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. Those hulls require either a transom mount or a thru-hull installation. Fourth, if your Skimmer transducer has a built in temp sensor, it will only show the temperature of the bilge, not the water surface temp. Follow the testing procedures listed in the shoot-thru-hull installation section at the end of this lesson to determine if you can satisfactorily shoot through the hull. TRANSOM TRANSDUCER ASSEMBLY AND MOUNTING The best way to install the transducer is to loosely assemble all of the parts first, place the transducer's bracket against the transom and see if you can move the transducer so that it's parallel with the ground. 1. Assembling the bracket. Press the two small plastic ratchets into the sides of the metal bracket as shown in the following illustration. Notice there are letters molded into each ratchet. Place each ratchet into the bracket with the letter "A" aligned with the dot stamped into the metal bracket. This position sets the transducer's coarse angle adjustment for a 14 transom. Most outboard and stern-drive transoms have a 14 angle.
Align plastic ratchets in bracket.
2. Aligning the transducer on the transom. Slide the transducer between the two ratchets. Temporarily slide the bolt though the transducer assembly and hold it against the transom. Looking at the transducer from the side, check to see if it will adjust so that its face is parallel to the ground. If it does, then the "A" position is correct for your hull. If the transducer's face isn't parallel with the ground, remove the transducer and ratchets from the bracket. Place the ratchets into the holes in the bracket with the letter "B" aligned with the dot stamped in the bracket. 13
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.

Ratchets

Insert bolt and check transducer position on transom.
3. Assembling the transducer. Once you determine the correct position for the ratchets, assemble the transducer as shown in the following figure. Don't tighten the lock nut at this time.

Nut Metal washer

Rubber washers Bolt

Metal washer

Assemble transducer and bracket.
4. Drilling mounting holes. Hold the transducer and bracket assembly against the transom. The transducer should be roughly parallel to the ground. The transducer's centerline should be in line with the bottom of the hull. Don't let the bracket extend below the hull! Mark the center of each slot for the mounting screw pilot holes. You will drill one hole in the center of each slot. Drill the holes using the #29 bit (for the #10 screws).

107.5 [4.23]

82.7 [3.26]

156 [6.26]

12.09 [0.48]
70.3 Millimeter [2.77] [Inch] Front view (left) and side view (right) showing dimensions of the Cuda 240 when mounted on quick release bracket.

76.9 [3.03]

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 conceal the opening.) This unit uses a quick release mounting bracket. When you run the cable through the hole, make sure you allow enough slack for tilting the unit and attaching the connector. (The snug fit of the push-on waterproof connector requires some force to attach.) Also be sure there is enough cable slack for rotation if you decide to use the optional GBSA-3 swivel base. The swivel base lets you to rotate the sonar so it can be seen from different parts of the boat. Align the bracket over the cable hole with the cable slots facing away from you and fit the cable through one of the slots. Fasten the bracket to the dash using the three screw holes.

Ratchet

Rear (away from viewer) Screw hole

Power/transducer cable

Cable slot
Cuda 240 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 position.) As you push down, the unit will lock into place with a distinct click. To adjust the viewing angle, pinch the ratchets with one hand, then tilt the unit with your other hand. Release the ratchets and the unit locks into the new position. To dismount the unit for storage, press the ratchets and lift the unit off the bracket.

Bracket front

Mount the sonar: slide the unit onto the bracket from above.
Depress ratchets to release. Swivel base Adjust viewing angle: use one hand to press and release the springloaded ratchets while you move the unit with the other hand. An optional GBSA-3 swivel base is shown with the quick release bracket.
Portable Sonar Installation Like many Eagle products, the Cuda 240 sonar is capable of portable operation. It uses the optional PPP-12 portable power pack. The power pack and portable transducers expand the uses for your sonar. You can use your Cuda 240 sonar unit on your boat or take it to the dock, on a float tube, on an ice fishing trip or use it as a second sonar in a friend's boat. (An alternative to the PPP-12 is the PPP-15 portable power pack, which was designed especially for ice fishing. It includes a rechargeable gel cell battery and a transducer designed for stationary use. The entire rig is contained in a carry bag that fits inside a fivegallon plastic bucket.) The PPP-12 package includes the power pack, battery adapter and a portable transducer. The transducer can be stored inside the power pack. The PPP-12 requires eight AA alkaline batteries. Batteries are not included. To use a portable power pack, you simply install the batteries and then attach the sonar unit to the power pack's bracket. Plug in the power/transducer cable and you're ready to fish. The PPP-12 has a quick-release mounting bracket built into the case. Installing the Batteries Release the latch on the front of the power pack case. Open the compartment and install eight AA batteries into the adapter. For the longest life, we recommend you use alkaline batteries.

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 compartment cover. Route the cable's unit connector and about 6 inches of cable through the opening under the sonar mount. Close the cover, plug the connector into the sonar unit and mount the unit on the built-in bracket.
PPP-12 Portable Power Pack with a sonar unit stowed for transport.
Turn the unit on. If it doesn't work, make sure the battery terminals are making good contact against the battery contacts. Also check the wiring connections on the battery adapter. The red wire on the power cable should be attached to the red wire on the battery adapter and the power cable's black wire should be connected to the black wire on the battery adapter. If it still doesn't work, check the battery voltage. Most of the complaints we receive about portable units result from stale batteries. Make sure the ones you buy are fresh. In cold weather the efficiency of dry cell batteries drops with the temperature. We find it a good idea to have the sonar unit good and warm along with the batteries before we leave home.
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 tools for installation include a slotted screw driver and two adjustable wrenches. Assemble the transducer and bracket as shown in the following figure. Attach the transducer to the bracket with the supplied hardware. Make sure there is one washer on each side of the transducer, inside the bracket. Slide the other washer over the end of the bolt and thread the nut onto it. Screw the suction cup onto the bracket using the supplied screw and flat washer. Tie the nylon cord through the hole in the top of the bracket. When using this transducer, tie the other end of the nylon cord to the boat. This will help prevent the loss of the transducer if it comes off the boat.
Tie nylon cord here Suction cup Nut Washer Transducer Portable transducer assembly: rear view (left) and side view (right.) Screw

Bolt Washer

Clean the chosen area of the hull before attaching the suction cup. Locate the transducer on the hull as shown in the following figure. Don't allow the bracket to extend below the hull, because water pressure against it can cause the suction cup to come off at speed. Moisten the cup, then press it onto the hull as firmly as possible. Tie the nylon cord to the boat and route the transducer cable to the sonar unit. Your portable sonar is now ready for use. 29

2. The Keel Offset dialog box appears with a plus (+) sign at the front of the box. 3. Press until the displayed number is + 1.5, then press EXIT. The depth indicators now accurately show the water depth from surface to bottom.

Sonar Color Mode

The default color scheme for the sonar chart is grayscale, but we offer other variations to suit your viewing preferences. You can select the chart to be displayed in reverse grayscale, bottom black or FishReveal mode. (For more information on FishReveal, see the entry on that topic elsewhere in this section.) To change the chart mode color scheme: 1. From the Sonar Page, press MENU| to SONAR FEATURES|ENT. 2. Press to SONAR CHART MODE|ENT. 3. Press or to Mode Name|ENT. 4. Press EXIT|EXIT to return to the Sonar Page.
Sonar Page & Sonar Chart Display Options
The Cuda 240 offers three Sonar chart display options. To choose among them, press EXIT to clear any menus, then press PAGES and use the arrow keys to select the desired mode. Full Sonar Chart This is the default mode used when the Sonar is turned on for the first time or when it's reset to the factory defaults. The bottom signal scrolls across the screen from right to left. Depth scales on the right side of the screen aid in determining the depth of targets. The line at the top of the screen represents the surface. The bottom depth and surface temperature (if the unit is equipped with a temperature sensor or a transducer with a temp sensor built in) show at the top left corner of the screen. The FasTrack display shows just to the right of the scale. This changes all echoes into short horizontal bars, replicating a flasher sonar. The zoom bar on the far right shows the area that's zoomed when the zoom is in use. (See the Zoom section for more information.) 59
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 bottom on the right side of the screen. The left side shows an enlarged version of the right side. The zoom range shows at the bottom left corner of the screen.
Split Zoom Sonar Chart. Image at left shows the left window zoomed to 2X. The right image shows the left window zoomed to 4X. The depth overlay data is set to the default large text size; the water temperature is set to the medium text size.
Digital Data/Chart This mode shows nine digital boxes or windows containing (by default): Water Depth; Water Temp; Position Error; Bearing; Distance to Destination; Speed; Travel Time; Track; and distance Off Course.

2. Press or to select clarity level|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT. 62

Zoom & Zoom Bar

"Zooming" the display is used to enlarge small detail, fish signals and the bottom with its associated structure. The 2X zoom doubles the size of all echoes on the screen. The 4X zoom quadruples the size of the echoes. You can also turn on a zoom bar on the far right side of the screen; this shows which echoes will be displayed on the screen when the Zoom commands are used. For example, turning on the 2X zoom will show all echoes that are between the top and bottom of the 2X zoom bar. The 4X zoom will show only the echoes between the top and bottom of the 4X zoom bar. To switch the zoom: 1. Press ZIN to increase the zoom display to 2X. Press ZIN again for a 4X zoom. 2. Press ZOUT to reduce the zoom and show more of the chart. To turn on the Zoom Bar: 1. Press MENU| to SONAR FEATURES|ENT. 2. The Sonar Features menu appears. Press to ZOOM BAR|ENT|EXIT|EXIT. 3. To turn off the Zoom Bar, repeat steps 1 and 2.
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" your zoom at different portions of the chart as it scrolls, you can get a good, close-up look at structure or cover below you. To use Zoom Pan, switch to a manual depth Range setting (see page 49) and turn on 2X or 4X Zoom. Then, simply press or to pan up and down the water column. 63
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 manual. Unit won't turn on: 1. Check the power cable's connection at the unit. Also check the wiring. 2. Make certain the power cable is wired properly. The red wire connects to the positive battery terminal, black to negative or ground. 3. Check the fuse. 4. Measure the battery voltage at the unit's power connector. It should be at least 11 volts. If it isn't, the wiring to the unit is defective, the battery terminals or wiring on the terminals are corroded, or the battery needs charging. Unit operates only in demo mode: The transducer or antenna module has not yet been connected or has been disconnected. To leave demo mode, make sure that either the transducer or the antenna is securely connected before turning the unit on. Unit freezes, locks up, or operates erratically: 1. Electrical noise from the boat's motor, trolling motor, or an accessory may be interfering with the sonar unit. Rerouting the power and transducer cables away from other electrical wiring on the boat may help. Route the sonar unit's power cable directly to the battery instead of through a fuse block or ignition switch 2. Inspect the transducer cable for breaks, cuts, or pinched wires. 3. Check both the transducer and power connectors. Make certain both are securely plugged in to the unit. Weak bottom echo, digital readings erratic, or no fish signals: 1. Make certain the transducer is pointing straight down. Clean the face of the transducer. Oil, dirt and fuel can cause a film to form on the transducer, reducing its effectiveness. If the transducer is mounted inside the hull, be sure it is shooting through only one layer of fiberglass and that it is securely bonded to the hull. Do NOT use RTV silicone rubber adhesive or Marine-Tex epoxy. 2. Electrical noise from the boat's motor can interfere with the sonar. 65

This causes the sonar to automatically increase its Discrimination or noise rejection feature. This can cause the unit to eliminate weaker signals such as fish or even structure from the display. 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 happens, place the unit in the manual mode, then change the range to a realistic one, (for example, 0-100 feet) and increase the sensitivity. As you move into shallower water, a bottom signal should appear. 4. Check the battery voltage. If the voltage drops, the unit's transmitter power also drops, reducing its ability to find the bottom or targets. Bottom echo disappears at high speeds or erratic digital reading or weak bottom echo while boat is moving 1. The transducer may be in turbulent water. It must be mounted in a smooth flow of water in order for the sonar to work at all boat speeds. Air bubbles in the water disrupt the sonar signals, interfering with its ability to find the bottom or other targets. The technical term for this is cavitation. 2. Electrical noise from the boat's motor can interfere with the sonar. This causes the sonar to automatically increase its Discrimination or noise rejection feature. This can cause the unit to eliminate weaker signals such as fish or even structure from the display. Try using resistor spark plugs or routing the sonar unit's power and transducer cables away from other electrical wiring on the boat. No fish arches when the Fish I.D. feature is off: 1. Make certain the transducer is pointing straight down. This is the most common problem if a partial arch is displayed. 2. The sensitivity may not be high enough. In order for the unit to display a fish arch, it has to be able to receive the fish's echo from the time it enters the cone until it leaves. If the sensitivity is not high enough, the unit shows the fish only when it is in the center of the cone. 3. Use the Zoom feature. It is much easier to display fish arches when zoomed in on a small range of water than a large one. For example, you will have much better luck seeing fish arches with a 30 to 60 foot range than a 0 to 60 foot range. This enlarges the targets, allowing the display to show much more detail. 4. The boat must be moving at a slow trolling speed to see fish arches. If the boat is motionless, fish stay in the cone, showing on the screen as straight horizontal lines. 66
NOISE A major cause of sonar problems is electrical noise. This usually appears on the sonar's display as random patterns of dots or lines. In severe cases, it can completely cover the screen with black dots, or cause the unit to operate erratically, or not at all. To eliminate or minimize the effects of electrical noise, first try to determine 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 Processing)]. Sensitivity should be set at 90-95 percent. There should be a steady bottom signal on the display. Now turn on each piece of electrical equipment on the boat and view the effect on the sonar's display. For example, turn on the bilge pump and view the sonar display for noise. If no noise is present, turn the pump off, then turn on the VHF radio and transmit. Keep doing this until all electrical equipment has been turned on, their effect on the sonar display noted, then turned off. If you find noise interference from an electrical instrument, trolling motor, pump, or radio, try to isolate the problem. You can usually reroute the sonar unit's power cable and transducer cable away from the wiring that is causing the interference. VHF radio antenna cables radiate noise when transmitting, so be certain to keep the sonar's wires away from it. You may need to route the sonar unit's power cable directly to the battery to isolate it from other wiring on the boat. If no noise displays on the sonar unit from electrical equipment, then make certain everything except the sonar unit is turned off, then start the engine. Increase the RPM with the gearshift in neutral. If noise appears on the display, the problem could be one of three things; spark plugs, alternator, or tachometer wiring. Try using resistor spark plugs, alternator filters, or routing the sonar unit's power cable away from engine wiring. Again, routing the power cable directly to the battery helps eliminate noise problems. Make certain to use the in-line fuse supplied with the unit when wiring the power cable to the battery. When no noise appears on the sonar unit after all of the above tests, then the noise source is probably cavitation. Many novices or persons with limited experience make hasty sonar installations which function perfectly in shallow water, or when the boat is at rest. In nearly all cases, the cause of the malfunction will be the location and/or angle of the transducer. The face of the transducer must be placed in a location that has a smooth flow of water at all boat speeds. Read your transducer owner's manual for the best mounting position. 67

Main Menu

The unit has a Main Menu, which contains some function commands and some setup option commands. The tutorial lessons in this section will deal only with functions, the basic commands that make the unit do something. The unit will work fine for these lessons right out of the box with the factory default settings. But, if you want to learn about the various options, see Sec. 7, System Setup and GPS Setup Options. You can access the Main Menu from any of the four Page screens by pressing MENU|MENU. To clear the menu screen and return to the page display, press EXIT. 70

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 or sonar alarms on or off and changes alarm thresholds. Route Planning command: used to plan, view or navigate a route. My Trails command: shows, hides, creates and deletes plot trails. Also used to navigate or backtrack a trail. Cancel Navigation command: turns off the various navigation commands. Used to stop navigating after you have reached your destination waypoint or plotter cursor location; or after you reach the end of a route or trail. Set Keel Offset command: calibrates the unit to show depth under the keel or actual depth from the surface. Sonar Simulator command: turns the simulator feature on and off. Useful for learning how to operate the unit and all its functions. GPS Setup command: sets various GPS receiver options. System Setup command: sets general configuration options. Sun/Moon Calculations command: finds the rising and setting time of the sun and the moon. Trip Calculator command: shows trip status and statistics. Timers command: controls the up timer, down timer and alarm clock settings. 71
The unit has four GPS Page displays that represent the four major operating modes. They are the Satellite Status Page, the Navigation Page, Plotter Page and the Position Page. They are accessed by pressing PAGES| to GPS, then using or to select a Page. (Clear the Pages Menu by pressing EXIT.)
Pages Menu, showing the GPS display options.

Sonar Pages Like the GPS Page options, there are four Sonar Page displays. The heart of the Sonar Page is the sonar chart, a view of the water column from the surface to the bottom. The chart scrolls across the screen from right to left, displaying signal echoes that represent fish, structure and the bottom. The Sonar Pages are discussed in detail in Sec. 3. To get to the Sonar Pages: Press PAGES| to SONAR| or to page|ENT. (Clear the Pages Menu by pressing EXIT.) Satellite Status Page The Satellite Status display, shown, provides detailed information on the status of the unit's satellite lock-on and position acquisition. To get to the Satellite Status Page: Press PAGES| to GPS| or to SATELLITES|ENT. (Clear the Pages Menu by pressing EXIT.) No matter what display option you are on, 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. The Satellite Status display shows you the quality and accuracy of the current satellite lock-on and position calculation. WARNING: Do not begin navigating with this unit until the numbers have stopped flashing! 72
Satellite Page. Left view indicates unit has not locked on to any satellites and does not have a fix on its position. Center view shows satellites being scanned. Right view shows satellite lock-on with a 3D position acquired (latitude, longitude and altitude.)
This screen shows a graphical view of the satellites that are in view. Each satellite is shown on the circular chart relative to your position. The point in the center of the chart is directly overhead. The small inner ring represents 45 above the horizon and the large ring represents the horizon. North is at the top of the screen. You can use this to see which satellites are obstructed by obstacles in your immediate area if the unit is facing north. The GPS receiver is tracking satellites that are in light blue. The receiver hasn't locked onto a satellite if the number is dark blue, therefore it isn't being used to solve the position. Beneath the circular graph are the bar graphs, one for each satellite in view. Since the unit has twelve channels, it can dedicate one channel per visible satellite. The taller the bar on the graph, the better the unit is receiving the signals from the satellite. The "Estimated Position Error" (horizontal position error) shown in the upper left corner of the screen is the expected error from a benchmark location. In other words, if the EPE shows 50 feet, then the position shown by the unit is estimated to be within 50 feet of the actual location. This also gives you an indicator of the fix quality the unit currently has. The smaller the position error number, the better (and more accurate) the fix is. If the position error flashes dashes, then the unit hasn't locked onto the satellites, and the number shown isn't valid. The Satellite Status Page has its own menu, which is used for setting various options. (Options and setup are discussed in Sec. 7.) To access the Satellite Status Page Menu, from the Status Page, press MENU. 73

To stop navigating to the cursor, use the Cancel Navigation command.

Cancel Navigation

You can turn off any of the navigation commands after you reach your destination or at any other time by using the Cancel Navigation command. Press MENU|MENU| to CANCEL NAVIGATION|ENT| to YES|ENT. 81
The Cuda 240 stops showing navigation information.
Find Your Current Position
Finding your current position is as simple as turning Cuda 240 on. Under 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 restrict GPS signal reception. If for some reason satellite acquisition takes longer, you may be inside a structure or vehicle or in terrain that is blocking signal reception. To correct this, be sure you are positioned so that the unit has as clear a view of the sky as possible, then turn the unit off and back on again.
Find Distance From Current Position To Another Location
1. While on the Plotter Page press: MENU| to FIND DISTANCE|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 that line will appear in the information box at the bottom of the screen. The box also shows the bearing to the point you're measuring to. 3. Press EXIT to return to regular operation.
At left, the distance from the boat's current position to nearest waypoint is 3.20 miles. At right. the distance from waypoint 003 to waypoint 009 is 7.94 miles.
Find Distance From Point to Point
You can also measure distance between two other points on the plotter. 1. While on the Plotter Page press: MENU| to FIND DISTANCE|ENT. 2. Center your cursor over the first position. (A rubber band line appears, connecting your current position to the cursor's location.) Press ENT to set the first point, and the rubber band line disappears. 3. Move the cursor to the second position. The rubber band line reappears, connecting the first point you set to the cursor. The distance along that line will appear in the information box at the bottom of the screen. 4. Press EXIT to clear the command and return to the page screen.

Waypoints

A waypoint is simply an electronic "address," based on the latitude and longitude of a position on the earth. A waypoint represents a location, spot, or destination that can be stored in memory, then be recalled and used later on for navigation purposes. Create a Waypoint You can create a waypoint at the cursor position on the plotter, or at your current position while you are navigating. You can create a waypoint at any location by manually entering the position's latitude and longitude. NOTE: To create and save a Waypoint, these first two techniques use the Quick Save method, the fastest and easiest way to create a waypoint.

Alarms command, left; Alarm menu, right.
To change alarm settings: 1. Press MENU|MENU| to ALARMS|ENT|ENT. 2. Scroll or to select the desired category, then press ENT to check or clear the Enabled box. This turns the alarm on (checked) or off (unchecked.) 105
3. To change distance settings, scroll or to select the desired category, then press |ENT to activate the distance dialog box. Press or to change the first character, then press to the next character and repeat until the name is correct. 4. When your adjustments are finished, return to the last page displayed by repeatedly pressing EXIT. IMPORTANT ALARM NOTES: Anchor Alarm - The anchor alarm may be triggered even when you're sitting still. This typically happens when using small (less than 0.05 mile) anchor alarm ranges. Arrival Alarm - If you set the arrival alarm's distance to a small number and you run a route (see the Navigate Routes segment), this unit may not show navigation data to the next waypoint, once you arrive at the first one, since you may not be able to come close enough to the first waypoint to trip the arrival alarm.

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 this data so that it can calculate which satellites should be in view. It then searches for only those satellites. When your GPS receiver is turned on for the first time, it doesn't know what your position or elevation (altitude) is. It does know the current UTC time and date since these were programmed into it at the factory and an internal clock keeps the time while the unit is turned off. (If the time and/or date are incorrect, you can set it using the "Set Local Time" menu.) The unit begins searching for the satellites using the above data that it acquired the last time it was turned on. This probably was at the factory. Since it's almost certain that you're not at our factory, it's probably looking for the wrong satellites. If it doesn't find the satellites it's looking for after approximately one minute, it switches to Auto Search. The receiver looks for any satellite in the sky. Due to advanced technology, the auto search time has shrunk significantly from the early days of GPS. Once the unit locks onto the satellites, it should take less than a minute to find your position the next time it's turned on, provided you haven't moved more than approximately 100 miles from the last location it was used. 106
GPS Auto Search on the Satellite Status Menu.
You can force the unit to immediately kick into auto search mode. Here's how: 1. Press PAGES and switch to the Satellite Status screen. 2. Press MENU| to GPS AUTO SEARCH|ENT| to YES|ENT.

GPS Menu, left; Plotter Orientation menu with the North Up plotter orientation option selected, right.
To change the digital data shown on top of the Sonar Page or the Plotter Page: 113
First, press PAGES, use the arrow keys to select the right page, then press EXIT.
To select data for display:
1. From the Plotter or Sonar page, press MENU| to OVERLAY DATA|ENT. 2. Press or to select Data Type|ENT.
When selected, the data type shifts to the top of the data list and 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" selected to display on Sonar Page.
To turn off displayed data:
1. From the Plotter or Sonar page, press MENU| to OVERLAY DATA|ENT. 114
2. Press or to select Data Type|ENT. The selected data type disappears from the top of the list and reverts to its previous, unchecked position. (If you wish, you may now use or to select other Data Types to turn off.) 3. To return to the previous page, press EXIT|EXIT.
To change displayed data font size:
1. From the Plotter or Sonar page, press MENU| to OVERLAY DATA|ENT. 2. Press or to select Data Type|press or to Data Size|EXIT. The selected data type will be displayed in the new size. (To change the font size for another Data Type, press ENT and repeat these steps, beginning with step two above.) 3. To return to the previous page, press EXIT.
If you wish, you can change the displayed data font size when you select a data type: 1. From the Plotter or Sonar page, press MENU| to OVERLAY DATA|ENT. 2. Press or to select Data Type|press or to select Data Size|ENT. The data will be shown in the new font size. To return to the previous page, press EXIT|EXIT.
Depth Water temp. Distance to destination
Sonar Page with Overlay Data turned on. This example shows Depth, Water Temp. and the Distance to the next waypoint in the current route.

Pop-up Help

Help is available for virtually all of the menu labels on this unit. By highlighting a menu item and leaving it highlighted for a few seconds, a "pop-up" message appears that describes the function of the menu item. This feature is on by default. To set up Popup Help: Press MENU|MENU| to SYSTEM SETUP|ENT| to POPUP HELP. With the option highlighted, press ENT to check it (turn on) and uncheck it (turn off). After the option is set, press EXIT to return to the page display.
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.

To set Alarm Sounds: Press to ALARM 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 Volume: Press to VOLUME. Press or to move the bar.
The left end of the scale is low volume; the right end is high volume. After the option is set, press EXIT|EXIT to return to the page display.
To set Alarm Style: Press to ALARM STYLE|ENT. Press or to change the style, then press ENT. After the option is set, press EXIT|EXIT to return to

the page display.

Track Smoothing
This is a factory setting on the GPS Setup menu that should always be left on. When stopped or traveling at slow speeds (such as walking or trolling), Track Smoothing prevents wandering of trails, the steering arrow, compass rose and a plotter display in track-up mode.
Track Smoothing option, turned on.

Trail Options

There are several options you can use with trails. Some affect all trails, other options can be applied to a particular trail. You can change the way trails are updated, you can display or hide trails, create a new trail, delete a trail, etc.

General Trail Options

To access the Trails Menu: Press MENU|MENU| to MY TRAILS|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 DELETE ALL|ENT| to YES|ENT. Update Trail Option This menu lets you change the way the trail updates occur. WARNING: If you uncheck the Update Trail option, automatic trail creation and recording will be turned off. You must turn it back on to record trails. The default setting is on. From the Trails Menu, press to OPTIONS|ENT. With UPDATE ACTIVE TRAIL highlighted, press ENT to check it (turn on) and uncheck it (turn off).
Update Trail Criteria (Auto, Time, Distance)
The options are automatic, time, or distance. When it's in the default automatic mode, the unit doesn't update the plot trail while you're traveling in a straight line. Once you deviate from a straight line, the unit "drops" a plot point (trail waypoint) onto the trail. This conserves plot trail points. If a plot trail uses all of the available points allotted to it, the beginning points are taken away and placed at the end of the trail. From the Trails Menu, press to OPTIONS|ENT| to UPDATE CRITERIA. Press or to select criteria type|ENT. If you selected Time, the Update Rate data entry box appears on the menu. If you selected Distance, the Update Distance data entry box appears on the menu.

EAGLE 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 EAGLE ELECTRONICS, A DIVISION OF LEI, THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS PRODUCT ("WE", "OUR", OR "US"). USING THE PRODUCT ACCOMPANIED BY THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS. IF YOU DO NOT ACCEPT ALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS, PROMPTLY RETURN THE PRODUCT WITHIN 30 DAYS OF PURCHASE. PLEASE RETURN USING THE ENCLOSED UPS SHIPPING LABEL AND INCLUDE: PROOF OF PURCHASE, NAME, ADDRESS, AND PHONE NUMBER. YOUR PURCHASE PRICE AND ANY APPLICABLE TAXES WILL BE REFUNDED. PLEASE ALLOW 4-6 WEEKS TO PROCESS YOUR REFUND.
1. This License Agreement applies to the one or more databases that your product may contain. We refer to these singly as a "Database" and together as the "Databases." Your product may thus include the "WBS Database" which contains worldwide background surface mapping data, the "SmartMap Database" which contains inland mapping data, or other Databases. 2. The Databases that your product may contain are licensed, not sold. We grant to you the nonexclusive, nonassignable right to use these Databases for supplemental navigation reference purposes, but only as long as you comply with the terms and conditions of this License Agreement. We reserve the right to terminate this license if you violate any aspect of this License Agreement. You are responsible for using official government charts and prudent navigation for safe travel. 3. The Databases housed in your product are protected by the copyright notices appearing on the product or its screen(s). You may NOT modify, adapt, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, rent, lease, or resell any Database, and you may NOT create derivative works based upon any Database or its contents. Any unauthorized reproduction, use, or transfer of a Database may be a crime and may subject you to damages and attorney fees. 4. This License Agreement will terminate immediately without prior notice from us if you fail to comply with or violate any of the provisions of this Agreement. Upon termination, you will promptly return all products containing one or more Databases to us. 5. Prices and programs are subject to change without notice. 6. This License Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Oklahoma and comprises the complete and exclusive understanding between you and us concerning the above subject matter. 129
DATABASES LIMITED WARRANTY
"We", "our", or "us" refers to Eagle Electronics, a division of LEI, the manufacturer of this product. "You" or "your" refers to the first person who purchases the product as a consumer item for personal, family, or household use. The Databases Limited Warranty applies to the one or more databases that your product may contain. We refer to each of these as a "Database" or together as the "Databases." Your product may thus include the "WBS Database" which contains worldwide background surface mapping data, the "SmartMap Database" which contains inland mapping data, or other Databases. We warrant to you that we have accurately compiled, processed, and reproduced the portions of the source material on which the Databases are based. However, we are under no obligation to provide updates to the Databases, and the data contained in the Databases may be incomplete when compared to the source material. WE MAKE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY OF ANY KIND ABOUT THE ACCURACY OF THE SOURCE MATERIAL ITSELF, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. If there is a defect in any Database, your exclusive remedy shall be, at our option, either a refund of the price you paid for the product containing the defective Database or a replacement of such product. WE WILL NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BE LIABLE TO ANYONE FOR ANY SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR OTHER INDIRECT DAMAGE OF ANY KIND. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you. This warranty does NOT apply in the following circumstances: (1) when the product has been serviced or repaired by anyone other than us, (2) when the product has been connected, installed, combined, altered, adjusted, or handled in a manner other than according to the instructions furnished with the product, (3) when any serial number has been effaced, altered, or removed, or (4) when any defect, problem, loss, or damage has resulted from any accident, misuse, negligence, or carelessness, or from any failure to provide reasonable and necessary maintenance in accordance with the instructions of the owners manual for the product. We reserve the right to make changes or improvements in our products from time to time without incurring the obligation to install such improvements or changes on equipment or items previously manufactured. This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which may vary from state to state. Your remedies under this warranty will be available so long as you can show in a reasonable manner that the defect occurred within one (1) year from the date of your original purchase, and we must receive your warranty claim no later than 30 days after such 1-year period expires. Your claim must be substantiated by a dated sales receipt or sales slip.

Pub. 988-0152-081

Addendum I
Additional Instructions for

Eagle Cuda 240i S/GPS

Your sonar/GPS unit, the Cuda 240i, functions exactly like the Cuda 240 described in the manual provided (part 988-0152-012). In addition, the Cuda 240i contains a communications port for NMEA 0183 output. The instructions for connecting data cables and setting up the communications port appear in this addendum.
NMEA 0183 Data Cable Connections
NMEA is a standard communications format for marine electronic equipment. The Cuda 240i can send information to any device that receives NMEA 0183 data. This allows the unit to work with VHF marine radios equipped with the Digital Selective Calling (DSC) distress call feature. To send NMEA 0183 data, the Cuda 240i has one NMEA 0183 version 2.0 communication port. The com port can be used to send NMEA formatted data such as your current position. The provided Cuda 240i data cable plugs into the accessory socket on the right side of the back of your unit's case. The data cable ends in two wires that connect to your VHF radio or other NMEA device. The Cuda 240i uses the yellow wire to transmit and the black shield wire for signal ground. NOTE: Some VHF radios, such as the popular Uniden brand, have input levels which require use of an additional diode and resistor built into the Cuda 240i data cable. This is Wiring Diagram A, which is described on page 2. The majority of the DSC radios will work with the resistor and diode as provided by Eagle. 1
A few other radio brands (and other electronic devices) that meet the NMEA 0183 standard won't need these adapters and you will have to remove the resistor and diode to make those work. This is Wiring Diagram B, which is described on page 4. Consult your other device's owners manual, then read through all of the following instructions before you begin. Use the installation diagram most suited to your brand of radio or other device. If your device manual indicates an RS-232 connection (i.e., a computer), remove the resistor and diode and connect using Wiring Diagram B. Most other connection types (TTL; NMEA + and NMEA ; differential) will require Wiring Diagram A.
Recommended Tools and supplies
Recommended tools for this job include: wire pliers or wire stripper and a wire cutter. Required supplies for this job include: two gray (18 gauge) or blue (16 gauge) wire nuts and electrical tape. Supplies are not included.
Wiring Diagram "A"
Begin by stripping the wire ends of the device you're connecting to the Cuda 240i. (You'll notice the Cuda 240i's data cable comes pre-stripped, with wire ends exposed.) Use a pair of wire pliers to strip about 1/4-inch (6.35 mm) of insulation from each of the radio's or other device's data wires.
Strip the ends of the VHF radio's data wires. Connect them to the prestripped wires of the Cuda 240i's data cable (shown right).
Twist the exposed wires together as shown in the following figures. If you're using a Uniden or similar radio, connect the radio's NMEA Wire to the Cuda 240i data cable's yellow wire, and the radio's Ground/Shield wire to the Cuda 240i data cable's black shield wire. If you're using another radio brand or NMEA device, see Wiring Diagram B instructions at the end of page 3.
Yellow (Transmit) Com port to Cuda 240i Shield (Ground) NMEA Wire (Receive) or NMEA + Ground/Shield or NMEA To Uniden radio or other device
Com port wiring to transmit NMEA information to a Uniden or similar VHF radio or other device.
Twist the appropriate wires together, making sure that the exposed ends make good contact. Secure the wire ends with wire nuts, then wrap each wire nut securely with electrical tape to protect against moisture, as shown in the figure on the right.
After taping the wire ends individually, wrap the entire connection with electrical tape as shown. This will help protect from moisture and prevent the wires from breaking contact. Wiring Diagram "B"
If your VHF radio or other device requires true RS-232, you will need to remove the diode and resistor built into the end of the Cuda 240i data cable. You will notice near the end of the cable a segment protected with black heat-shrink. To connect the Cuda 240i to a true RS-232 radio, first remove the Uniden adapter segment of the cable as shown in the following figures.

For Wiring Diagram B installations, remove the Uniden adapter segment at the end of your data cable as shown at left. Snip off the end of the cable protected by the black heat-shrink. At right, we have used clear heat-shrink for clarity, so you can see the diode and resistor protected within. Remove this portion of the cable.
After you've removed the adapter segment, use wire pliers to expose the ends of the five remaining wires in the cable. Cut off the black, blue and white wires, then seal their ends with electrical tape.
Black Blue White Cut black, blue and white.

Bare wire (shield)

Yellow (transmit)
After removing the adapter segment, prepare to connect by removing and taping off unneeded wires. Strip the end of the yellow wire.
Strip about 1/4-inch (6.35 mm) of insulation from the yellow wire, then follow the preceding wire nut and taping instructions to connect the wires from the radio or other device. If you're using a true RS-232 radio or other device, connect its (+) Receive wire to the Cuda 240i data cable's yellow wire and its ground or () Receive wire to the Cuda 240i data cable's bare shield wire.
Yellow (Transmit) Com port to Cuda 240i Shield (Ground) (+) Receive or Receive To another () Receive or ground NMEA device
Com port wiring to transmit NMEA information to another standard NMEA-compatible device.
When the data cable is connected to your VHF radio, all you have to do is plug it into the sonar/GPS unit. Attach the data cable's plug to the accessory socket on the right side of the back of your unit's case. 5
Communications Port Configuration
Now that you have the devices connected, use the Com Port command in the System Setup Menu to make them communicate. This command opens a menu that allows you to configure the communications port.
Menus for changing Com Port settings.
If you need additional assistance in configuring the unit to communicate with another device, consult the factory; customer service phone numbers are in the back of the unit's manual. To set Com Port Configuration: 1. Press MENU|MENU| to SYSTEM SETUP|ENT. 2. Press to COM PORT|ENT. A menu appears with a drop-down Baud Rate selection box highlighted. The menu also contains an on/off checkbox to activate NMEA Output, and a button that activates the Configure NMEA command (described in the following section).

To set Baud Rate:

With the Baud Rate box selected (the title bar should be highlighted in black, as in the middle figure above), press ENT. A drop-down list appears, showing available baud rates. Select the one that matches the baud rate on your VHF radio, and then press ENT.

To activate NMEA Output:

From the Communication Ports menu, press to highlight NMEA Output. Press ENT to check (turn on) or uncheck (turn off) the NMEA Output checkbox. To exit the Communication Ports menu, press EXIT|EXIT|EXIT.

Configure NMEA

Once in the Communication Ports menu, you can configure the unit to use specific NMEA sentences. (The default setting has all NMEA sentences turned on.) Press to CONFIGURE NMEA|ENT.
NMEA Sentences selection menu.
A menu appears showing the prefixes of the available NMEA sentences. A check mark next to a prefix means the prefix is in use. Use to select a prefix, then press ENT to turn off the prefix. (Press ENT again to check the box and turn a prefix on.) NOTE: The names of the NMEA sentences are abbreviated in this menu. These are the functions of the various selectable prefixes: GLL transmits latitude and longitude of present position, time of position fix, and status. 7
GGA transmits time, position and fix related data. APB transmits autopilot information. RMC and RMB transmits navigation information messages. GSA and GSV transmits fix mode, DOP values and satellites in view information. DBT transmits the depth below the transducer. DPT transmits the depth MTW transmits the water temperature.
4. When the desired prefixes are checked or unchecked, press EXIT|EXIT|EXIT|EXIT to return to the previous page.
Compatibility With Various VHF Radios
The Digital Selective Calling (DSC) feature in marine radios is relatively new technology. The U.S. Coast Guard, for example, implemented its first DSC-capable systems in Atlantic City, N.J. and Chincoteague, VA in September, 2003. However, the entire U.S. DSC rescue system won't be operational until Sept. 30, 2006. As more marine electronics manufacturers enter this growing market, other connectivity issues with your unit may appear. You can check for known compatibility issues by visiting our web site, www.eaglesonar.com. Look in the Manuals section for updated documents for your sonar/GPS unit.

This addendum supplements the manual Cuda 240, part number 988-0152-012.
Pub. 988-0152-081 Printed in USA 022704
Copyright 2004 All Rights Reserved Eagle Electronics