NorthStar 961X, Installation Manual

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SECTION FOUR - Service/Maintenance
961 INSTALLATION MANUAL Revision A Page 63
For an overview of GPS and DGPS, see “Introducing GPS and DGPS” in
Chapter 2 of the
Northstar 961 Operations and Reference Manual
(GM1700) . For details about the GPS satellite status screen, see “Under-
standing Position Coordinates” in Chapter 5 of the Northstar 961 Opera-
tions and Reference Manual (GM1700) .
Changing port
setup
The
PORT SETUP
option lets you connect, or interface, directly with a
variety of external devices, such as autopilots, radars, depth sounders,
personal computers, and so on.
You make the connection through any of four data transmission ports
located at the back of the 961: three NMEA ports and one aux port. Each
can operate independently, giving you the flexibility to control four sepa-
rate devices simultaneously. The ports are also independently config-
urable to meet the specifications of most peripheral navigation
equipment, a feature that ensures a customized setup for virtually any
NMEA 0183-compatible device. Once configured, the 961 will continu-
ously send a stream of data to the device(s).
For complete details about changing port setup options to interface your
961 with other equipment, see Section Three, Interfacing.”
Saving and
restoring
databases and
system logs
The
DATABASE FUNCTION
screen provides access to several database
maintenance options. To display these options, press the
STAR
key until
you reach the
SERVICE MENU
screen, then press the
DATABASES AND
LOG
key.
Saving and restoring a 961 database
You can easily save, or backup, your entire database of user-defined way-
points and routes as well as your user preferences, to either floppy or Zip
disks. (User preferences are the display, navigation, chart, receiver, and
port-setup features of your 961.) The 961 is sold with a standard 1.44-MB
floppy disk drive. If you want a larger capacity, removable storage disk
drive, you must order the 100-MB Zip drive to replace the 961’s standard
floppy drive.
After saving, you can then restore these databases back to the 961. Why
save and restore? One, you may want to keep separate sets of waypoints
and routes for different cruising areas so you won’t have to sort through
one large database of waypoints and routes to select the ones you want
(even though the 961’s search function is always quick and easy). Two, if
you ever have to return the 961 to the factory for service, it’s a good idea
to have a separate copy of your waypoints, routes, and user preferences
from the system’s hard drive, since it’s possible that this information may
be lost during repair.