil South American 1969 Chile South American 1969 Colombia South American 1969 Ecuador South American 1969 Ecuador [...]

147 FCC Compliance This device complies with Part 15 of the U.S. Federal Communi- cations Commission (FCC) Rules. Operation is subject to the fol- lowing two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful in- terference, and (2) this device must accept any interference re- ceived, including interference that may cause undesired opera- tion. Chan[...]

148 Notes[...]

149 Index A Accessories, 1, 5, 23, 24 Sec. 2, Installation & Accessories , 9 Alarm Clock, 106 Alarms, 33, 44, 45, 46, 75, 82, 93, 94, 96, 104, 109, 116 Anchor Alarm, 109 Antenna, 4, 5, 71, 83, 147 Arrival Alarm, 82, 93, 94, 96, 104, 109, 116 B Backlights / Lighting, 3, 31 Batteries, 9, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 32, 69, 70, 71 Brightness, 2, 33, 75, 1[...]

150 Navigation Page, 78, 79, 80, 82, 87, 88, 89, 93, 94, 99, 100, 102, 103, 104, 105, 114 Plotter Page, 8, 32 Position Page, 94, 114 Satellite Status Page, 76, 77, 82 Pop-up Map Info (Map Data option), 118 Power, 2, 3, 5, 9, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 37, 59, 69, 70, 71, 73, 74 Product Specifications, 3 R Range Rings (Map Data option), 118[...]

151 Notes[...]

152 Notes[...]

153 LOWRANCE DATABASES LICENSE AGREEMENT THIS IS A LEGAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE END-USER WHO FIRST PURCHASES THIS PRODUCT AS A CONSUMER ITEM FOR PERSONAL, FAMILY, OR HOUSEHOLD USE ("YOU") AND LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC., THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS PRODUCT ("WE", "OUR", OR "US"). USING THE PRODUCT ACCOMPANIED BY T[...]

154 DATABASES LIMITED WARRANTY "We", "our", or "us" refers to Lowrance Electronics, Inc., the manufacturer of this product. "You" or "your" refers to the first person who purchases the prod- uct as a consumer item for personal, family, or household use. The Databases Limited Warranty applies to the [...]

155 LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS FULL ONE-YEAR WARRANTY "We," "our," or "us" refers to LOWRANCE ELECTRONICS, INC., the manufacturer of this product. "You" or "your" refers to the first person who purchases this product as a consumer item for personal, family or household use. We warrant this product against[...]

156 How to Obtain Service… …in the USA: We back your investment in quality products with quick, expert service and genuine Lowrance parts. If you're in the United States and you have technical, return or repair questions, please contact the Factory Customer Service Department. Before any product can be returned, you must call customer serv[...]

Accessory Ordering Information for all countries To order Lowrance accessories such as power cables or transducers, please contact: 1) Your local marine dealer or consumer electronics store. Most quality dealers that handle marine electronic equipment or other consumer electronics should be able to assist you with these items. To locate a Lowrance [...]

Visit our web site: Lowrance Pub. 988-0152-021 © Copyright 2003 All Rights Reserved Printed in USA 102203 Lowrance Electronics, Inc.[...]