PBO TESTED

budget chart plotters on test
boats, or those with bigger craft who want to display a chart at the steering position in addition to having a larger plotter at the nav station. A few years ago I was a member of the PBO team who tested chart plotters, and I was so impressed that I rushed out and bought one just in time for my summer cruise. However, going into Braye Harbour on Alderney there was too much clutter on the display for me to absorb, and the plotter proved less than helpful. The problem was that I had too much data displayed, so once I had tweaked the settings it worked ne and safely guided us around some very interesting rocky French coastlines. The plotter then became a muchvalued friend. For tips on how to make best use of a chart plotter see PBO 476 plotter combines the technology of GPS with electronic charts and gives you the ability to be able to see at a glance where you were on the chart, without the risk of plotting the coordinates in the wrong position especially when youre tired! However, a word of caution. Some electronic charts do lack detail in some areas and I have found a few anomalies. Its also worth noting that on start-up all the plotters display the disclaimer that they shouldnt be used as a sole source of reference for navigation. use the highway or rolling road functions. The latest screens can be viewed in sunlight and are water resistant, so putting them in the cockpit is a real option. All these plotters come with a choice of an internal antenna or an external one mounted for optimum reception. All the plotters tested with the internal antenna worked well inside my GRP boat.
How good are budget-priced chart plotters for less than 500? Alex Bell and a small team of PBO readers put six to the test to nd out
his test is aimed at boat owners starting out with an entry-level chart plotter, or people like me who are interested in upgrading from an older mono set. Technology moves on and chart plotter software is becoming ever more sophisticated. For example, all those we tested now give tidal streams as well as tidal heights, and the screens are now in affordable colour. We only looked at colour plotters, as they are much easier to read than mono ones, and set a ceiling price of 500 (to include, at the very least, a chart of my bit of the South Coast). Some of the plotters tested have a manufacturers recommended price at more than 500, but in reality by shopping around dealers and the Internet they can all be found within or close to budget. Electronic charts are not cheap and vary in area, so their cost has to be factored in when buying a plotter. But they do cover a wide area equivalent to many paper charts. They can also be updated comparatively cheaply. These plotters should appeal to yachtsmen with smaller

Chart choice

Where to put it

Electronics take over

I used to plan and navigate on paper charts and use the plotter as an aid en route, but now I nd I am relying on the electronic version more and more. I now just note my position every hour, usually by a bearing and range to a waypoint in the log. A chart

Many owners of smaller boats will probably prefer to put their chart plotters down below by the chart table, out of harms way. This works well, as youll have all the other navigation information to hand, but it does mean someone has to be down below to check what is going on not ideal if you are on watch by yourself, though setting up an audible alarm for cross track error (XTE), or waypoint proximity will work quite well. Ideally, though, you should be able to see the plotter from the helm position so that you can
When you choose your plotter, you also select your chart system. Cobra, Standard Horizon and Navman use CMap technology; Lowrance and

ENTRY-LEVEL CHART

Make Model tested Case size (mm) Screen size (mm) Resolution (pixels) Water restistant Bulkhead mounting Mounting bracket supplied Face cover supplied Charts Pre-programmed charts Tide heights Tide streams Maximum current drain (with backlight) Power supply Waypoints Waypoint label characters Routes/points Track/log points Audible alarms Zoom levels/range Special features Warranty Supplier Suppliers website Recommended price, internal antenna Street price, internal antenna Street price, external antenna

The team (from left)

Paul Bush is an educational consultant and a senior dinghy and powerboat instructor Anne Marshall is a Yachtmaster and a technical author specialising in computer manuals Alex Bell lectures in mathematics and engineering at Southampton Solent University and is a former Merchant Navy engineer
Practical Boat Owner 478 October 2006 www.pbo.co.uk

6 BUDGET CHART PLOTTERS

Eagle give the choice of Navionics or Nauticpath. Garmin uses its own BlueChart. Charts come in different sizes, depending on how much area you want to cover. So if your cruising ground is limited you can keep costs down by getting a plotter which uses C-Map Local, or Garmin Blue chart, for around 90. The Nauticpath comes in at 149.99 and covers a vast area of Western Europe and goes down into the Mediterranean including North Africa. Navionics costs around 200. C- Map and Garmin offer bigger versions for around 170 or the mega ones for 245. Updates vary with the size of
chart but start at 40 for the smaller charts.

Key features

One of the most important features of a plotter, particularly one with a small screen, is the ability to reduce screen clutter. The plotters tested carried out this function in various ways; best was the Cobra and Standard Horizon which offered six levels: High, Medium and Low as well as Tides (equivalent to Low, but with tidal data), then Radar and Custom enabling you to switch on and off a large menu of items. The Navman presented two levels, essentially clutter on or

off. The Garmin had its own method, using a sliding scale which was very clever. The Lowrance and the Eagle had a similar level of settings: High/Medium/Low. Another way to reduce clutter is to set the maximum depth at which spot depths will show on the chart. As long as Ive got a couple of metres under my keel, Im happy unless, of course, Im looking for the right depth for anchoring in which case I might want more information. Indicating the scale or effective screen size is also an important feature, so you know just how large an area you are viewing on the screen.
Here the Lowrance, with its square screen, was best, as the scale shown represents the actual distance up or down the screen. The others use a short line scale showing the distance it represents, while the Eagle shows the horizontal distance across the screen.

Customise the display

All plotters offer a wide variety of options for displaying on screen such GPS information like heading, track SOG, XTE, etc. Some can also be interfaced with other instruments such as sh nders. All have NMEA data outputs to connect to DSC radios and autopilots.

PLOTTERS

Cobra Marine MC-600Ci EU 197x159x83 85x113 240x320 to IPX7 external antenna version tilt and swivel Eagle Intellimap 500C 138x176x86 76x105 320x240 Garmin GPSMap 276C 145x81x48 80x65 480x320 to IPX7 Lowrance GlobalMap 3600Ci 176x138x86 90x90 480x480 Navman Tracker 5505 164x150x65 75x102 234x320 to IPX7 either model tilt and swivel C-Map NT/Max/Mega World map Standard Horizon CP180i 181x111x44 100x80 320x240 IP65 external antenna version tilt and swivel C-Map NT/Max/Mega World background
C-Map NT/Max/Mega World background
Navionics/NauticPath Continental US
ext antenna version tilt only

BlueChart Major highways

marine tilt and swivel accessory
ext antenna version tilt only
600mA 10-35V 1,50/50 10/10,000 Arrival, off course, anchor 20; 200-0.010Nm Programmable hot keys Split screen modes 1 year Marathon Leisure www.marathonleisure.co.uk 450
700mA 10-15V 1,100/100 100/10,000 Arrival, off course, anchor 40; 4,000-0.02Nm Split screen viewing 1 year Silva UK www.eaglegps.com 325
0.8A with battery charge 10-35V 3,50/300 15/1000 Arrival, off course, anchor, proximity 28; 648-0.005Nm Rechargeable lithium battery Data cable 1 year Garmin Europe www.garmin.com 489

700mA 10-15V 1,100/100 10/9,999 Arrival, off course, anchor 39; 4,000-0.02Nm Split screen viewing 1 year Silva UK www.lowrance.com 399
550mA max 10.5-32V 3,25/50 5/1x2,000,4x500 Arrival, XTE, anchor, danger 20; 300-0.004Nm Dynamic nav aids Split screen viewing 1 year Plastimo www.plastimo.co.uk 519
520mA 10-35V 20/30 5/3000 Arrival, XTE, depth, anchor, grounding 20; 200-0.005Nm Dynamic nav aids AIS input 3 years Standard Horizon www.standardhorizon.co.uk 379
Lowrance GlobalMap 3600Ci

Eagle Intellimap 500C

he GlobalMap has a superb high resolution display, and was the only plotter tested which featured a square screen. This overcomes the problem of which orientation is preferable, as you can navigate east-west or northsouth equally well. Another advantage of a square screen is that the zoom scale distance is the screen size rather than a small scale line. Two makes of chart are available, but we found the regeneration rate slow compared to the other plotters. Testers quite liked the NauticPath charts, which had a quicker zoom regeneration rate than the Navionics chart, and because you also get a lot of chart for your money (NauticPath 150, Navionics 228) although there is less detail. The cursor control was stiff to operate but all the other buttons were well positioned and the whole set had a quality feel. Clutter level control was carried out quickly by four settings: Off, Low, Medium and High. You could also switch off a range of features, which were initially grouped with land features. Waypoint and route entry was
straightforward with an incredible 40 digits available to name your waypoints. Tidal height and tidal steam data access is good with the stream rates displayed on the direction arrows. This plotter offers many display options. The split screen facility can display two charts, one the active navigation map, and the other, on a different scale, giving an overview. Another feature is the option to display digital or analogue information on the screen speed over ground (SOG), for example without a text block covering up the chart. The handbook was good, and you can try before you buy by downloading an emulator from the Lowrance website. SUMMARY: A high resolution, square screen plotter, offering a choice of two chart systems; NauticPath and Navionics. Split screen viewing available and a wide range of screen data options with user-friendly menus. Competitively priced. CONTACT Silva Ltd tel: www.lowrance.com

he Eagle comes from the same source as the Lowrance and is cheaper, but it would be unwise to dismiss it as a lesser specication version. It comes in the same case, but with a lower resolution portrait screen; cartography is the same, but the set handles detail in a much less sophisticated way, with certain zoom levels being far too cluttered for effective use. But it does come with a price advantage, being the cheapest plotter on test. At appropriate working zoom levels, the display was very clear with good colour denition. Paul said he would be happy to navigate with the set. Again the test team liked the NauticPath charts, because of their cost and their extensive coverage, but were a bit concerned over the loss of detail in some areas. The Navionics charts offer more detail but cover less territory per pound. Oddly, the Eagles lower screen resolution actually showed some objects more clearly than the higher resolution Lowrance. Regeneration rates were similar to the Lowrance: fairly quick on zoom level, but slower scrolling across
the chart. The screen also offers split view operation, which can be resized to suit your requirements. Declutter levels are less easy to access than the Lowrance, but can be found with a bit of searching through the menu system. For cockpit navigation, this set gives a more denite view of where you are than the Lowrance. Waypoint and route entry are straightforward and, like the Lowrance, you can use up to 40 digits to name a waypoint, which makes abbreviation unnecessary. Tidal data, heights or stream data access is good. The set comes with a very comprehensive handbook, but unfortunately doesnt come with a cover to protect the screen from scratches. SUMMARY: Lower-priced version of the Lowrance with a standard resolution screen, but plenty of display options. Choice of two chart suppliers; NauticPath and Navionics. Very competitively priced. CONTACT Silva Ltd tel: www.eaglegps.com
The NauticPath chart did not show Cherbourgs outer breakwater very clearly
This is how the C-Map chart showed the same area of Cherbourg

Cobra Marine MC 600Ci EU

Garmin GPSMap 276C
he Cobra has a front cover that has to be removed for the chart chip to be inserted, and two interchangeable covers are supplied: one black and one silver to best suit the colour of your nav station or cockpit. The control buttons are grouped in a teardrop shape at the top right of the unit and this owes more to aesthetics than ergonomics. They were not popular with the test team, particularly the zoom control, which was too small and too close to the cursor control key (a problem familiar to some mobile phone users). The cursor control button itself, however, is userfriendly. The Cobra was the only set tested to have additional programmable soft keys which give quicker access to menu functions. This plotter is very menu driven, which will suit some users and not others. Either way, you soon become familiar with the routine. The Menu button gives access to a traditional list of main functions and data elds. The Page button gives access to eight different pages, one of which is a Welcome page, which also appears rst on

powering up. Clearly a lot of thought has gone into setting up these pages which can be accessed via tabs and offer a wide choice of display options. Declutter and other adjustments are very comprehensive with ve different levels and on a par with our best on test. Regeneration rates, as for other C-Map plotters, are virtually instant, with a bright, clear display. Waypoint and route entry are straightforward. Like all the others, tidal heights are displayed in graph form and streams by an arrow when you click on the chart. An excellent manual with index is provided. SUMMARY: An up-to-date, dedicated marine plotter with an excellent display. Menu system with soft keys enabling short cut access to functions. Some awkward operating buttons. There are also some attractive combined plotter andchart purchase deals on offer for a limited period in the UK. CONTACT Marathon Leisure tel: 4622 www.marathonleisure.co.uk
he Garmin 276C comes from an extensive range of Garmin products including a whole series of dedicated marine sets. Unusual in this test, however, the 276C is designed for dual boat and car use, making it a potentially versatile and economic purchase. The question is: can it satisfy both functions? The screen, at 9.5cm (334in) across the diagonal is smaller than all the other plotters tested. This means that it has to be viewed from a closer distance. The resolution and detail is excellent and the test team were impressed with the information displayed. Only at one scale was there too much clutter. It has a Declutter mode which takes out the spot depths. It also has a map detail variable setting, which allows you to select four levels by simple adjustment of a slider, while still viewing the screen. Perhaps as to be expected on a compact unit, the control keys were small and were also on the heavy side to press. The exception was the scroll Arrow keypad which was light and comfortable to use.
Zoom regeneration rates were fairly instant, while scrolling along the chart was pretty seamless. The set comes with a mounting bracket that it clips and locks into, but if you use it in both boat and car youll require an additional one. Similarly an external antenna is available as an accessory, but shouldnt be required if the unit is mounted on a car dashboard. The Garmin 276C comes supplied with a USB cable and computer access software. This set was the favourite with Anne, who particularly liked the display and menu layout. SUMMARY: A dual function plotter for use on both boat and vehicle. Smaller 9.5cm (334in) high resolution screen with excellent Garmin BlueChart cartography. Usefully comes with rechargeable battery and USB lead. Its on the small side for dedicated marine use, but if youre sold on Garmin you might consider one of their models with a larger screen. CONTACT Garmin tel: 0000 www.garmin.com

TOP TIPS FOR PLOTTER USE

Spend a few hours getting to know your way around your plotters menus and pages before you use it for serious navigation. You can buy a 12V power source very cheaply and that will enable you to practise with the unit at home.

the minimum chart depths displayed to suit your own boats draught.
Check out each set to see which tidal stream arrows and chart symbols you prefer
To reduce screen clutter identify the features you dont want on the screen, ie set
When saving waypoints I zone them with a numerical code as the rst digit. For example all my local waypoints have a 1 in front. In this way I can access them quickly without having to scroll down a long alphabetical list.
Some people dont store waypoints and routes, as a chart plotter makes it is so easy to click and drag new ones into place for each cruise. However, when activating new waypoints always zoom out to see the complete route, or check it out on a paper chart to make sure there isnt a hazard in the way particularly important if the unit is connected to an autopilot.

Navman Tracker 5505

Standard Horizon CP180/CP180i

BEST ON TEST

ew for 2006, the Navman Tracker 5000 series makes full use of C-Map Max chart technology. The testers preferred the Navman operating keys as they were well spaced, large and had a soft touch that would make them easy to use with cold, wet hands. However Paul didnt like the graphic symbols for the dedicated Waypoint and MOB buttons, preferring instead to see a clear text label. The display was very sharp, with several different lighting levels for optimum viewing by day and night, and all the menus were logical and intuitive. A Menu key went straight to the navigational functions on the rst push, while a second push took it to Setup. A Display key led to various other display options. The screen gave a clear display and the regeneration rates during zoom or scroll were so quick that they were virtually instantaneous. Particularly liked was the split screen facility, showing the highway with the navigation chart. Clutter was handled by a user-
dened anti-clutter mode, with additional water features to switch on or off. The level of detail then varied automatically with the zoom level to prevent the screen getting choked with detail. Waypoint and route entry was simple and straightforward. The 5000 series come with some special features including, for example, SmartCraft which enables the unit to be coupled up to and display real-time engine data from Mercury engines. It can also display other NMEA data so can act as repeater instrument. The set is waterproofed, like some of the others to IPX7, which means it can be submerged for 30 minutes under a 1m depth of water. SUMMARY: A dedicated marine plotter with an excellent display and all the C-Map features. Excellent operator keys which were well spaced and soft touch. But it was rather pricy when compared to some of the other sets. CONTACT Plastimo tel: 4666 www.plastimo.co.uk
he CP180 series is Standard Horizons latest model, just released in the UK. It makes full use of C-Map technology and is also very competitively priced. It is the only plotter tested with a mini joy stick, which Standard Horizon calls a shuttle point knob. This was very popular with testers for both scrolling around the screen as well as working within the menus. Regeneration rates are instant, whether zooming or changing scale. The set is very compact overall, making it good for binnacle or cockpit bulkhead mounting although it is only claimed to be splash proof rather than waterproof. Its compactness meant that the control buttons were on the small side and were closely grouped together, but our testers still found them comfortable to use. Paul thought all the menus were very intuitive to nd your way around. Clutter levels are controllable in ve levels, one of which offers complete customisation of marine objects. It is also intelligent about how much information is on display at different zoom levels, so it is easy to zoom right down to a

small scale to extract information at a glance. Waypoint and route entry is straightforward, the only criticism being that the font size was not quite as clear as on other plotters. It also gave a useful 10 digit entry for naming waypoints and routes. In addition to C-Map Max special features such as dynamic light aids (where only the lights that would be in range of your position, will ash on screen), the set also offers the facility to link up to an AIS (automatic identication system) engine, which will display speed, course and other information transmitted by some ships thus making it a particularly versatile navigation aid. The handbook was comprehensive and easy to follow. SUMMARY: A superb compact plotter bristling with userfriendly features including superb joystick for scrolling. Latest C-Map Max technology, but only splash proof casing. Competitively priced. A favourite with the testers. CONTACT Standard Horizon tel: www.standardhorizon.co.uk
BUDGET CHART PLOTTERS ON TEST: CONCLUSION
ll the plotters tested do an incredible job of showing where you are on an electronic chart. In addition they offer a host of features to make navigation easier and safer. There is a danger that this can be overdone on small sized screens but, like the choice of plotter, how you congures the screen is a matter of personal preference. What is clear is that technology
has advanced and prices have got keener. This test does not take into account the long-term reliability of the chart plotters, and many buyers will be inuenced by their relationship with other electronic products that they have direct experience of. Size does matter, of course, but cost is also an important factor and many yachtsmen may decide to spend another couple of hundred
pounds on a bigger screen. I would be happy with any one of these plotters on my boat. All the testers liked the Garmin 276C, but it really needed the benet of a larger screen, so in the end it was the Standard Horizon CP180i that got everyones vote as the best buy. It was simple to use, sells at a good price and is the only one that comes with a three year guarantee. On the negative side it only has a
water proof standard of IP65, which is slightly lower than those quoted for some of the other plotters. However this is such a subjective choice that you also need to weigh up the costs of charts for your cruising area and combine that with the plotters ease of use. Button size, menus, speed of scrolling and zooming all need to be checked out at a shop or a boat show, to see which chart plotter really suits you.

Pub. 988-0156-051 www.eaglesonar.com

Mapping GPS Receiver

Installation and Operation Instructions
Copyright 2004 LEI-Eagle. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be copied, reproduced, republished, transmitted or distributed for any purpose, without prior written consent of Eagle Electronics. Any unauthorized commercial distribution of this manual is strictly prohibited. Eagle and IntelliMap are registered trademarks of LEI. MapCreate, FreedomMaps, IMS and NauticPaths are trademarks of LEI. Fishing Hot Spots is a registered trademark of Fishing Hot Spots Inc. Navionics is a registered trademark of Navionics, Inc.
eXitSource Database, copyright 2001-2003 Zenrin Co. Ltd. Exit Authority and eXitSource are trademarks of Zenrin Co. Ltd.
Eagle Electronics may find it necessary to change or end our policies, regulations and special offers at any time. We reserve the right to do so without notice. All features and specifications subject to change without notice. All screens in this manual are simulated. For free owner's manuals and the most current information on this product, its operation and accessories, visit our web site:

www.eaglegps.com

Eagle Electronics P.O. Box 669 Catoosa, OK USA 74015 Printed in USA.

Table of Contents

Section 1: Read Me First!... 1 Capabilities and Specifications: IntelliMap 500C.. 2 How GPS Works... 4 Introduction to GPS and WAAS.. 6 How to use this manual: typographical conventions. 8 Section 2: Installation & Accessories.. 11 Preparations... 11 GPS Antenna/Receiver Module Installation.. 11 Power Connections... 12 NMEA Cable Connections... 14 NMEA Wiring... 15 Mounting the Unit: Bracket, In-Dash or Portable. 15 MMC or SD Card Memory Card Installation.. 19 Other Accessories.... 20 Section 3: Basic GPS Operations.. 23 Keyboard... 23 Power/lights on and off... 24 Main Menu... 24 Pages.... 26 Satellite Status Page... 26 Navigation Page... 28 Map Page.... 30 Background map vs. MapCreate map content.. 32 Resize Window command... 34 Basic GPS Quick Reference... 36 Find Your Current Position... 37 Moving Around the Map: Zoom & Cursor Arrow Keys. 37 Selecting Any Map Item with the Cursor.. 38 Searching... 38 Set a Waypoint.... 41 To create and save a Waypoint:.. 41 Navigate To a Waypoint.. 43 Set Man Overboard (MOB) Waypoint.. 44 Navigate Back to MOB Waypoint.. 44 Navigate to Cursor Position on Map.. 45 Navigate to a Point of Interest.. 47 Creating and Saving a Trail... 47 Displaying a Saved Trail... 49 Navigating Trails... 49 Visual Trailing... 50 Navigate a Trail (forward).. 50 i
Navigate a Back Trail (backtrack, or reverse).. 52 Transfer Custom Maps and GPS Data Files.. 53 Custom Maps:... 53 GPS Data files:... 53 Cancel Navigation... 55 Section 4: Advanced GPS Operations.. 57 Find Distance From Current Position To Another Location. 57 Find Distance From Point to Point.. 57 Icons... 58 Create Icon on Map... 58 Create Icon at Current Position... 58 Delete an Icon... 59 Navigate to an Icon... 59 Routes... 59 Create and Save a Route.. 60 Delete a Route... 63 Edit a Route Name.. 63 Edit Route Waypoints.. 63 Navigate a Route... 64 Navigate a Route in Reverse... 65 Trails.... 66 Delete a Trail... 66 Edit a Trail Name... 67 Edit a Trail Color... 67 Edit a Trail Pattern... 67 Utilities... 68 Alarm Clock... 68 Sun/Moon Rise & Set Calculator.. 68 Trip Calculator... 68 Trip Down Timer... 68 Trip Up Timer... 68 Waypoints.... 68 Delete a Waypoint... 68 Edit a Waypoint... 69 Selecting a Waypoint... 69 Set a Waypoint by Average Position.. 70 Set a Waypoint by Projecting a Position.. 70 Section 5: System & GPS Setup Options.. 71 Alarms.... 71 Check MMC Files and Storage Space... 72 Communications Port Configuration.. 72 Configure NMEA... 73 Coordinate System Selection... 74 ii

Section 1: Read Me First!
How this manual can get you out on the road, fast!
Welcome to the exciting world of digital GPS! We know you're anxious to begin navigating, but we have a favor to ask. Before you grab the IntelliMap 500C and begin installing it, please give us a moment or two to explain how our manual can help you get the best performance from your compact, wide-screen, mapping GPS receiver. First, we want to thank you for buying an Eagle GPS unit. Whether you're a first time user or a professional fisherman, you'll discover that your IntelliMap 500C is easy to use, yet capable of handling demanding navigation tasks. When you team your unit with our custom mapping software MapCreate 6, you have an incredible combination. You won't find another GPS unit with this much power and this many features for this price! Our goal for this book is to get you on the road fast, with a minimum of fuss. Like you, we'd rather spend more time navigating and less time reading the manual! So, we designed our book so that you don't have to read the whole thing from front to back for the information you want. At the start (or end) of each segment, we'll tell you what content is coming up next. If it's a concept you're already familiar with, we'll show you how and where to skip ahead for the next important topic. We've also made it easy to look up any tips you may need from time to time. Here's how: The manual is organized into 7 sections. This first section is an introduction to Eagle GPS. It tells you the basics you need to know before you can make the unit look around and tell you where you are. Section 2 will help you install your unit and the GPS antenna module. We'll show you how to get the MultiMedia Card (MMC) correctly installed inside the unit. We'll also tell you about some of the available accessories. Section 3 covers Basic GPS Operation. It will show you how easy it is to run the IntelliMap 500C, right out of the box. This section features a one-page GPS Quick Reference. (If you've already jumped ahead and figured out how to install the unit yourself, and you just can't wait any longer, turn to the Quick Reference on page 36 and head for the road with your GPS unit!) Section 3 contains short, easy-to-scan GPS lessons that follow one another in chronological order. They're all you'll need to know to find your way on the water or in the wilderness quickly. 1

146.5 [5.76]

R 7.9 [0.31]

In-Dash Template

Millimeters [Inches]

113.5 [4.46]

ALWAYS VERIFY DIMENSIONS
In-dash mounting template for the IntelliMap 500C, showing dimensions. NOTE: The figure above is not printed to scale. a scaled template (FM-5 In-Dash Adapter Kit instructions) is available for free download from our web site, www.eaglegps.com.
Portable Installation Like many Eagle products, the IntelliMap 500C is capable of portable operation by using the optional PPP-13 portable power pack. The power pack and the magnet-equipped antenna module expand the uses for your GPS unit. The PPP-13 makes it easy to transfer your unit from a boat to a car, recreational vehicle, airplane or other vehicle without drilling and mounting a second bracket. You can use your unit in your own car or boat, then take it along when riding in a friend's vehicle that's not equipped with GPS. The PPP-13 Portable Power Pack can be used with eight "D" cell alkaline batteries or an optional sealed, rechargeable battery. For set-up directions, refer to the pack's instruction sheet, part 988-0147-601.
"D" cell battery
Install batteries in power pack battery adapter.
MMC or SD Card Memory Card Installation
Your IntelliMap 500C uses a MultiMedia Card to store information, such as custom maps, waypoints, trails and other GPS data. The unit can also use Secure Digital Cards (SD card or SDC) to store data. NOTE: Throughout this manual, we will use the term MMC, but just remember that your unit can use an MMC or SD card to store data. Both of these solid-state flash memory devices are about the size of a postage stamp. An SD card is slightly thicker than an MMC. As this manual went to press, MMCs and SD cards were available in various storage capacities up to 1 gigabyte. Additional MMC cards are available from LEI Extras; see ordering information inside the back cover of this manual. MMCs and SD cards are also available at many camera and consumer electronics stores. The MMC slot is located in a compartment on the front of the case. The compartment door is located at the lower right corner. The following figure shows a close-up with the door opened.
MMC groove for card removal Thumb screw
Insert card face up, this way
Memory card compartment with a 16 MB MMC card installed.
To remove an MMC 1. Open the card compartment door by unscrewing the thumb screw. The screw should only be finger tight. If it was over-tightened, use a thumbnail, a coin or a screwdriver to open the door. 2. Just press a finger against the label of the MMC and drag it from the slot. 3. Close the compartment door and fasten the thumb screw finger tight. To add an MMC or SD Card 1. Open the card compartment door. 2. Grasp the bottom of the MMC and push the top of the card into the slot. Once the card is started, use your fingernails to slide it the rest of the way to the left, until it is firmly seated in the slot. 3. Close the compartment door and fasten the thumb screw finger tight.

3. To change the window size again or revert back to the original display, just follow the steps above. (Most dual-window displays use half the screen for each window by default.) You can also use the Reset Options command to revert to the factory default. NOTE: The units described by this manual are all capable of using this command. If your unit does not have a Resize Window command on the Map Page menu, you can update your software by visiting our website WWW.EAGLE.COM or by contacting customer service. The following page contains a 12-step quick reference for the most basic GPS operations. If you don't want to carry the manual with you as you practice with the unit, you might consider photocopying this quick reference page and tucking it into your pocket.
Basic 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. Connect the unit to electric power and the antenna module. Make sure the MMC is in. (See complete installation details beginning on page 11.) 2. To turn on the unit, press and release PWR key. 3. Opening screen displays map of North America at 4,000 mile zoom range. Rotate through the three main Page screens (Map Page, Satellite Status Page and Navigation Page) by pressing PAGES| or to select Page Name|EXIT. Switch Pages to display Satellite Status Page. 4. Wait while unit locates satellites and calculates current position. Process is visible on Satellite Page. This takes about a minutes or less under clear sky conditions (unobstructed by terrain or structures.) When position is acquired, unit sounds a tone and displays a "position acquired" message. The present position arrow and information shown in data boxes or as overlay data will stop flashing. 5. With position acquired, press PAGES key to display Map Page, which shows a bird's eye view of the earth. You can move around the map by: Zoom in closer to see greater detail: press ZIN (zoom in key.) Zoom out to see more area, less detail: press ZOUT (zoom out key.) Scroll map north, south, east or west using arrow keys . To stop scrolling and return to current position on map, press EXIT key. 6. Set a waypoint (Wpt 001) at your current position so you can navigate back here: press WPT|WPT. Waypoint symbol and "001" appears. 7. Zoom/scroll map to find a nearby object or location to go to. Use arrow keys to center cursor cross-hair over the map object or location. 8. Navigate to the selected destination: press MENU|ENT|EXIT. Follow red course line on Map Page or compass bearing arrow on Navigation Page. 9. At destination, Arrival Alarm goes off; to clear it, press EXIT. Cancel navigation: press MENU|MENU| to CANCEL NAVIGATION|ENT| to YES|ENT. 10. Return to Wpt 1 by Navigate To Waypoint or Backtrack Trail. To Waypoint: press WPT|ENT|ENT. Use or to select Wpt 001, press ENT|ENT; follow navigation displays. Trail: press MENU|MENU| to MY TRAILS|ENT. Press to Trail 1|ENT| to DELETE TRAIL| to NAVIGATE|ENT. Press to REVERSE ROUTE|ENT| to NAVIGATE ROUTE|ENT. (If arrival alarm sounds, press EXIT.) Follow navigation displays. 11. Back home, Arrival Alarm goes off; press EXIT. Cancel navigation: press MENU|MENU| to CANCEL NAVIGATION|ENT| to YES|ENT. 12. To turn off the unit, press and hold PWR key for three seconds. 36

Navigate To a Waypoint

You can select any waypoint visible on the Map Page with the cursor, then use the Navigate to Cursor command (we'll describe how later in this section.) However, you can avoid scrolling the map to pick your waypoint if you use the Find Waypoint commands: 1. Press WPT| to MY WAYPOINTS|ENT. To look up the nearest waypoint, press ENT; or, to look by name (and scroll through the entire waypoint list), press to NAME|ENT. For this example, look by name. 2. If your waypoint list is a long one, you can spell out the waypoint name in the FIND BY NAME box to search for it. (Press or to change the first character, then press to move the cursor to the next character and repeat until the name is correct, then press ENT to jump to the list below.) 3. If the list is short, you can jump directly to the FIND IN LIST box by pressing ENT. Use or to select the waypoint name, press ENT and the waypoint information screen appears with the GO TO command selected. 4. To begin navigating to the waypoint, press ENT.
Waypoint Course line (red) Trail line (magenta)
Off course range, set at 0.15 mile

Destination name

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 water fresh or salt. It's particularly dangerous at night or if you're out of sight of land. Of course, the first thing to do is remain calm and then use all standard safety procedures to rescue the person. This unit has a man overboard feature that shows navigation data to the location where the feature was activated. To activate it, press the ZOUT and ZIN keys at the same time. Your position at the time these keys are pressed is used as the man overboard position. Caution: Saving a new "Man Overboard" waypoint will overwrite and erase the previous "Man Overboard" waypoint.
Navigate Back to MOB Waypoint
Find your way back to the accident position with the Navigation Page or Map Page. When MOB is activated, the Navigation Page automatically shows the compass rose with its bearing arrow pointing toward the man overboard position, and the destination name says "Going To Man Overboard." The Map Page displays a Man Overboard waypoint, represented by a human figure, and the steering arrow points where to steer to reach that position.
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 can be edited the same as any other waypoint. This prevents the inadvertent loss of the current Man Overboard position.

TION|ENT|

To cancel navigation to MOB, press MENU|MENU| to CANCEL NAVIGAto YES|ENT. The unit stops showing navigation information.
Navigate to Cursor Position on Map
The GO TO CURSOR command: navigates to the current cursor position on the map. It's a quick and handy way to navigate to anything you can see on the map display. 1. Use the cursor (controlled by the arrow keys) with the zoom in and zoom out keys to maneuver around the map until you find a location you want to go to. 2. Center the cursor over the location to select it. See the example in the following figure. (Many map items such as waypoints, Points of Interest, towns, etc. can be "selected," and appear "highlighted" with a pop-up box. Other features, such as a river or a street intersection will not appear "highlighted," but the cursor will take you to those locations just the same.)
Navigate to cursor. In this example, the cursor has selected the town of Oologah, Oklahoma.
3. Press MENU|ENT and the unit will begin navigating to the cursor location. The Map Page will display a red line from your current position to the cursor position. The Navigation Page displays a compass rose showing navigation information to your destination. See the following examples.
The 30-mile zoom figure at left clearly shows the red course line connecting your current position to your destination. The 30-mile zoom, center, shows both current position and direction to destination on screen. The Navigation Page, right, will also show navigation information.
To stop navigating to the cursor, use the Cancel Navigation command: press MENU|MENU| to CANCEL NAVIGATION|ENT| to YES|ENT. The unit stops showing navigation information.
Navigate to a Point of Interest
For POIs that are in view on the map, you can easily use the Navigate to Cursor command above; just use the cursor to select the POI. The other method involves searching for POIs with the Find Waypoint command, launched with the WPT key. (See the searching example earlier in this section, or turn to Sec. 6, Searching, for detailed instructions on POI searches.) After you have looked up an item with the Find Waypoint command, use or to make sure the GO TO command is highlighted at the bottom of the screen, then press ENT. The unit begins showing navigation information to the item. To cancel navigation, press MENU|MENU| to CANCEL NAVIGATION|ENT| to YES|ENT. The unit stops showing navigation information.

Map Data

This menu lets you turn the map off, if desired (which turns the map screen into a GPS plotter); turn off or on the pop-up map info boxes; draw the map boundaries or boxes around the areas of high detail; or fill land areas with gray. You can also turn on or off Map Overlays, which display latitude and longitude grid lines or range rings on the map. This menu lets you select Navionics Maps; for instructions, see the Navionics Charts entry in this section. To get to Map Data: From the Map Page, press MENU| to MAP DATA|ENT.

Map Data Menu

Show Map Data From the Map Page, press MENU| to MAP DATA|ENT. Press ENT to enter the EARTH MAP DETAIL selection list, and choose how much detail you want, from Off (so the unit operates like a GPS plotter) to High. After the option is set, press EXIT repeatedly to return to the page display. 79
Pop-up Map Information From the Map Page, press MENU| to MAP DATA|ENT. Press to POPUP MAP INFORMATION. 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. Map Boundaries From the Map Page, press MENU| to MAP DATA|ENT. Press to DRAW MAP BOUNDARIES. 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 Water With White From the Map Page, press MENU| to MAP DATA|ENT. Press to FILL WATER WITH WHITE. 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. Map Overlays (Range Rings; Lat/Long Grid) The map screen can be customized with four range rings and/or grids that divide the plotter into equal segments of latitude and longitude. Range rings are handy for visually estimating distances on the map. The ring diameters are based on the current zoom range. For example: at the 100 mile zoom, the screen will show two rings with your current position in the center. The large ring touching the left and right sides of the screen is 100 miles in diameter (same as the zoom range). The second smaller ring is 50 miles in diameter (always 1/2 the zoom range). The distance from your current position to the smaller ring (the ring's radius) is 25 miles (always 1/4 the zoom range). With the arrow keys and map cursor, you can scroll the map to see the third and fourth rings. In this example, the distance to the third ring is 75 miles and distance to the fourth ring is 100 miles from your current position. To set range rings: From the Map Page, press MENU| to MAP DATA|ENT. Press to RANGE RINGS. 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 Lat/Long Grid: From the Map Page, press MENU| to MAP DATA|ENT. Press to LAT/LON GRID LINES. 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.

2. Use and to select the desired month, day or year, then press ENT. To clear the information screen, press EXIT. Tide Information Navionics charts contain Tidal Information, represented at large zoom ranges by a box icon with the letter "T." The icon stands for a Tidal Station location. An example is displayed at right. When you zoom in to a sufficiently small zoom range, the icon itself becomes an animated gauge showing a rising or falling tidal height for the selected station at the present time. At larger zoom ranges, you can select the boxed "T" icon and it becomes an animated gauge with a pop-up name box. An example is displayed in the following figure. To view tide information: 1. Select a Tide Station icon: use the arrow keys to move the cursor over an icon. When it is selected, a pop-up name box appears. 2. After selecting the Tide Station icon, press WPT to display the Tide Information screen.

Pop-up name box

Tide Station icon
Navionics chart showing Tide Station icon selected by cursor. In the example above, the tide is at 1.5 feet and rising, as shown by the up arrow at the top of the icon.

Tide Information screen.

The Tide Information screen displays daily tidal data for this station on this date at the present time. The graph at the top of the screen is an approximate view of the tidal range pattern for the day, from midnight (MN), to noon (NN) to midnight (MN). The dotted line across the graph is the Mean Lower Low Water line (MLLW). The height scale on the top right side of the graph changes, based upon the maximum range of the tide for that day. The MLLW line also adjusts its position as the height scale changes. You can look up tidal data for other dates by changing the month, day and year selection boxes. To select another date: 1. Use and to highlight month, day or year, then press ENT. 2. Use and to select the desired month, day or year, then press ENT. To clear the information screen, press EXIT.

Overlay Data

On any Page display but Status you can float additional data of your own choosing in your display window. For example, if you left your watch at home, you could add the local time to your display. Or, if you wanted to see details about your route and trip, you could show your bearing, course, average speed and trip distance. The various data available from your unit are divided into categories in the Overlay Data menu. These categories include GPS Data, Navigation, Trip Calculator and Time. You can select items from any of these categories for display, in any combination the category divisions are there only to help you sort through the information. 89

ter, then press to move the cursor to the next character. Repeat until the time is correct, then press ENT.
To set the Month: Press to MONTH|ENT. Press or to select the month, then press ENT. To set the Day: Press to MONTH| to DAY|ENT. Press or to select the day, then press ENT. To set the Year: Press to MONTH| to YEAR|ENT. Press or to select the year, then press ENT. The last field in this menu is CONFIG DST. This feature allows your unit to automatically adjust with the time change caused by Daylight Saving Time (you should only have to set it once). You may select which set of rules matches DST in your region, or simply accept the default. Once you have each field set the way you want, press EXIT repeatedly until you return to the previous page.

Show WAAS Alarm

When the signal is available, your unit will automatically use WAAS to boost the accuracy of the position fix. When the WAAS signal is lost or acquired, an alarm message appears. Since the U.S. government is still developing the WAAS system, it's not unusual for a GPS/WAAS receiver to frequently lose and reacquire its lock on a WAAS satellite. That can result in the alarm repeatedly going on and off. If you want, you have the option of turning off the WAAS Acquired/Lost alarm without affecting how the unit uses WAAS. Here's how: 1. Press MENU|MENU| to GPS SETUP|ENT| to SHOW WAAS ALARM. 2. With the option highlighted, press ENT to uncheck it (turn off) and check it (turn on.) After the option is set, press EXIT|EXIT to return to the page display. 96
3. You can return to this command and press ENT again to turn the feature on.
Software Version Information
From time to time, Eagle 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.eaglegps.com. These upgrades make the unit perform better or introduce a new feature or function. You can find out what software version is running in your unit by using the Software Information command.

At left, Main Menu with Software Information command selected. At right, the Software Information screen.
Press MENU|MENU| INFORMATION|ENT.

SYSTEM

SETUP|ENT|

SOFTWARE

2. Read the information displayed on the screen. 3. To return to the last page displayed, press EXIT|EXIT|EXIT.
Sounds and Alarm Sound Styles
Sounds triggered by key strokes and alarms can be adjusted: You first press MENU|MENU| to SOUNDS|ENT.
Sounds command, left. At right, the Sounds menu. 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 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 map 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, display or hide trails, create a new trail, delete a trail, etc.

General Trail Options

To access the Trails Menu: 1. 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).

EAGLE ELECTRONICS FULL ONE-YEAR 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 this product as a consumer item for personal, family, or household use. We warrant this product against defects or malfunctions in materials and workmanship, and against failure to conform to this product's written specifications, all for one (1) year from the date of original purchase by you. WE MAKE NO OTHER EXPRESS WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER CONCERNING THIS PRODUCT. Your remedies under this warranty will be available so long as you can show in a reasonable manner that any defect or malfunction in materials or workmanship, or any non-conformity with the product's written specifications, occurred within one year from the date of your original purchase, which must be substantiated by a dated sales receipt or sales slip. Any such defect, malfunction, or non-conformity which occurs within one year from your original purchase date will either be repaired without charge or be replaced with a new product identical or reasonably equivalent to this product, at our option, within a reasonable time after our receipt of the product. If such defect, malfunction, or non-conformity remains after a reasonable number of attempts to repair by us, you may elect to obtain without charge a replacement of the product or a refund for the product. THIS REPAIR, OR REPLACEMENT OR REFUND (AS JUST DESCRIBED) IS THE EXCLUSIVE REMEDY AVAILABLE TO YOU AGAINST US FOR ANY DEFECT, MALFUNCTION, OR NON-CONFORMITY CONCERNING THE PRODUCT OR FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE RESULTING FROM ANY OTHER CAUSE WHATSOEVER. 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 owner's 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. REMINDER: You must retain the sales slip or sales receipt proving the date of your original purchase in case warranty service is ever required.

EAGLE ELECTRONICS PO BOX 669, CATOOSA, OK 74015 (800) 324-1354

How to Obtain Service

in the USA:
We back your investment in quality products with quick, expert service and genuine Eagle replacement 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 service to determine if a return is necessary. Many times, customer service can resolve your problem over the phone without sending your product to the factory. To call us, use the following toll-free number:

800-324-1354

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Standard Time, M-F
Eagle Electronics may find it necessary to change or end our shipping policies, regulations, and special offers at any time. We reserve the right to do so without notice.

in Canada:

If you're in Canada 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 service to determine if a return is necessary. Many times, customer service can resolve your problem over the phone without sending your product to the factory. To call us, use the following toll-free number:
905-629-1614 (not toll-free)
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, M-F

800-661-3983

outside Canada and the USA:
If you have technical, return or repair questions, contact the dealer in the country where you purchased your unit. To locate an Eagle dealer near
you, visit our web site, and look for the Dealer Locator (www.eaglesgps.com/Products/HowToBuy/dealers.asp). Or, you can consult your telephone directory for listings.
Accessory Ordering Information for all countries
To order Eagle accessories such as computer cables or MMC cards, 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 an Eagle dealer near you, visit our web site, and look for the Dealer Locator (www.eaglesonar.com/Products/HowToBuy/dealers.asp). Or, you can consult your telephone directory for listings. 2) U.S. customers: LEI Extras Inc., PO Box 129, Catoosa, OK 74015-0129 Call 1-800-324-0045 or visit our web site www.lei-extras.com. 3) Canadian customers can write: Lowrance/Eagle Canada, 919 Matheson Blvd. E. Mississauga, Ontario L4W2R7 or fax 905-629-3118.

Shipping Information

If it becomes necessary to send a product for repair or replacement, you must first receive a return authorization number from Customer Service. Products shipped without a return authorization will not be accepted. When shipping, we recommend you do the following: 1. Please do not ship the knobs or mounting bracket with your unit. 2. If you are sending a check for repair, please place your check in an envelope and tape it to the unit. 3. For proper testing, include a brief note with the product describing the problem. Be sure to include your name, return shipping address and a daytime telephone number. An e-mail address is optional but useful. 4. Pack the unit in a suitable size box with packing material to prevent any damage during shipping. 5. Write the Return Authorization (RA) number on the outside of the box underneath your return address. 6. For your security, you may want to insure the package through your shipping courier. Eagle does not assume responsibility for goods lost or damaged in transit.