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10

Remember, the transducer location and installation is the most
critical part of a sonar installation.

Recommended Tools and supplies

If you prefer the option of routing the cable through the transom, you
will need a 5/8" drill bit.

NOTE:

The following installation types also call for these recommended
tools and required supplies that you must provide (supplies listed
here are 

not

 included):

Transom installation

Tools include: two adjustable wrenches, drill, #29 (0.136") drill bit, flat-
head screwdriver. Supplies: 

high quality, marine grade 

above- or below-

waterline sealant/adhesive compound.

Trolling motor installations

Tools: two adjustable wrenches, flat-head screwdriver. Supplies: plastic
cable ties.

Shoot-through hull installations

Tools: these will vary depending on your hull's composition. Consult your
boat dealer or manufacturer. Other tools are a wooden craft stick or
similar tool for stirring and applying epoxy, and a paper plate or piece
of cardboard to mix the epoxy on. Supplies: rubbing alcohol, 100 grit
sandpaper, specially formulated epoxy adhesive available from LEI (see
ordering information on the inside back cover). A sandwich hull also
requires polyester resin.

Selecting a Transducer Location

1. The location must be in the water at all times, at all operating speeds.

2. The transducer must be placed in a location that has a 

smooth flow

 of

water at all times. If the transducer is not placed in a smooth flow of
water, interference caused by bubbles and turbulence will show on
the sonar's display in the form of random lines or dots whenever the
boat is moving.

NOTE:

Some aluminum boats with strakes or ribs on the outside of the
hull create large amounts of turbulence at high speed. These boats
typically have large outboard motors capable of propelling the boat
at speeds faster than 35 mph. Typically, a good transom location on
aluminum boats is between the ribs closest to the engine.

3. The transducer should be installed with its face pointing straight

down, if possible. 

For shoot-thru applications:

 Many popular fishing

Summary of Contents for M52 S/GPS

Page 1: ...Pub 988 0152 001 www lowrance com M52 S GPS Fish finding Sonar GPS Plotter Installation and Operation Instructions ...

Page 2: ...nd it necessary to change or end our policies regulations and special offers at any time We reserve the right to do so without notice All features and specifications subject to change without notice All screens in this manual are simulated For free owner s manuals and other information visit our web site www lowrance com Lowrance Electronics Inc 12000 E Skelly Dr Tulsa OK USA 74128 2486 Printed in...

Page 3: ...acket Installation 16 Transducer Orientation and Fish Arches 17 Shoot Thru Hull Preparation and Installation 18 Power and Cable Connections 22 Mounting the Sonar Unit In Dash or Bracket 23 Portable Sonar Installation 27 Portable Transducer Assembly 29 Sec 3 Basic Sonar Operation 31 Keyboard Basics 31 Memory 32 Menus 32 Main Menu 32 Sonar Menu 34 Pages 35 Basic Sonar Quick Reference 37 Sonar Operat...

Page 4: ...Chart 63 Surface Clarity 63 Zoom Pan 65 Sec 5 Sonar Troubleshooting 67 Sec 6 Basic GPS Operations 71 Keyboard 71 Power Lights Turn Unit On and Off 72 Main Menu 72 Pages 74 Sonar Pages 74 Satellite Status Page 74 Navigation Page 76 Position Page 78 Plotter Page 79 GPS Quick Reference 81 Viewing the Plotter Zoom Cursor Arrow Keys 82 Selecting any Plotter Item with the Cursor 82 Navigate to Cursor Po...

Page 5: ...e Icon on Plotter 99 Create Icon at Current Position 100 Delete an Icon 100 Navigate to an Icon 101 Routes 101 Create and Save a Route 101 Delete a Route 103 Edit a Route 104 Navigate a Route 104 Navigate a Route in Reverse 105 Utilities 106 Alarm Clock 106 Sun Moon Rise Set Calculator 106 Trip Calculator 106 Trip Down Timer 106 Trip Up Timer 106 Sec 7 System GPS Setup Options 107 Alarms 107 Auto ...

Page 6: ...RMATION CAUTION When showing navigation data to a position waypoint a GPS unit will show the shortest most direct path to the waypoint It provides navigation data to the waypoint regardless of obstructions Therefore the prudent navigator will not only take advantage of all available navigation tools when traveling to a way point but will also visually check to make sure a clear safe path to the wa...

Page 7: ...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 8 sections This first section is an introduc tion to the M52 sonar and GPS It tells you the basics you need to know before you can make the unit look below the surface to find some fish Section 2 will help you install your unit as well ...

Page 8: ...ptions along with GPS options in Section 7 System Setup and GPS Setup Options Section 7 is organized in alphabetical order Finally in Section 8 we offer Supplemental Material including war ranties and customer service information and a handy index Now if you re into the fine details glance over the next segment on specifications to see just how much sonar and GPS power your unit con tains It s imp...

Page 9: ...ition and water con ditions All sonar units typically read deeper in fresh water than in salt water Depth display Continuous display Audible alarms Deep shallow fish zone Automatic ranging Yes with instant screen updates Auto bottom track Yes Zoom bottom track Yes Split screen zoom Yes Surface water temp Yes built into transducer GPS Receiver antenna Internal 12 parallel channel GPS WAAS Position ...

Page 10: ...here s how it finds the bottom or the fish The transmitter emits an electrical impulse which the transducer con verts into a sound wave and sends into the water The sound frequency can t be heard by humans or fish The sound wave strikes an object fish structure bottom and bounces back to the transducer which converts the sound back into an electrical signal The receiver amplifies this return signa...

Page 11: ...it plots that position on the GPS screen The whole process takes place several times a second Another portion of the unit s onboard memory is devoted to recording GPS navigation information which includes waypoints event marker icons trails and routes This lets you look back the way you came and retrace your path Think of this data storage like the hard drive memory in a computer or a tape in a ca...

Page 12: ... until needed The rest virtually guarantee that at least four satellites are in view nearly anywhere on Earth at all times The system requires signal reception from three satellites in order to determine a position This is called a 2D fix It takes four satellites to determine both position and elevation your height above sea level also called altitude This is called a 3D fix A minimum of three sat...

Page 13: ...uator so they appear very low in the sky to someone on the ground in North America Aircraft and vessels on open water can get consis tently good WAAS reception but terrain foliage or even large man made structures can sometimes block the WAAS signal from ground receivers You ll find that using your GPS receiver is both easy and amazingly accurate It s easily the most accurate method of electronic ...

Page 14: ...need to select are show in italic type such as trail name Instructions Menu Sequences Most functions you perform with this unit are described as a sequence of key strokes and selecting menu commands We ve written them in a condensed manner for quick and easy reading For example instructions for navigating a trail would look like this 1 From the Plotter Page press MENU MENU to MY TRAILS ENT 2 Press...

Page 15: ...ower cable from the unit s location to an appropriate power source and connect it there 6 Connect the transducer power cable to the unit and mount the so nar GPS unit to the bracket Transducer Installation These instructions will help you install your Skimmer transducer on a transom on a trolling motor or inside a hull Please read all instruc tions before proceeding with any installation Your Skim...

Page 16: ...nd a paper plate or piece of cardboard to mix the epoxy on Supplies rubbing alcohol 100 grit sandpaper specially formulated epoxy adhesive available from LEI see ordering information on the inside back cover A sandwich hull also requires polyester resin Selecting a Transducer Location 1 The location must be in the water at all times at all operating speeds 2 The transducer must be placed in a loca...

Page 17: ... transducer cable away from other wiring on the boat Electrical noise from engine wiring bilge pumps and aerators can be displayed on the sonar s screen Use caution when routing the transducer cable around these wires Good and poor transducer locations How low should you go For most situations you should install your Skimmer transducer so that its centerline is level with the bottom of the boat hu...

Page 18: ... In a shoot thru hull installation the transducer is bonded to the inside of the hull with epoxy The sonar ping signal actually passes through the hull and into the water This differs from a bolt thru hull installa tion often called simply thru hull In that case a hole is cut in the hull and a specially designed transducer is mounted through the hull with a threaded shaft and nut This puts the tra...

Page 19: ... 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 c...

Page 20: ...n for the ratchets assemble the transducer as shown in the fol lowing figure Don t tighten the lock nut at this time 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...

Page 21: ...sducer to the transom Slide the transducer up or down until it s aligned properly with the bottom of the hull as shown in the preceding and following figures Tighten the bracket s mount ing screws sealing them with the sealant adhesive compound Adjust the transducer so that it s parallel to the ground and tighten the nut until it touches the outer washer then add 1 4 turn Don t over tighten the lo...

Page 22: ... seal the hole with the same marine grade above or below waterline seal ant adhesive used for the mounting screws 7 Make a test run to determine the results If the bottom is lost at high speed or if noise appears on the display try sliding the trans ducer bracket down This puts the transducer deeper into the water hopefully below the turbulence causing the noise Don t allow the transducer bracket ...

Page 23: ...e trans ducer is ready for use Transducer mounted on trolling motor side view TRANSDUCER ORIENTATION AND FISH ARCHES If you do not get good fish arches on your display it could be because the transducer is not parallel with the ground when the boat is at rest in the water or at slow trolling speeds Transducer angles and their effects on fish arches Transducer aimed too far back Transducer aimed to...

Page 24: ... the chosen area See the figure below WARNING Do not remove any material from your inner hull unless you know the hull s composition Careless grinding or cutting on your hull can result in damage that could sink your boat Contact your boat dealer or manufacturer to confirm your hull specifications Epoxy the transducer to a solid portion of the hull For example some but not all manufacturers use a ...

Page 25: ...f the boat Plug the transducer into the sonar unit turn it on then hold the transducer over the side of the boat in the water Adjust the sensitivity and range controls until a second bottom echo is seen on the display You ll need to turn off Auto Sensitivity Auto Depth Range and ASP Try a range setting that is two to three times the water depth The harder more rocky the bottom the easier it will b...

Page 26: ...ignal 4 Most people can get good results by following steps 1 through 3 so this step is optional If you want to make an extra effort to be absolutely sure that your selected location will work under all conditions make a test run with the boat on plane and observe the bottom signal You ll need to figure some way to prop the transducer into position while you make your test run A brick or two might...

Page 27: ... a thin layer of epoxy about 1 16 or 1 5 mm thick on the face of the transducer as shown in the previous figure Make sure there are no air pockets in the epoxy layer Then apply the remaining ep oxy to the sanded area on the hull 3 Press the transducer into the epoxy twisting and turning it to force any air bubbles out from under the transducer face Stop pressing when you bottom out on the hull Whe...

Page 28: ...nit s power socket In saltwater environments we recommend you connect the power cable to the auxiliary power switch included in most boat designs If that results in electrical interference or if such a switch is not available we recommend connecting direct to the battery and in stalling an inline switch This will let you shut off power to the power cable when the unit is not in use When you are no...

Page 29: ...al devices this unit could be damaged to a point that it is unrepairable and could even cause harm to the user when not properly fused CAUTION Failure to use the enclosed 3 amp fuse will void your warranty For a replacement use a type 3AG 3 amp fuse This unit has reverse polarity protection No damage will occur if the power wires are reversed However the unit will not work until the wires are atta...

Page 30: ...ing You may need to place a piece of plywood on the back side of thin pan els to reinforce the panel and secure the mounting hardware Drill a 5 8 15 9 mm hole in the dash for the power transducer cable The best location for this hole is immediately under the mounting bracket location This way the bracket can be installed so that it covers the hole holds the cable in position and results in a neat ...

Page 31: ...or tilting the unit and attaching the connector The snug fit of the push on water proof 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 awa...

Page 32: ...f 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 ratch ets and lift the unit off the bracket Mount the sonar slide the unit onto t...

Page 33: ...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 five gallon plastic bucket The PPP 12 package includes the power pack battery adapter and a port able 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 p...

Page 34: ...ble 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 ...

Page 35: ... 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 Portable transducer assembly rear view left and side view right Clean the chosen area of th...

Page 36: ...d move on to Sec 3 Basic Sonar Operations There we ll present a series of step by step tutorials to teach you the basics of your sonar operation NOTE When you first turn the unit on the GPS Plotter Page appears If you d rather start learning about GPS operation first turn over to Sec 6 Basic GPS Operation Remember you don t need to read this manual from cover to cover to get going We designed it s...

Page 37: ...yboard can be found at the beginning of Sec 6 1 PWR LIGHT Power Light The PWR key turns the unit on and off and activates the backlight 2 PAGES Pressing this and the arrow keys 4 switches the unit be tween the different page display screens There are four GPS Pages and four Sonar Pages Each set of pages represents one of the unit s major operation modes 3 MENU Press this key to show the menus and ...

Page 38: ...lotter Page zooming in lets you see greater detail in a smaller geographic area on the display Memory This unit has permanent memory that saves all user settings even when power is removed It does not require nor does it use an internal backup battery so you never have to worry about replacement batteries Menus Your sonar unit will work fine right out of the box with the factory default settings Y...

Page 39: ...or shallow depth alarms Popup Help command one of the System Setup options turns the pop up help boxes on or off When you select a menu command these information boxes appear to tell you what the command does or how to use the command The default setting is on which is really handy while you re learning The remaining Main Menu commands are either for GPS use or for ad vanced sonar functions mostly...

Page 40: ...important basic functions that are discussed both here and in the Advanced Sonar section The other Sonar Menu commands include Grayline command separates fish and structure near the bottom from the actual bottom and defines bottom composition hardness Depth Range command manually sets the depth range shown on the sonar chart Auto Depth Range command automatically sets the depth range shown on the ...

Page 41: ...pings are made Pages The M52 has four major Sonar display options They are the Full Sonar Chart Split Zoom Sonar Chart Digital Data and Flasher You access the various display modes by pressing the PAGES key Press to SONAR or to desired page ENT The Full Sonar Chart is the main Sonar display option This is a cross section view of the water column beneath the boat The chart moves across the screen d...

Page 42: ...ayed in many ways We ll discuss all of those features and options in the Advanced Sonar Operation section but to show you how easy the sonar unit is to operate the following page contains a simplified 10 step quick reference that will cover most fish finding situations The quick reference describes how your unit will operate with all the sonar features in their automatic modes which are set at the...

Page 43: ...ll filter out some information but could omit important images We recommend adjusting sensitivity until the background is lightly peppered that is scattered dots ap pear but individual objects like fish arches or bottom structure can be easily picked out of the background 7 Watch the display for the appearance of fish arches When you see arches you ve found fish Stop the boat and get your lure or ...

Page 44: ...ncreasing the sensitivity a little at a time There are situations when too much clutter appears on the screen Decreasing the sensitivity can reduce the clutter and show the strongest fish ech oes if fish are present As you change the sensitivity setting you can see the difference on the chart as it scrolls These figures show results of different sensitivity levels on the same location Fig 1 Sensit...

Page 45: ...o turned on the unit will continue to track the bottom and make minor adjustments to the sen sitivity level with a bias toward the setting you selected Adjusting sensitivity in Manual Sensitivity Mode is similar to driving a car without cruise control you have complete manual control of the car s speed In the sonar unit manual mode allows you to set sensitiv ity at 100 percent maximum or zero perc...

Page 46: ...ish I D fish symbol feature Here s why Fish I D is an easier way for a sonar novice to recognize a fishy signal return when he sees it However locating fish by symbol only has some limitations Your sonar unit s microprocessor is remarkably powerful but it can be fooled Some of the echoes calculated to be fish could be tree limbs or turtles To see what s under your boat in maximum detail we recom m...

Page 47: ...endly version of the tutorial available on our web site it makes a great supplement to this operation manual For the ultimate training aid be sure to download the free emulator software for your unit Aside from being just plain fun this program can help you learn both basic and advanced operations without burning boat fuel Lowrance is the first sonar manufacturer to provide this type of training t...

Page 48: ...42 Notes ...

Page 49: ...of the transducer even vibration from the engine In all cases noise can produce unwanted marks on the display The ASP feature has four settings Off Low Medium and High If you have high noise levels try using the High ASP setting However if you are having trouble with noise we suggest that you take steps to find the interference source and fix it rather than continually using the unit with the high...

Page 50: ...arms The depth alarms sound a tone when the bottom signal goes shallower than the shallow alarm s setting or deeper than the deep alarm s set ting For example if you set the shallow alarm to 10 feet the alarm will sound a tone if the bottom signal is less than 10 feet It will continue to sound until the bottom goes deeper than 10 feet The deep alarm works just the opposite It sounds a warning tone...

Page 51: ...n press ENT 4 Press to DEEP ALARM ENABLED ENT EXIT 5 To turn off the alarm press MENU MENU to ALARMS ENT to SONAR ALARMS ENT to DEEP ALARM ENABLED ENT EXIT To switch to a different depth setting open the Sonar Alarms menu and repeat the instructions in step 3 above Zone Alarm The zone alarm is triggered when any echo passes inside the zone alarm bar shown on the right side of the screen To adjust ...

Page 52: ...D ENT EXIT EXIT EXIT To switch to a different depth setting open the Sonar Alarms menu and repeat the instructions in steps 3 and 4 above Fish Alarm Use the fish alarm for a distinctive audible alarm when fish or other suspended objects are detected by the Fish I D feature Fish I D must be turned on for the Fish Alarm to work A different tone sounds for each fish symbol size shown on the display S...

Page 53: ... fish swims through the sonar signal cone the image appears on the screen as a long line instead of a fish arch Reducing the chart speed may result in a shorter line that more closely resembles a regular fish return At left Sonar Page menu with Chart Speed command selected At right Chart Speed Control Bar If you do experiment with chart speed remember to reset it to maxi mum when you resume trolli...

Page 54: ...rsor line press to raise the cursor line 3 To clear the depth cursor press EXIT Depth Range Automatic When turned on for the first time the bottom signal is automatically placed in the lower half of the screen This is called Auto Ranging and is part of the automatic function However depending upon the bottom depth and the current range you can change the range to a different depth To do this 1 Fro...

Page 55: ...ear the menu To turn Auto Depth Range on again 1 From the Sonar Page press MENU to AUTO DEPTH RANGE ENT EXIT NOTE The sonar s depth capability depends on the transducer installa tion water and bottom conditions and other factors Depth Range Upper and Lower Limits Virtually any segment of the water column can be displayed by using the upper and lower limit feature This lets you pick the shallow and...

Page 56: ...er limit press ENT Press or until the first digit is correct then to move to the second digit Repeat until the depth is correct then press EXIT 3 To set the lower limit press to LOWER LIMIT ENT Press or until the first digit is correct then to move to the second digit Repeat un til the depth is correct then press EXIT EXIT EXIT Normal display in auto depth range mode left At right display zoomed w...

Page 57: ...conditions as fish The microcomputer analyzes all echoes and eliminates surface clutter thermoclines and other signals that are undesirable In most instances remaining targets are fish The Fish I D feature displays fish symbols on the screen in place of the actual fish echoes There are several fish symbol sizes These are used to designate the relative size between targets In other words Fish I D d...

Page 58: ...Features menu with Fish I D Symbols selected When the check box to the left is checked the feature is on To turn the Fish I D feature on 1 From the Sonar Page press MENU to SONAR FEATURES ENT 2 Press to FISH ID SYMBOLS ENT EXIT EXIT To turn off Fish I D repeat these instructions FishTrack The FishTrack feature shows the depth of a fish symbol when it ap pears on the display This lets you accuratel...

Page 59: ...For ex ample a soft muddy or weedy bottom returns a weaker signal which is shown with a narrow or no gray line a hard bottom returns a strong signal which causes a wide gray line If you have two signals of equal size one with gray and the other with out then the target with gray is the stronger signal This helps distin guish weeds from trees on the bottom or fish from structure Grayline is adjusta...

Page 60: ...dvanced Signal Processing in this section Overlay Data To change the digital data shown on top of the sonar page 1 Press MENU to OVERLAY DATA ENT 2 Press or to select Data Type ENT Overlay Data command on the Sonar Menu at left Overlay Data Shown selection menu right In this example we scrolled down the data list to highlight Ground Speed When selected a check mark appears beside the data type If ...

Page 61: ...ected data type will be displayed in the new size To change the font size for another Data Type press ENT and repeat these steps be ginning with step two above 3 To return to the previous page press EXIT Sonar chart with Overlay Data turned on This example shows Depth Water Temperature and the Ground Speed of the boat Ping Speed HyperScroll Ping Speed controls the rate at which the transmitter and...

Page 62: ...earing on the screen If this occurs just decrease the sensitivity to a level that eliminates the clutter When you turn HyperScroll off you can return to your original sensitivity level At left Sonar Menu with Ping Speed command selected Ping Speed Control Bar right at default setting To change Ping Speed 1 From the Sonar Page press MENU to PING SPEED ENT 2 The Ping Speed Control Bar appears Press ...

Page 63: ...nged several settings and want to return the unit to basic automatic operation 1 Press MENU MENU to SYSTEM SETUP ENT to RESET OPTIONS ENT 2 Press or to YES ENT 3 All the menus are cleared and all options are returned to the factory settings System Menu with Reset Options command selected Sensitivity Auto Sensitivity The sensitivity controls the ability of the unit to pick up echoes Sensi tivity ca...

Page 64: ... control bar used to adjust sensitivity up or down is the same whether the unit is in the automatic or manual mode In automatic you can adjust sensitivity up to 100 percent but the unit will limit your minimum setting In auto the unit will continue to make small ad justments allowing for the setting you selected In manual mode you have complete control over sensitivity with the ability to set it a...

Page 65: ... measures water depth from the face of the transducer Since the transducer is installed below the water surface the distance dis played by the digital depth chart depth scale chart cursor or fish sym bols is not the exact water depth If the transducer is 1 foot below the surface and the screen shows the water depth as 30 feet then the ac tual depth is 31 feet On sailboats or other large vessels wi...

Page 66: ...ears 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 ...

Page 67: ... so nar 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 Full Sonar Chart The Overlay Data depth and water temperature are each set to a different text size Split Zoom Sonar Chart A split chart shows the underwater world from the surface to the bot tom on the right side of the screen The left side shows an enlarged ver sio...

Page 68: ...returning echoes at a high screen refresh rate It uses the Grayline feature to show weaker targets as lighter colors The bottom depth is also shown as a black bar across the outer circle Flasher page Sonar Simulator This unit has a built in simulator that lets you run it as if you were on the water All sonar features and functions are useable When in simulator mode you will see Simulator Mode in t...

Page 69: ...en you may want to turn off the sonar This command turns off the sonar and stops the chart from scrolling Sonar restarts automatically each time you turn on your unit Press MENU to STOP CHART ENT EXIT To turn on sonar and start the chart scrolling again repeat the above step Sonar Menu with Stop Chart command selected The box is unchecked indicating that the chart is scrolling across the screen Su...

Page 70: ... 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 dis played on the screen when the Zoom commands are used For example turning on the 2X zoom will show all echoes that are be tween the top and bottom of the 2X zoom bar The 4X zoom will show only ...

Page 71: ...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 ...

Page 72: ...66 Notes ...

Page 73: ... 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 trans ducer cables away from other electrical wiring on the boat may help Route the sonar unit s power cable dir...

Page 74: ...s 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 resis tor spark plugs or routing the sonar unit s power and transducer cables away...

Page 75: ...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...

Page 76: ...70 Notes ...

Page 77: ... PWR LIGHT Power Light The PWR key turns the unit on and off and activates the backlight 2 PAGES Pressing this and the arrow keys 4 switches the unit be tween the different page screens Satellite Status Page Navigation Page Plotter Page and Sonar Page Each page represents one of the unit s major operation modes 3 MENU Press this key to show the menus and submenus which allow you to select a comman...

Page 78: ...ee greater detail in a smaller geographic area on the display Power lights on and off To turn on the unit press PWR As the unit powers up the Plotter Page is displayed first To switch to another page press PAGES or to Page Name EXIT To turn on the backlight press PWR again The unit has three backlight levels to select from Repeatedly pressing PWR will cycle through the backlight settings and turn ...

Page 79: ...vigation com mands Used to stop navigating after you have reached your destina tion 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 function...

Page 80: ... 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 SATEL LITES ENT Clear the Pages...

Page 81: ...e 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 scree...

Page 82: ...ction of travel you are taking Navigation Page recording a trail traveling east Page looks like this when the unit is not navigating to a waypoint following a route or backtracking a trail When navigating to a waypoint the Navigation screen looks like the following figure Your ground speed track distance and bearing to waypoint and course are all shown digitally on this screen NOTE Remember when t...

Page 83: ...ed navigating to the destination waypoint The course line is shown on the Navigation Page screen and the Plotter Page screen as a dotted line The cross track error range is shown on the compass rose as a wide white corridor enclosing the course line The outer edges of this white corridor represent lines that show the current cross track error range The default for the cross track error range is 0 ...

Page 84: ...o access the Navigation Page Menu from the Navigation Page press MENU Position Page This page provides detailed textual information on your present posi tion and the status of your trip For example it can display information such as your current latitude longitude travel time to destination and more To get to the Position Page press PAGE repeatedly until the page you want appears Position Page Nav...

Page 85: ...ection you are actually travel ing Bearing is the direction of a line of sight from your present posi tion to a destination No matter what direction you are steering the Bearing shows the compass direction straight to the destination from your location at the moment Off Course tells you how far you are to the left or right of the intended direction or line of travel toward a des tination Most of t...

Page 86: ...large or reduce its coverage area and the amount of detail shown There are 39 avail able zoom ranges from 0 02 miles to 4 000 miles At left Plotter Page zoomed to 30 miles note the overlapping unread able waypoints and right zoomed to 15 miles with waypoints visible The Plotter Page has its own menu which is used for several functions and for setting various options To access the Plotter Page Menu...

Page 87: ...tail press ZIN zoom in key Zoom out to see more area less detail press ZOUT zoom out key Scroll display north south east or west using arrow keys To stop scrolling and return to current position press EXIT key 6 Set a waypoint Wpt 001 at your current position so you can navi gate back here press WPT WPT Waypoint symbol and 001 appears 7 If you ve already made some waypoints or event marker icons z...

Page 88: ...plotter other than your current position To clear the cursor press EXIT which jumps the display back to the current position or the last known position Selecting Any Plotter Item With the Cursor 1 Use the zoom keys and the arrow keys to move around the plotter and find the item you wish to select 2 Use the arrow keys and center the cursor cross hair on the desired ob ject On most items a pop up bo...

Page 89: ...mation to your destination See the following examples The Plotter Page at left clearly shows the course line connecting your current position to your destination The Navigation Page right will also show navigation information 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 an...

Page 90: ... 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 locatio...

Page 91: ...ints 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 creat...

Page 92: ...it or use the Reset Options command described in Sec 7 Create Waypoint on Plotter 1 Use the arrow keys to move the cursor to the place where you want to make a waypoint 2 Press WPT WPT The waypoint is saved and automatically given a name with a sequential number such as waypoint 001 The waypoint symbol and number appear on the plotter Create Waypoint by Entering a Position 1 Press WPT to CREATE NE...

Page 93: ...osition This feature sets a waypoint at a point located a specific distance and bearing from a reference position The reference position must be se lected from your waypoint list 1 Press WPT to CREATE NEW ENT 2 Press to PROJECTED POSITION ENT ENT 3 Press to SET REFERENCE ENT Use and to select a waypoint When the point has been selected press ENT and the point s position appears as the reference po...

Page 94: ...esired symbol and press ENT To return to the previous page press EXIT EXIT Waypoint Position To edit waypoint position 1 Press WPT ENT to waypoint name ENT to EDIT POSITION ENT 2 Latitude press to LATITUDE ENT Press or to change the first character then press to the next character and repeat until the lati tude is correct Press EXIT 3 Longitude press to LONGITUDE ENT Press or to change the first c...

Page 95: ... 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 se lected 4 You can use or to select various options on the waypoint informa tion screen If you wanted to navigate there just press ENT since the GO TO command is highlighted If you want to see it on the plotter press to FIND ON PLOTTER ENT Waypoint informati...

Page 96: ...ess WPT To look up the nearest waypoint just press ENT or to look by name and scroll through the entire waypoint list press to FIND BY 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...

Page 97: ...ss 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 Plotter Page When MOB is activated the Navigation Page auto mati...

Page 98: ...the back of the current position arrow Creating and Saving a Trail The M52 is set at the factory to automatically create and record a trail while the unit is turned on The unit will continue recording the trail until the length reaches the maximum trail point setting default is 2 000 but the unit can record trails 9 999 points long When the point limit is reached the M52 begins recording the trail...

Page 99: ... Trail Name ENT 3 Press to ACTIVE ENT This unchecks the Active option 4 To return to the previous page press EXIT EXIT EXIT EXIT As you left the Edit Trail menu you will notice that a new trail was started with a new sequential number In the example figure below the new trail is number 3 showing 2 points Note that Trail 1 is inactive but it is still visible on the plotter New trail named Trail 3 i...

Page 100: ... to MY TRAILS ENT 2 Press to DELETE ALL ENT to YES ENT Display a Saved Trail The active trail is automatically displayed on the plotter the Visible option with the factory default settings You can selectively turn trail display off and on for any saved or active trail In the Saved Trails List visible trails have a check mark in front of the trail name To turn off trail display 1 Press MENU MENU to...

Page 101: ... shows distance and bearing from current position to the selected point on the trail At right the Edit Trail menu Navigate a Trail There are three methods for following a trail visual trailing navigating a trail forward and backtracking a trail backward Try each method to see which you prefer Visual trailing is the simplest method It uses only the Plotter Page and requires no menu commands at all ...

Page 102: ...t made Tip Generally when using this method the smaller the zoom range the more accurately you will be able to steer along the trail Navigate a Trail forward The following figures illustrate the menu sequence for navigating a trail 1 Press MENU MENU to MY TRAILS ENT 2 Press to enter the Saved Trail list then use or to select the desired Trail Name ENT 3 Press to DELETE TRAIL to NAVIGATE ENT 4 Pres...

Page 103: ...the trail you are navigating is represented by a flashing line The Navigation Page will also show the navigated trail as a flashing line The bearing arrow on the compass rose points to the next waypoint on the trail As you travel the arrival alarm will go off when you near a trail way point and the bearing arrow on the compass rose will swing around and point to the next trail waypoint Press EXIT ...

Page 104: ...ater is northbound heading straight toward trail point 3 bearing arrow shows the trail point straight ahead At right driver has reached trail point 3 and must turn northeast to follow the trail Arrival alarm goes off and bearing arrow swings around to say turn right northeast to ward the next waypoint trail point 4 The M52 now shows navigation information to point 4 which is 0 43 miles away Naviga...

Page 105: ...an be placed on the plotter screen saved and recalled later for navigation purposes These are sometimes referred to as event marker icons The M52 has 42 different symbols you can pick from when creating an icon Icons are similar to waypoints but they do not store as much informa tion like names as waypoints do You can t use a menu to navigate to icons as you can with waypoints But you can use the ...

Page 106: ...t Icon Symbol menu 2 Press or or or to select your icon symbol then press ENT The icon appears on the plotter Delete an Icon You can delete all the icons at one time you can delete all icons repre sented by a particular symbol or you can use the cursor to delete a se lected icon from the plotter 1 Press MENU to DELETE MY ICONS ENT 2 Press to DELETE ALL ICONS DELETE BY SYMBOL or DELETE FROM PLOTTER...

Page 107: ...r in an ordered sequence that s used to mark a course of travel You can visualize a route as a string of beads The beads represent waypoints and the string repre sents the course of travel connecting waypoint to waypoint The course from one waypoint to the next is a leg routes are composed of one or more legs The legs of all GPS routes are based on straight lines between waypoints A route provides...

Page 108: ...and arrow keys to move the plotter and cursor until the cursor is centered on the waypoint or event marker icon where you want your route to begin If you are starting at your current posi tion or the current cursor position you are already at the starting spot 4 Set the first route waypoint press ENT In this example we are adding fishing spots to a route so we can visit each one in order We starte...

Page 109: ...route reaches your destination 7 To save your route press EXIT The M52 reverts to the Edit Route screen with the route automatically named Route 1 and stored in the M52 s internal memory You can edit the route and run other commands but if you are finished with the route for now return to the last page displayed by pressing EXIT EXIT EXIT EXIT EXIT Delete a Route 1 From the NAVIGATION PAGE press M...

Page 110: ...rom the PLOTTER PAGE press MENU MENU to ROUTE PLANNING ENT 2 Press to route name ENT to ROUTE WAYPOINTS LIST Use and to select a waypoint then press ENT Edit Route Waypoints menu 3 Use and to select a command from the Edit Route Waypoints menu and press ENT Add From Plotter lets you insert a waypoint in the route by clicking on a plotter location with the cursor Add Way point calls up the Waypoint...

Page 111: ...what the Navigation Page and Plotter Page look like while navigating a route Navigate a Route in Reverse Here s how you run a route backward from the end waypoint to the beginning waypoint 1 From the NAVIGATION PAGE press MENU ENT or from the PLOTTER PAGE press MENU MENU to ROUTE PLANNING ENT 2 Press to select route name ENT to NAVIGATE to RE VERSE ENT to NAVIGATE ENT 3 Upon arrival at your destin...

Page 112: ... heading straight for Wpt 4 which is 0 43 miles away Utilities Utilities are useful tools for traveling or for outdoor activities Alarm Clock To get to the alarm clock menu press MENU MENU to TIMERS ENT to ALARM CLOCK ENT Sun Moon Rise Set Calculator To get to the Sun Moon menu press MENU MENU to SUN MOON CALCULATIONS ENT Trip Calculator To get to the Calculator menu press MENU MENU to TRIP CALCUL...

Page 113: ...ou when your track drifts too far to the right or left of the course line to the waypoint For example if the alarm is set to 0 1 mile then the alarm flashes a message if you drift 0 1 of a mile or more to the right or left of the line to the waypoint The anchor alarm is triggered when you drift outside of a preset radius Again using the 0 1 mile as an example if you re anchored and your boat moves...

Page 114: ...ermine 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...

Page 115: ... System Selection The Coordinate System Menu lets you select the coordinate system to use when displaying and entering position coordinates Menus for changing coordinate system used to display positions To get to Coordinate System Selection 1 Press MENU MENU to GPS SETUP ENT 2 Press to COORDINATE SYSTEM ENT This unit can show a position in degrees 36 14952 degrees minutes and thousandths of a minu...

Page 116: ...tem MGRS uses two grid lettering schemes which are referred to as standard and standard 10 MGRS on this unit Your position determines which one to use If you use standard and your position is off significantly then try the alternate NOTE When the position format is changed it affects the way all posi tions are shown on all screens This includes waypoints To change the coordinate system press ENT w...

Page 117: ...f the map USGS maps are parallel others may not be Also this works better with smaller scale maps The reference position can be anywhere on the map but the closer it is to your location the smaller the numbers will be that you ll have to deal with Once you ve decided on a reference position you can save it as a waypoint See the waypoint section for information on saving a waypoint Save the referen...

Page 118: ...o select a different display op tion then press ENT After all options are set press EXIT to return to the page display Customize Plotter or Navigation Page While on the Plotter or Navigation pages press MENU to CUSTOM IZE ENT Press or to select a display you would like to see on the plotter page With the display highlighted press ENT The selected display is checked and moves to the top of the list...

Page 119: ...l or Route Navigation In Simulator mode your unit can automatically follow a trail or route without manual steering if you use these steps 1 From the Plotter Page go to the simulator menu Pick a STARTING POSITION at or near the beginning of your trail route Enter an approxi mate TRACK shown in compass degrees that will point you toward the start of the trail route 2 Set SPEED to zero Select STEER ...

Page 120: ...this command makes the unit operate as if it is sitting someplace other than its actual location So you and your unit could be located in Kan sas City but easily practice navigating in the ocean off Islamorada Florida 1 Press MENU MENU to GPS SETUP ENT ENT 2 A message appears telling you to move the cursor near the desired location and press ENT When the message automatically clears follow the mes...

Page 121: ... you travel any other direction the plotter doesn t line up with your view of the world To correct this problem a track up mode rotates the plotter display as you turn Thus what you see on the left side of the screen should al ways be to your left and so on Another option is course up mode which keeps the plotter at the same orientation as the initial bearing to the waypoint When either the track ...

Page 122: ...election menu right In this example we scrolled down the data list to highlight Ground Speed 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 3 To return to the previous page press EXIT EXIT To turn off di...

Page 123: ...played in the new size To change the font size for another Data Type press ENT and repeat these steps be ginning with step two above 3 To return to the previous page press EXIT Tip 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 dat...

Page 124: ...till or moving at extremely slow speed a GPS receiver can have trouble determining the direction you are traveling In the past this resulted in a wandering plot trail that moved around the plotter even if you were standing still The Position Pinning feature was developed so that when you stopped the unit locked the present position on the GPS plotter until you moved a short distance or exceeded a ...

Page 125: ...MENU MENU to SYSTEM SETUP ENT to RESET OPTIONS ENT 2 Press or to YES ENT 3 All menus are cleared and all options are returned to factory settings System Menu with Reset Options command selected Screen Contrast and Brightness To access the Screen menu press MENU MENU ENT Once in the Screen menu To adjust the display s contrast The CONTRAST slider bar is already selected Press or to move the bar The...

Page 126: ... SYSTEM SETUP ENT 2 Press to SET LANGUAGE ENT 3 Use or to select a different language and press ENT All menus now appear in the language you selected Set Local Time Using the correct local time setting is handy when estimating local ar rival time while navigating Also the time and date are saved when a waypoint is created To access the Set Local Time menu you must first acquire your posi tion Once...

Page 127: ...is still developing the WAAS system it s not unusual for a GPS WAAS re ceiver 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 with out 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 hi...

Page 128: ...turn to the last page displayed press 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 retur...

Page 129: ...ption 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 sever...

Page 130: ... 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 O...

Page 131: ...Press EXIT to return to the Trail Options Menu Trail Options menu Update Time Rate setting left and Update Dis tance setting right Specific Trail Options Delete Trail To delete a specific trail From the Trails Menu press to Trail Name ENT The Edit Trail menu appears as seen in the following fig ure Press to DELETE TRAIL ENT to YES ENT Edit Trail menu New Trail To manually start a new trail in the ...

Page 132: ...n you wish to change then press ENT Make your changes then press EXIT to erase this menu Units of Measure This menu sets the speed and distance statute or nautical miles me ters depth feet fathoms or meters and temperature degrees Fahr enheit or Celsius To change the units Press MENU MENU to SYSTEM SETUP ENT to UNITS OF MEASURE ENT Main Menu left Units of Measure Menu right To set Units of Measure...

Page 133: ...sonable pro tection against harmful interference in a residential installation This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the in structions may cause harmful interference to radio communica tions However there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation If this equipment does cause harmful ...

Page 134: ...128 Notes ...

Page 135: ...5 Specifications 2 Typographical Conventions 7 K Keypad Description 7 31 71 L Languages 3 34 120 M Main Menu 32 33 44 72 73 102 105 122 124 126 Man Overboard 3 91 92 Map Fix Coordinate System 110 111 112 Memory Cards MMC 73 81 N Navigating 8 81 82 83 90 91 95 96 97 98 99 101 103 104 105 108 A Route 104 105 A Trail 95 96 Cancel 73 81 83 92 96 99 105 To Icon 101 Nearest 84 88 89 90 O Off Course Alar...

Page 136: ... 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 113 118 123 124 125 126 Delete 94 Delete All 124 Edit Name 95 Navigate 95 96 New Trail 94 125 Update Criteria 124 Update Rate 124 Trip Calculator 73 106 Trip Down Timer 106 Trip Up Timer 106 U Units of Measure 33 126 Utilities 73 106 W WAAS 3 5 7 121 Waypoints 2 3 5 7 32 72 73 76 77 78 79 80 81 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 97 98 99 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 110 111 112 11...

Page 137: ...131 Notes ...

Page 138: ...132 Notes ...

Page 139: ...onexclusive 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 ...

Page 140: ...S BE LIABLE TO ANYONE FOR ANY SPECIAL CONSE QUENTIAL INCIDENTAL OR OTHER INDIRECT DAMAGE OF ANY KIND Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequen tial 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 pr...

Page 141: ...EMENT 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 li...

Page 142: ...ange or end our ship ping 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 resolv...

Page 143: ...ry 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 t...

Page 144: ...Visit our web site Lowrance Pub 988 0152 001 Copyright 2003 All Rights Reserved Printed in USA 091903 Lowrance Electronics Inc ...

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