Northstar 6000i

Quickstart Guide
and
Reference Manual
 Contents

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Welcome to the Northstar 6000i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Reference Sections
Using this manual. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1 Using the Chart Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Networking the 6000i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Using electronic charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Interfacing the 6000i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Zooming in and out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Maintaining the 6000i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Using the cursor on the chart screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Technical support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Comparing vessel and browse modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Rotating the chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Quickstart Guide Setting up the chart screen (Classic charts) . . . . . . . . . 31
Setting up the chart screen (Gold Charts) . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Northstar 6000i Quickstart Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Using Gold charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Turning the 6000i on and off. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Changing the track control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Introducing the display screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Using the course predictor line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Introducing the controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Using the distance and bearing calculator. . . . . . . . . . 40
Navionics chart cartridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2 Position coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Displaying the chart screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Displaying position, COG, and speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Using GPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Using demo mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Using DGPS or WAAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Displaying numeric data on the chart screen. . . . . . . 17
Using loran. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Displaying numeric data on the position screen . . . . 18
Using Phantom Loran. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Going immediately to a quick waypoint . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Radar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 3 Navigating to Waypoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
The echo sounder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Introducing waypoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Split function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Designating a waypoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
The STAR key: alarms, TideTrack and setup . . . . . . . 21 Steering to a waypoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
SAVE and Man Overboard (MOB). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 The course predictor line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Navigating along routes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Restarting the track line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
The NAV LOG screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
4 Creating waypoints and routes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Using the MORE key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Displaying waypoints. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Setting the ECHO screen data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Creating new waypoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Viewing past echoes using SoundTrac. . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Creating avoidance-area waypoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Echo sounding alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Editing waypoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
7 Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Introducing routes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Video sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Creating a route from the chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Displaying video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Creating routes from a list of waypoints . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Saving a route as you travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 8 Alarms and TideTrack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Editing a route. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Alarms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Transferring waypoints/routes to other units. . . . . . . 80 TideTrack™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Transferring waypoints to and from a PC. . . . . . . . . . 83
9 N2 Networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
5 Radar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
How radar works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Restrictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Turning the radar transmitter on and off . . . . . . . . . . 86
10 Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Displaying radar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Changing your display settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Using the radar’s main menu keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Changing your navigation settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Overlaying radar on the chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Changing your receiver settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Changing radar scale and rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Changing your port settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Setting user preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Setting up the echosounder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Operating modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Setting up radar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Using the radar adjustment keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Installing software updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Using the Radar Markers keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Displaying system information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
6 Echo sounding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Changing the time zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Welcome to the Northstar 490 Echo Sounder . . . . . 104
Appendix A — Datum list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Displaying the echo sounder’s picture . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Using automatic mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Changing the frequency of echoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Zooming in and out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Echo Sounder setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
The picture menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Changing the depth settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
 Getting Started
Welcome to the Northstar 6000i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Using this manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Networking the 6000i. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Maintaining the 6000i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Interfacing the 6000i . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Technical support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

This chapter introduces this manual and explains a few things you should know to keep
your Northstar 6000i in top operating condition.

Reference Manual Revision D 1

Welcome to the Northstar 6000i
Congratulations on your purchase of the Major functions are accessed with a single
Northstar 6000i Integrated Navigation keypress. By reducing the attention
The 6000i has several System! The 6000i is a full-featured color required to navigate, you can devote more
requirements that must GPS/vector charting system — easy to use, time to simply enjoying your trip.
be met to ensure safe but meeting your marine navigation needs
and proper operation. For information on installing, interfacing,
in a comprehensive, logical manner.
Installation and interfac- and troubleshooting the 6000i, please see
Optional Northstar radar and fish finding
ing of the 6000i should the Northstar 6000i Installation Manual
be handled by a marine modules round out the 6000i’s capabilities.
(part number GM6KIM) or contact your
technician using the
The 6000i enhances GPS with the Wide local authorized Northstar dealer.
guidelines found in the
Northstar 6000i Installa- Area Augmentation System (WAAS) or
tion Manual. optional radiobeacon differential position
navigation for superb accuracy, and offers
a high-resolution full-color screen with
Navionics cartography and video overlay.

Using this manual

This manual is divided into two main any questions about getting the most
sections: from your 6000i.
• The Quickstart Guide begins on page 7 Check the mini table of contents at the
and has all the basic information you beginning of each chapter to quickly locate
need to operate the 6000i. Be sure to a topic you need help with.
read this section as you start using the
It’s best to read this manual with the 6000i
unit.
set up and running so you can try out the
• A Reference Section starts on page 23. various functions and see the results.
Use this when you need more
information about any of the unit’s
functions — you’ll find answers here to

Getting Started
2 Welcome to the Northstar 6000i Northstar 6000i
 Conventions • Text written like “CHART” generally
refers to named keys on the 6000i’s
This manual uses certain conventions to front panel. Text written like “More
provide a consistent means of recognizing info” generally refers to the 6000i’s
specific information, as follows: menu keys at the right side of the
• is the universal caution symbol for screen.
caution and warning information • Whenever this manual tells you to
related to your personal safety or press ENTER to perform a function, you
possible damage to the system. The can press CLEAR instead if you decide
CAUTION and WARNING notes contain not to perform that function. These
critical information—please read them! keys are abbreviated ENT and CLR on
• The phrase “Press a key” means push the 6000i.
briefly and release, unless otherwise
specified.

Networking the 6000i

Northstar’s N2 networking technology lets • there must be one and only one master
you connect two or more 6000i units in unit operating in a network
order to share navigation data (including • all units must have the same software
radar and sounder data) and all waypoints version.
and routes between the units. The system
can be operated from any connected unit, If, for example, a slave unit is turned on
and all changes to routes and waypoints before the master, a message is displayed
are reflected on all the networked units. reminding you to turn on the master unit
Networking is fully automatic on the before using the slave. In case the master
6000i; no special steps are necessary unit is not available (removed for service,
for example), brief instructions show how
In an N2 network, one display unit is desig- to temporarily convert a slave into a master
nated as the master, and all others as unit.
slaves. The only restrictions on N2
networking are the following: For details on networking, see N2
Networking, starting on page 149.

Getting Started
Reference Manual Revision D Networking the 6000i 3
Interfacing the 6000i
The 6000i can be connected to a wide nician should perform these installations.
variety of compatible marine devices, For details, contact your local authorized
including Northstar’s echo sounder and Northstar dealer.
radar. A qualified marine electronics tech-

Maintaining the 6000i

Basic maintenance • don’t scratch the display by wiping a
sandy or salty cloth across it
To help retain the 6000i’s best possible
performance, Northstar recommends the • use the 6000i’s protective plastic
following: sunshield when not in use (excessive
heat from the sun can cause damage)
• be sure to keep the cartridge access
• don’t open the 6000i’s case—there aren’t
door closed at all times, except when
any user-serviceable parts inside
you’re changing the chart cartridge, to
prevent moisture and dirt from • always keep the rear connectors’ plastic
entering the 6000i caps on when they are not in use (the
connectors are not waterproof unless
• don’t change the cartridge while the
covered)
6000i is exposed to water spray, rain, or
Pre-packaged moist moisture of any kind
towellettes (especially
those containing a small • keep spare cartridges in a safe, Cleaning the display screen
amount of alcohol) are watertight place where they won’t be
Be careful when cleaning the glass window
excellent for cleaning misplaced
the 6000i’s display win- covering the display screen. Although the
dow. You might want to • keep fingerprints off the display screen window is scratch-resistant, you may
keep a supply on hand (remove any prints with a lens cleaning damage the anti-reflective coating if you
to wipe off fingerprints cloth) use a dry cloth to wipe dirt off. Always use
and other smudges.
• remove dirt and grime using a soft a damp cloth with plenty of water to
cloth and Windex or soap and water remove salt or dirt. To remove any oil or

Getting Started
4 Interfacing the 6000i Northstar 6000i
 grease on the screen, use a clean, dry will temporarily affect the characteristics of
microfiber-type lens cleaning cloth or a the screen and cause your fingerprints to
small amount of window cleaner. appear as bright reflections. Fingerprints
will disappear when you clean the screen
Avoid touching the window with your
as described in the previous paragraph.
fingers. The natural oils from your hand

Technical support
Northstar products are manufactured and
serviced by BNT Marine Electronics.
Additional information is available at
If you need technical support, or have any Northstar’s website:
other questions after you’ve followed the
www.NorthstarNav.com
instructions in this manual, you can
contact the factory as follows:
Hearing from you
by Telephone:
Your feedback is important and helps
978/897-6600 or 800/628-4487
ensure that this manual is a valuable
resource for all 6000i users. Send your
by E-mail:
questions, comments, or suggestions about
Service: service@NorthstarNav.com this manual to:
Sales: sales@NorthstarNav.com
manuals@NorthstarNav.com
by Fax:
Service: 978/897-1595 Service and repair
Sales: 978/897-7241
In case of a 6000i operating problem, you
by U.S. mail: can contact your dealer or return the 6000i
to the factory for diagnosis and repair.
Northstar
When calling, be sure to have your 6000i’s
30 Sudbury Road serial number and software revision avail-
Acton, MA 01720 USA able. In describing a problem, be as

Getting Started
Reference Manual Revision D Technical support 5
 complete and accurate as possible. Before
returning the 6000i for repair, you may
want to save your waypoints and routes. If
the unit is properly networked to another
6000i display, a copy of your waypoints
and routes is already saved in the other
unit. You can also transfer data to a North-
star 900 series navigator or to a PC as
described on pages 80 and 83.

NOTE:
To prevent delays, it’s critical that you
first obtain a Return Materials Authoriza-
tion (RMA) number from our Service
Department before returning your 6000i.

Shipments to Northstar should be made to

the following address:
Northstar Service Department
30 Sudbury Road
Acton, MA 01720
If you have special overnight or
second-day shipping requirements, please
call for turnaround time and freight costs
before you ship your 6000i.

Getting Started
6 Technical support Northstar 6000i
 Northstar 6000i Quickstart Guide
Turning the 6000i on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Introducing the display screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Introducing the controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Navionics chart cartridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Displaying the chart screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Using demo mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Displaying numeric data on the chart screen . . . . . . . . . . 17
Displaying numeric data on the position screen . . . . . . . 18
Going immediately to a quick waypoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Radar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
The echo sounder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Split function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
The STAR key: alarms, TideTrack and setup . . . . . . . . . . . 21
SAVE and Man Overboard (MOB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
This section gives an overview of each of the 6000i’s major functions and the basic infor-
mation you need to begin using them.
We suggest you read this section carefully as you first use the 6000i, and then refer to the
following Reference Sections, as necessary, to answer any questions you may have.

Quickstart Guide Revision D 7

Turning the 6000i on and off
Turning the 6000i on Now you’re ready to get underway with
CAUTION!
your 6000i!
To turn the 6000i on, gently and briefly
press the PWR key. (See Figure 1 on If this 6000i was recently used at or near
Use caution when navi-
page 10 for a picture of the controls.) its present location, it will usually be
gating with electronic
charts. Although every
ready to navigate within one minute after
The 6000i beeps and displays its start-up it is turned on.
effort has been made to
ensure that the data the screen, and then performs a series of
6000i uses is as close as self-tests to check its critical components
possible to paper charts, and functions. Turning the 6000i off
errors and omissions are
inevitable. The captain is Next, a message warns against relying on To turn the 6000i off, press and hold the
responsible for the 6000i’s chart cartography as the only PWR key for a few seconds until the screen
cross-checking the 6000i means of safe navigation. Acknowledge the goes dark.
against other sources of
warning message by pressing the CHART
navigation data.
key.

Introducing the display screen

Adjusting the brightness If the 6000i becomes too hot due to high
ambient temperature and strong sunlight,
To adjust the screen’s brightness, briefly the display screen may automatically dim
press the PWR key. Then press the cursor to prevent overheating. You can tempo-
pad upward to brighten the screen, or rarily override the auto-dim function at
downward to darken it. any time just by increasing the brightness.
After reaching maximum brightness, you The 6000i may dim again to avoid
can release and press the cursor pad again exceeding the maximum internal
to increase the contrast, making the screen temperature.
even more readable under full sunlight
conditions.

8 Turning the 6000i on and off

Northstar 6000i
 Special display windows Question windows
Occasionally, the 6000i needs to tell you A question window appears
something or ask permission to do some- when the 6000i needs a
thing. When this happens, an information response from you. Respond
or question window appears on the screen. to a question window by pressing the
This window may contain an alarm icon, or ENTER key to answer yes, or the CLEAR
an INFO icon or a large question mark key to answer no. Most of the other keys,
along with a message for you to read. including the function keys, are tempo-
rarily inactive while the 6000i displays a
question window.

Introducing the controls

Feel free to try any of the 6000i’s controls! Function keys
You can’t hurt anything, and you’ll only
Figure 1 on page 10 illustrates the loca-
learn more about how to use the 6000i
tions of the 6000i’s controls.
more efficiently. The 6000i always asks
you to verify what you’re doing before it The six keys below the screen access the
changes or deletes information. You’ll be unit’s major functions. These are CHART,
asked to confirm your action before POSITION, and STEER, and the optional
anything happens that may affect the functions RADAR, SOUNDER and VIDEO.
6000i’s operation. You can always press Press one at any time to instantly display
CLEAR to cancel a function if you change that function on the full screen, then use
your mind. the menu keys at the right edge of the
screen to control the function.
The WAYPTS/ROUTES key accesses the
6000i’s database of stored position
information.
The STAR key accesses the alarm screen
Using ENTER and CLEAR and miscellaneous functions including
TideTrack and setup commands.

Quickstart Guide Revision D

Introducing the controls 9
 SPLIT

IN

OUT

WAYPTS
ROUTES

SAVE
PWR
CHART POSITION STEER RADAR SOUNDER VIDEO MOB
BRT

Figure 1: 6000i controls

Split screen feature displayed. See page 20 for more

information.
If you have the radar, echo sounder or
video options installed, press the SPLIT key
to split the screen into two or more
sections, each with a different function

10 Introducing the controls

Northstar 6000i
 Menu keys SPLIT, and SOUNDER screens. To show the
labels again, press any menu key. On the
The six round keys at the right of the CHART screen, you can also hide the info
screen take on different functions, bar (see Displaying numeric data on the
depending on the screen displayed. Each chart screen, on page 17) by pressing
active key is labeled on the screen. CLEAR a second time, while the menu
You can press CLEAR to hide the labels keys are hidden.
and display more data on the CHART, STEER,

Navionics chart cartridges

The 6000i contains a built-in, low-resolu- Navionics is a major producer of
tion map that covers the entire world, but high-quality, high-resolution “seamless”
without much detail. This map can give digital charts. Virtually every major port
you an approximate idea of your location and most popular boating areas are avail-
with respect to land areas, but nav aids are able on these cartridges, and new charts
not included. are constantly being added. To obtain
Navionics charts, contact your authorized
For more detailed charting data, you can to
Northstar dealer.
purchase one or more Navionics chart
cartridges: It’s important to realize that you can use
either Classic or Gold charts at any given
• Classic cartridges include several charts
time. To switch cartridge types, turn the
covering a specific geographic region
unit off, change the cartridge, and turn it
• Gold chart cartridges add nearly all of back on. If you have two or more 6000is
the additional data from printed charts, networked, it’s the master’s cartridge that
including shaded areas indicating configures the network for Classic or Gold.
depths You cannot use different cartridge types
Cartridges with the XL3 designation simultaneously.
contain charts for more than one region.
Only one region can be used at a time, The
user selects the desired region as described
in Navionics XL3 charts, on page 25.

Quickstart Guide Revision D

Navionics chart cartridges 11
 Inserting a chart cartridge shown at the left of the CHART STATUS
screen. The cartridge name displayed on
The cartridge slot is located behind the the left of the screen is its Navionics
6000i’s keypad, which opens as shown in catalog number.
Figure 2. The latch is at the left edge of the
door. Push it to the right to open the door.
The cartridge only fits correctly one way. If
it doesn’t slide in smoothly, try the other
way. Insert the cartridge gently but firmly
with one straight, smooth motion. A
cartridge can be safely inserted or removed
while the 6000i is turned on.
Be sure to close the door securely to
avoid water penetration!

SPLIT
IN
Chart Setup/status screen
OUT

Some older cartridges may not have this

information; in this case, the word
PRESENT is shown in place of the name
and date. If no chart cartridge is installed,
the words NONE INSERTED are shown.
S
PYES
WAYUT
RO
It usually takes 15 seconds or so to load
SAVE
chart data after the 6000i is turned on or
MOB
after a new cartridge is inserted.
Figure 2: Inserting the chart cartridge Accessing the regions contained in Navi-
onics XL3 series cartridges is described on
page 25.
Showing the cartridge name and date
Using the additional data on Gold charts is
Press the CHART key, and then the Chart described in Setting up the chart screen
setup menu key at the right of the CHART (Gold Charts), starting on page 33.
screen. The cartridge name and date are

12 Navionics chart cartridges

Northstar 6000i
Displaying the chart screen
After the 6000i completes its start-up You’ll soon see your present position repre-
sequence, press the CHART function key to sented by a black triangular vessel symbol
acknowledge the warning message and in the center of the chart. If you’re not
display the CHART screen. receiving GPS signals, you can use Demo
Mode, as described on page 16.

Chart screen (classic chart shown)

Quickstart Guide Revision D

Displaying the chart screen 13
 The 6000i’s CHART screen displays your
vessel’s present position (or any position
By the you designate with the cursor pad) in
way, relation to land masses, nav aids, and any
waypoints and routes you have entered. As
you navigate, your vessel remains in the
If you’re not receiving
GPS signals, you can center of the CHART screen, and the chart
use Demo Mode to moves underneath your vessel.
simulate real-life condi-
tions, including motion.
See Using demo mode, Clearing a GPS or WAAS alarm
on page 16.
If the 6000i isn’t able to obtain a position
from GPS within three minutes, you’ll see a Alarms screen
flashing NO GPS alarm icon on the right
side of the screen. This means the 6000i For details about alarms, see Alarms,
has an alarm message that needs your starting on page 138.
acknowledgement: Press the STAR
function key to display the Alarms screen.
The alarm message NO GPS POSITION Using the chart
FIX is shown in the Recent Alarms box. Your vessel is normally shown in the
This message advises you that the 6000i center of the chart screen. If your vessel is
is in the process of acquiring satellite moving, the symbol will point in the direc-
information necessary for displaying a tion of your Course Over Ground (COG). (If
position fix. your vessel isn’t moving, the 6000i can’t
determine your COG, so the direction of
The word NEW in the upper right corner of the vessel symbol won’t mean anything.)
the screen tells you this message hasn’t yet
been acknowledged. To acknowledge this White areas represent water and brown
or any message alarm, press the Clear areas are land. Avoidance areas and a
alarm menu key. As soon as the 6000i lat/lon grid may be displayed. If you’re
acquires its signals, you’ll be ready to go. using a chart cartridge, nav aids and depth
contours are shown as well as landmark
names.

14 Displaying the chart screen

Northstar 6000i
 To zoom in and see more details about • display any available overlays, such as
your position, press the IN key. To zoom radar
out (more area and less detail), press OUT. • rotate the chart to north-up, course-up,
Use the cursor pad to display the leg-up or heading-up (heading-up
red cursor and designate waypoints requires an optional heading sensor)
or move the chart to a different • restart the desired track line to run
area. Press Vessel to recenter the chart on directly from your position to the
your vessel. waypoint, “zeroing” the cross-track
Vessel Chart area Cursor error display
• return from “Browse” mode (cursor
on-screen) to “Vessel” mode (vessel
centered)
• change the options available for the
WAAS chart screen
• display additional position information
in the INFO BAR at the bottom of the
screen
• go to a waypoint, nav aid, or unmarked
Info bar Menu keys point you select on the chart screen by
Chart screen pressing the cursor pad

The WAAS (or DGPS) indicator on the right

side of the screen means the 6000i is Displaying other information
currently receiving WAAS (or optional
On the CHART screen, you can display your
radiobeacon) signals.
current route, track history, waypoints and
avoidance points, a lat/lon grid, a radar
Chart plotter functions overlay, or other chart details. For Classic
charts, see Setting up the chart screen
The menu keys at the right of the chart (Classic charts), on page 31. For Gold charts,
screen perform the following navigation see Setting up the chart screen (Gold Charts),
functions (not all keys are shown all the on page 33.
time):

Quickstart Guide Revision D

Displaying the chart screen 15
 Alarms
The Northstar 6000i alerts you to condi- right corner of the screen. Many alarms
tions that may require attention. Some automatically clear themselves after a few
alerts are strictly informative, such as seconds. Others remain flashing until you
nearing a waypoint, and some warn of press a key on the ALARM screen or until
conditions such as loss of navigation the condition clears. See Alarms, starting on
signals. The unit alerts you with a beeping page 138 for a listing of all alarms and the
sound and a flashing symbol in the lower meaning of each.

Using demo mode

You can use demo mode to simulate a
stationary position, or simulate navigating
to a location you select on the CHART
Simulated radar and screen. Demo mode is useful for training,
echo-sounding signals and could be used for dead reckoning in
can also be displayed the event that GPS signals should ever fail.
when in demo mode.
- To access the demo control screen, display
- the CHART screen and press Chart setup,
then press Demo control.
To place your vessel at a simulated
position and enter demo mode, press the
cursor pad to move the cursor to the
desired position on the chart. Zoom out if
you need to see more area. Press Demo Demo control screen
Position and ENTER. Your vessel symbol
To simulate motion from this point to
will now be stationary at this position.
another location, press the cursor pad to
move the cursor to the destination, then
press the Demo COG/SOG key. To change
the vessel’s speed from the standard 12

16 Alarms
Northstar 6000i
 knots, use the keypad to enter the new To leave demo mode, go back to the DEMO
speed. Finally, press ENTER to start moving CONTROL screen as described above, and
to the demo cursor location. press Exit Demo.
To view the CHART screen while in demo This key returns you directly to the active
mode, press Return twice. CHART screen.

The word Demo always appears on the

right side of the CHART screen when
you’re in demo mode.

Displaying numeric data on the chart screen

To display numeric information directly on Each additional press of the More Info key
the chart screen, press the More Info menu shows the following information:
key to display an “info bar” at the bottom
• your vessel’s present
of the screen. (If the More Info key is not
Speed-Over-Ground (SOG),
visible, press Vessel to restore it.)
Course-Over-Ground (COG), and
(optionally) heading (HDG)
• your vessel’s distance (Dist) and bearing
(Brg) to the current waypoint, if any,
along with a cross-track indicator
• your vessel’s position in lat/lon (or TDs,
if you’ve enabled loran)
• the Speed-Through-Water (STW), water
depth and temperature, as measured by
the optional echo sounder

Vessel lat/lon displayed on chart screen

Quickstart Guide Revision D

Displaying numeric data on the chart screen 17
 Displaying numeric data on the position screen
To display your position, speed, course,
and time with large, easily read digits, press
POSITION. The GPS POSITION screen shows
the following information:
• your vessel’s position in lat/lon (or TDs,
if enabled)
• your vessel’s present SOG and COG
• current time, day, and date
• geodetic datum (for details, see
Choosing a geodetic datum, starting on
page 158)
For details about using this screen, see
GPS position screen
Position coordinates, starting on page 43.

Going immediately to a quick waypoint

The Northstar 6000i can guide you directly 1. Press the CHART key to display the
to any point on the CHART screen that you CHART screen.
designate. “Point-and-shoot” navigation, as 2. Press the cursor pad to move the cursor
it is called, is often the easiest way to go to to the desired spot on the chart.
a waypoint or a series of waypoints: Just
select the points right on the chart and go 3. Press Go to cursor.
to them, one after another. This technique 4. Press ENTER.
provides the most flexibility in deciding The 6000i displays a track line to the new
where you want to travel. Simply move the waypoint named -QUIK-, and guides you
cursor wherever you want, press a key, and directly to this point.
you’re navigating.

18 Displaying numeric data on the position screen

Northstar 6000i
 Watch your progress on the chart screen,
or press STEER to stay accurately on the
straight-line course to the waypoint (see
Steering to a waypoint, starting on page 54).
That’s all you have to do to use the 6000i
in its simplest form. To learn more about
navigating to waypoints, See Navigating to
Waypoints, starting on page 51.

Navigating

Radar
Using the optional Northstar radar you can for your area by using Demo Mode as
determine where other boats or ships, navi- described on page 16.
gational markers, land masses, flocks of
Press Adjust Radar to make operating
birds, and other objects are located in
adjustments to the radar system as
relation to your vessel, and you can track
described in Using the radar adjustment
their movements.
keys, starting on page 94.
The radar won’t be operational until you
Press Radar Markers to set the radar’s
turn on the radar transmitter. See
Electronic Bearing Lines, Range Rings, etc.
Displaying radar, starting on page 87.
as described in Using the Radar Markers
If a Northstar radar unit is interfaced to the keys, starting on page 98.
6000i, press RADAR to see the radar image.
On the CHART screen, you can press Radar
If a radar unit is not operating or not overlay to superimpose the radar image on
connected, you can simulate radar signals

Quickstart Guide Revision D

Radar 19
 the chart screen. More information on Radar Installation Manual (part number
radar starts on page 85. GMRadIM). For the 2 kW Northstar radar,
see P/N GMKRad2KIM.
For information on installing radar and
making it operational, see the Northstar

The echo sounder

If your 6000i is equipped with Northstar’s For the simplest operation, press Auto-
optional echo sounder, press SOUNDER to matic, and select the desired transducer
display the full ECHO SOUNDER screen. frequency and zoom modes. More informa-
tion about sounder setup and operation
starts on page 104.

Split function
The SPLIT key The Control key
You can split the screen to display several When the screen is split to show more than
navigation functions on the screen at the one function, you can press Control to
same time. For example, you could display select which of the displayed functions is
the chart, sounder and radar images controlled by the menu keys.
simultaneously.
Press the SPLIT key to split the screen into
two or more sections, each with a different
function displayed. Press SPLIT a second
time to display several combinations of
functions to choose from. Press the menu The Control key is also available when the
key to select the split you want to use. radar overlay is in use.

20 The echo sounder

Northstar 6000i
The STAR key: alarms, TideTrack and setup
Using the alarms graph for any of over 3,000 NOAA tide
stations covering the entire U.S. coastline,
The 6000i has several alarms that automat- including Alaska and Hawaii, plus much of
ically alert you to certain situations. For the eastern and western Canadian coast-
example, the 6000i lets you know when line. You can display tides for today or any
you’re approaching a waypoint by other date. For details about TideTrack, see
sounding a beep and flashing an alarm TideTrack™, starting on page 146.
icon on the screen. The icon explains the
reason for the alarm. Most of the common
alarms automatically cancel themselves Setup functions
after ten seconds or after the condition
ends. For details, see Alarms, starting on Additional presses of the STAR key access
page 138. the 6000i’s various setup and customiza-
tion functions. These functions are
described beginning on page 156.
Using TideTrack™
Press the STAR key twice to display the
6000i’s Tide Track screen, a 24-hour tide

SAVE and Man Overboard (MOB)

Pressing SAVE/MOB always saves your waypoint, and the three-digit number
present position as a waypoint. increases by one every time you save a
waypoint.

Saving waypoints You can limit the number of saved

waypoints that will be stored. Use the MAX
Press SAVE briefly to save a waypoint. The SAVED WAYPT # function in the DISPLAY
new waypoint is given a name such as OPTIONS menu (see The number of saved
-S002-, where the letter S indicates a saved waypoints, on page 155).

Quickstart Guide Revision D

The STAR key: alarms, TideTrack and setup 21
 When the three-digit number reaches the
specified maximum, it wraps back to 001
and overwrites the older waypoint that has
the same number.
Any saved waypoints that you want to
keep or use in a route should be renamed
before they are overwritten (see Editing
waypoints, starting on page 70).

Saving routes
You can set the 6000i to automatically
save a sequence of waypoints as a route.
Each time you press SAVE, your position
will be recorded as an additional waypoint
in the route. See Saving a route as you
travel, starting on page 74 for details.

Man Overboard
Press and hold the SAVE/MOB for at least
four seconds (until you see the “Man Over-
board” window) to save your position as a
waypoint named –MOB– and immediately
start navigating to it. The 6000i switches to
a zoomed-in chart screen showing your
vessel and the MOB waypoint. You can use
any of the unit’s functions to return to the
location of the waypoint.
Press any key to go back to normal
operation.

22 SAVE and Man Overboard (MOB)

Northstar 6000i
 Reference section 1
Using the Chart Screen
Using electronic charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Zooming in and out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Using the cursor on the chart screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Comparing vessel and browse modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Rotating the chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Setting up the chart screen (Classic charts) . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Setting up the chart screen (Gold Charts) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Using Gold charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Changing the track control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Using the course predictor line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Using the distance and bearing calculator . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

This section explains the electronic chart, the two chart modes (Vessel and Browse), the
various chart symbols and their meanings, and how to set up both Classic Charts and
Gold Charts to display the data you need.

Reference Manual Revision D 23

 Using electronic charts
Each Navionics chart cartridge contains navigation” used on coastal and inland
electronic chart data from several paper waterways throughout the United States.
charts. Classic charts have basic informa- Nav aids are displayed on the CHART screen
ase b e
Ple aref u l ! tion from the original paper charts, as colored circles. Most of these aids are
c although spot depth soundings, some nav buoys, lights, lighthouses, and daybea-
aids, and other data may be missing. Gold cons, which typically are maintained by
Don’t become over-con- charts provide much additional data such the U.S. Coast Guard. Nav aids warn you of
fident when using elec- as obstructions, traffic areas and shaded hidden dangers, such as underwater
tronic charts. Always be
depth areas. When used with appropriate hazards, and to help you safely navigate
cautious!
caution, electronic charts open up a world specific waterways and channels.
of navigational accuracy and simplicity.
When you move the cursor onto a nav aid,
the 6000i displays a description in the info
Chart boundaries bar at the bottom of the screen, along with
the distance and bearing from your vessel
The 6000i displays the boundary line of to the nav aid.
CAUTION! each chart on the CHART screen. You can
turn these lines off if you prefer (see
Choosing the chart details, starting on page Buoys
32).
Nav aids have been Buoys are the most common type of nav
converted from official If you move from a highly detailed chart to aid found along the coast and on your
paper charts into the a less detailed one, you may see a sudden charts. The 6000i shows green and red
electronic format on
your screen, and there-
change in the detail shown on the screen, channel marker buoys as green and red
fore aren’t necessarily just as if you had changed from one circles, respectively.
as accurate as the detailed paper chart to a less detailed one.
paper charts. In some
Approach buoys are shown as circles with
The displayed boundary lines may help
areas, only the most black on the upper half and white on the
indicate when this change in detail is going
important nav aids may lower half.
be shown.
to happen.
Sound buoys (featuring an audible signal,
such as a bell, gong, or whistle) are identi-
Nav aids fied by a description in the info bar.
The nav aids on the CHART screen repre-
sent a variety of standard “aids to

Reference section 1 — Using the Chart Screen

24 Using electronic charts Northstar 6000i
 Navionics XL3 charts Note that selecting a region on one unit
does not cause other units to switch to the
Navionics XL3 series chart cartridges same region. Each unit is independent with
contain several chart regions in each regard to region selection.
cartridge. When you’re using these
cartridges, select the region you wish to • If you have two or more units installed
use by displaying the CHART screen and side-by-side, you can navigate with one
pressing the CHART key a second time. A unit while using another unit for trip
list of available regions is displayed. Press planning in another region.
the menu key corresponding to the desired
region. (Under some conditions this selec-
tion screen is shown automatically when
you insert the XL3 cartridge.)

Using XL3 charts on multiple

networked displays
A master 6000i unit displays the regions
from the cartridge plugged into it. A slave
unit displays all the regions from the
master’s cartridge, plus those from its own
cartridge, if any. Cartridges plugged into a
slave unit can only be used on that one
unit.

Zooming in and out

To get a closer look at the chart area Each chart has a maximum usable level of
around your vessel or around the cursor, magnification. When you zoom in one step
press the IN key to zoom in. To see a wider past that level, a portion of the chart screen
area, press OUT to zoom out. Each press of and much of its text and symbols are
IN or OUT approximately halves or doubles doubled in size to fill the screen for easier
the chart scale. viewing from a distance.

Reference section 1 — Using the Chart Screen

Reference Manual Revision D Zooming in and out
25
 Chart data doubled in size Chart data removed from screen

If you zoom in still further, the 6000i As a reminder that no land, charted
removes all chart detail from the screen for hazards or nav aids are shown, the 6000i
safety reasons, leaving only your vessel, its faintly displays the words No Chart
track, user-entered waypoints, and the multiple times across the screen. Even
lat/lon grid. without any chart data displayed, you can
still use the 6000i as a precision plotter.

NOTE:
Whenever the radar overlay is turned on,
the scales of the chart and the radar are
locked together so that the images will
line up. If you change the scale of one,
the scale of the other changes automati-
cally.

Reference section 1 — Using the Chart Screen

26 Zooming in and out Northstar 6000i
Using the cursor on the chart screen
Press the cursor pad to display the
red cursor symbol on the CHART
screen. Continue pressing the
cursor pad to move the cursor across the
screen.
If you have trouble finding the cursor in a
busy part of the CHART screen, just look
at the edges of the screen for the red cur-
sor pointers: They line up with the cursor.

When you press the cursor pad, the 6000i

switches to browse mode, described on
page 28.
Selecting a navaid with the cursor
If you move the cursor onto a
waypoint or navaid, that point is You can use the cursor to:
selected, as indicated by a
• select a nav aid or waypoint, to:
diamond-shaped box around the
point. Information about the selected point > show its name, lat/lon, and distance
and bearing
appears in the info bar at the bottom of the
> navigate to it
screen.
> add it to a route
After pressing the cursor pad to move the • designate a point on the chart, to:
cursor to a point on the chart, you can > show its lat/lon
press Go to cursor and ENTER to start > navigate to it
navigating to the designated cursor > add it to a route
location. > store as a waypoint
If you placed the cursor on a waypoint or • select a leg of a route to follow or edit
nav aid, this menu key would read Go to
• view a new area of the chart by moving
waypt or Go to nav aid.
the cursor to the edge of the screen

Reference section 1 — Using the Chart Screen

Reference Manual Revision D Using the cursor on the chart screen
27
 Additional functions are available with obstructions, and display additional infor-
Gold Charts. You can also select various mation about them.

Comparing vessel and browse modes

The 6000i offers two display modes:
• vessel (your vessel is centered on the
screen)
• browse (a cursor is displayed, which
you can move to designate points or
explore other areas of the chart)
To switch from vessel mode to browse
mode, press the cursor pad. To switch back
to vessel mode, press the Vessel menu key.

Vessel mode
The word VESSEL in the upper right corner Vessel mode
of the screen means you are currently
using Vessel mode.
Vessel mode is the primary screen for navi-
gating — the chart moves automatically
under your vessel, which remains centered
on the screen. It provide a continuous view
of your surroundings.
When your vessel’s position Press More info to display your position
moves to the edge of a chart, coordinates in the info bar at the bottom of
its icon may move from the
the screen. You can also display your SOG,
center of the screen.
COG, or distance and bearing to the
current waypoint (if any).

Reference section 1 — Using the Chart Screen

28 Comparing vessel and browse modes Northstar 6000i
 Browse mode In browse mode, you can use the cursor to
look at other areas of the chart, and desig-
The word BROWSE in the upper right nate points you want to navigate to.
corner of the screen means you are
currently using Browse mode. The info bar at the bottom of the screen
displays the position coordinates of the
cursor, and the distance and bearing from
your vessel to the cursor.

Browse mode

Rotating the chart

Press the Rotate key to change the angle COG as determined by the GPS
of the charts displayed on the CHART receiver.
screen. As long as you’re in vessel mode, The 6000i ignores any course changes if
you can rotate the chart to any of the your speed is under half a knot.
following angles:
• North-up – No rotation. The chart reacts very slowly to turns of
less than 5°, to avoid annoying small rota-
• Course-up – As your vessel changes its tions.
direction of travel, the chart rotates to
keep your COG straight up on the Your COG is often different from your
screen. Course-up represents your true vessel’s heading, so what you see

Reference section 1 — Using the Chart Screen

Reference Manual Revision D Rotating the chart
29
 straight ahead on the horizon may be dif- lized to keep the chart and cursor from
ferent from what’s displayed on the jumping while you’re browsing around on
screen. the chart.

• Heading-up – This rotation is available • Course-up or Heading-up: Suppose

only if you have a heading sensor you’re displaying the charts as
installed and enabled. The chart rotates course-up or heading-up and you press
as you travel to keep your heading the cursor pad to use browse mode.
straight up on the screen. When you While in browse mode, the chart
select heading-up, the heading line on rotation freezes. If your vessel changes
the radar image points straight course, you won’t see the chart rotate
upwards. The heading line allows you to the new direction until you return to
to compare the radar image or the chart vessel mode by pressing the Vessel key.
with the view in front of the vessel. Only in vessel mode will the chart
rotate to follow your course angle.
• Leg-up – The direction of the current
leg to a waypoint points straight • Leg-up: If you’re displaying charts in
upwards on the screen. The 6000i browse mode as leg-up and the 6000i
rotates the chart whenever you start switches to a new leg, the chart will
navigating on a new leg, even if you immediately rotate to the direction of
haven’t turned the vessel yet. that new leg, unless you’re actively
pressing the cursor pad.
Exception: If you select leg-up when you
aren’t currently following a leg, the 6000i NOTES:
uses course-up until you start navigating If you’re displaying a rotated chart, you
along a leg. may occasionally see the edges of the
chart, at an angle, displayed as a black
When you’re viewing a rotated chart, the line with white space on the other side.
text from the Navionics cartridge is tilted When the vessel or cursor crosses the
to match the rotation angle in order to line, the display will switch to a new chart
avoid text overlap. (if available).

The edges of other charts in the 6000i’s

Using chart rotation in browse mode built-in world atlas are shown, in addition
to those in your local cartridge. These
Chart rotation is most useful in vessel
mode. In browse mode, rotation is stabi-

Reference section 1 — Using the Chart Screen

30 Rotating the chart Northstar 6000i
 edges are shown as black or red dashed How rotating affects the chart and
lines. radar
The lat/lon grid is labelled only when the The rotation of the chart and the rotation
chart is north-up. of the radar image interact under certain
circumstances, as described below. Assume
that the chart and radar are both north-up
at the start:

If the Chart And the radar image is...

screen’s in...
Overlaid on the chart Not overlaid

Browse mode The chart can’t rotate in Browse mode. The chart can’t rotate, but the radar can
If you change the Control key to rotate. Chart and radar can have different
Radar, the chart’s mode automatically rotations.
switches to vessel mode and rotated
as described below).

Vessel mode Chart and radar both rotate together. If Chart and radar can both rotate. Chart and
you change the rotation of one, the radar can have different rotations.
other automatically changes to match.

Setting up the chart screen (Classic charts)

From the CHART SETUP/STATUS screen you Press the Chart Setup menu key on the
can select the details on the CHART screen, CHART screen. Setup options are displayed,
adjust the 6000i’s track control, and along with the chart cartridge’s name and
control Demo Mode to simulate naviga- date.
tion and radar.

Reference section 1 — Using the Chart Screen

Reference Manual Revision D Setting up the chart screen (Classic charts)
31
 Chart Setup/Status screen Chart Detail screen

Text info
Choosing the chart details
The ON setting displays the names of local
To set up the chart details, press the Chart cities, towns, harbors, channels, bodies of
detail menu key to display the CHART water, etc.
DETAIL screen.

To change any option, press the cursor pad Waypoint names

to move the cursor triangle to the desired The ON setting displays the name of each
item, then press the On/Off menu key to waypoint below its symbol. The OFF
change the item. An item that is turned off setting displays just the symbol itself.
is shown with two dashes.
Chart edges
Lat/lon grid
The ON setting displays the outlines of the
The ON setting displays lat/lon lines on the charts that are on the installed Navionics
CHART screen. Turn lat/lon lines off when chart cartridge or the built-in maps. Chart
these lines add excessive clutter to your edges are shown as dotted lines.
screen.
If the chart currently in use is rotated, its
edges are shown as solid lines.

Reference section 1 — Using the Chart Screen

32 Setting up the chart screen (Classic charts) Northstar 6000i
 Depth (low, mid and deep) turns them off, with the exception of
waypoints on a displayed route.
The ON setting displays depth contour
lines for low, mid, and deep water areas.
Nav aids
Track line The ON setting displays nav aids from the
Navionics chart cartridge, and the OFF
The ON setting displays your vessel’s track
setting hides the nav aids.
points (the course you’ve already trav-
eled). For more track display options, see
Land masses
Changing the track control below.
The ON setting displays the coloring of
Waypoints land masses to contrast between water and
land. The OFF setting shows only coast-
The ON setting displays your waypoints on
line, without the coloring.
the CHART screen, and the OFF setting

Setting up the chart screen (Gold Charts)

If you have a Gold Chart cartridge along with the chart cartridge’s name and
installed, the CHART SETUP/STATUS screen date.
• selects the details displayed on the
CHART screen
• customizes the way depths are
displayed
• adjusts the 6000i’s track function
• controls Demo Mode to simulate
navigation and radar.
Press the Chart Setup menu key on the
CHART screen. (Make sure you’re in VESSEL
mode — press the Vessel menu key if
necessasary). Setup options are displayed,

Reference section 1 — Using the Chart Screen

Reference Manual Revision D Setting up the chart screen (Gold Charts)
33
 Chart Setup/Status screen Chart Detail screen

Waste areas
Choosing the chart details Restricted areas
To set up the chart details for Gold charts, The areas listed above can be individually
press the Chart detail menu key. turned on or off. The areas may be filled
A few samples of the data that might be with color, patterns, or symbols indicatng
displayed are shown for each option. their usage. Descriptive text identifies the
area in many cases.
To change any option, press the cursor pad
to move the cursor triangle to the desired Chart text
item, then press the On/Off menu key to
change the item. An item that is turned off The ON setting displays the names of local
is shown with two dashes. cities, towns, harbors, channels, bodies of
water and other text items.
Administrative areas
Cables / pipelines
Anchorage areas
The ON setting displays above-the-surface
Fish areas and underwater cables and pipes.
Military areas

Reference section 1 — Using the Chart Screen

34 Setting up the chart screen (Gold Charts) Northstar 6000i
 Navaids
The ON setting displays navaids from the
Navionics chart cartridge, and the OFF
setting hides the nav aids.

Obstructions / rocks / wrecks

Charted objects are shown.

Ports and services

Locations of ports, their names, and many
available services are shown.
Depths control screen
Traffic lanes
Lanes where special rules may be in effect Spot soundings
are shown.
Spot soundings in shallow areas can be
displayed in black or red digits, or not
Vegetation / seabed
displayed at all. Spot soundings in deep
Surface vegetation and seabed composi- water can be displayed or hidden.
tion descriptions are shown.
Press the cursor pad up or down to set the
depth you wish to be considered as
Displaying depths shallow.

Press Depths control on the CHART DETAIL Press the Shallow soundings key to
screen to choose how water depths are choose whether shallow digits are red,
displayed. You can control the display of black, or not displayed. Press the Deep
spot soundings, depth contour lines, and soundings key to choose whether or not
shaded areas. Press the cursor pad left or deep soundings are displayed.
right to choose the soundings, contours or Note that the absence of soundings in a
areas column. Then press the cursor pad particular area does not guarantee deep
up or down to move the slider as described water — it’s possible that soundings are
below. simply missing from that area.

Reference section 1 — Using the Chart Screen

Reference Manual Revision D Setting up the chart screen (Gold Charts)
35
 Depth contour lines brighter medium blue. Very often, the
special contour lines stored in your
Depth contour lines can be displayed in
cartridge for this purpose will not match
shallow areas only, or not at all.
exactly the depth you chose to indicate.
Press the cursor pad up or down to set the Areas that straddle your chosen depth are
depth you wish to be considered as displayed this way. In some locations, these
shallow. areas may be quite large.
Press Contour lines to choose whether or Drying areas are displayed in a medium
not contour lines are displayed brown.

Shaded areas Color Meaning

Navionics Gold Charts contain additional
Brown Drying area
depth information that can be used to
color shallow areas of water. You can Dark blue Shallow
choose the depth where the coloring starts.
Medium Blue Overlap or unknown
This feature can be useful when you want
to remain in water that is deeper than, for Very light blue Deep
example, 20 feet. The 6000i can color
water deeper than 20 feet in a very light Press the cursor pad to the right to select
blue (nearly white), and water shallower the AREAS column, and press it up or down
than 20 feet in dark blue. to choose the minimum depth you want to
be notified of. Areas surveyed deeper than
Between these two areas, there will often
this depth are displayed in very light blue.
be another area of water shaded with a

Using Gold charts

Restrictions The most important is that you can not use
Gold and Classic charts at the same time.
There are a few important restrictions on The 6000i configures itself for one or the
using Gold Charts.

Reference section 1 — Using the Chart Screen

36 Using Gold charts Northstar 6000i
 other type when it is turned on, based on 3. Press a menu key to select the first
the type of cartridge currently inserted. chart region.
4. Wait until the flashing CHART LOAD
To change cartridge types, turn the unit
alert turns off (about 20 or 30 seconds).
off, insert the new cartridge, and turn the
5. Repeat steps 2, 3, and 4 for all remain-
unit back on.
ing regions.
If multiple 6000i’s are connected with the
The Northstar 6000i will now be able to
N2 network, all units must use the same
access the cartridge data rapidly.
type of chart. The chart in the master unit
at the time it is turned on determines
whether the system configures itself for Additional information
Classic or Gold charts.
Large scale charts typically do not contain
Also, if you have several 6000i’s networked spot soundings, depth contours and
together using Gold Charts, a very large shaded depth areas. In smaller scale charts,
amount of information must be shared the data source may omit contours and
between units. As a result, there may be shaded areas deeper than 10 meters (33
occasional short times when radar and feet). Areas not present in the data source
sounder data is suspended during chart are shown as very light blue.
data transmission. A status message is
displayed on the radar and sounder screens Gold Charts contain much additional infor-
at these times. mation about navaids and various types of
obstructions. When a navaid or obstruc-
tion is selected by placing the cursor on
First use of a cartridge top if it, this information may be displayed
by pressing the More info menu key. An
The first time a new Gold Chart cartridge is
additional info bar is displayed below the
used, the 6000i reads the cartridge data
chart, showing the text associated with the
and indexes it for faster access. We strongly
object. In some cases, there is more text
recommend performing the following pro-
than can be displayed in a single info bar.
cedure once for each new Gold Chart car-
Press More info additional times to display
tridge:
any remaining text, and then turn the info
1. Insert the cartridge. bar off.
2. Press the CHART key (twice, if neces-
sary) to display the Chart Region screen.

Reference section 1 — Using the Chart Screen

Reference Manual Revision D Using Gold charts
37
 Gold chart display, with a light selected

Reference section 1 — Using the Chart Screen

38 Using Gold charts Northstar 6000i
Changing the track control
The 6000i displays your track history as a You can choose among the following
series of dots indicating the path you’ve options for point storage, and the corre-
recently traveled. You can choose how sponding track length:
often to store a position fix as a point in
• every 1 second for 60 minutes total
your track history. The 6000i stores up to
4,096 position fixes. When it reaches this • every 2 seconds for 120 minutes total
limit, the 6000i starts erasing the oldest • every 4 seconds for 4 hours total
points to make room for your new points.
• every 8 seconds for 8 hours total
The more often you mark your track, the
faster you fill up the track memory. The • every 20 seconds for 20 hours total
maximum track length depends on how • every 40 seconds for 40 hours total
often points are stored.
• every 1 minute for 60 hours total
• every 2 minutes for 120 hours total
- or -
• FREEZE TRACK (stops the storage of
additional points, keeping the track
unchanged)
To clear the entire track history, press
Erase Track and ENTER.
To remove the track display from the
CHART screen while the 6000i continues to
record the track in its memory, set the
Track line option on the CHART DETAIL
Track Control screen screen to OFF. To resume viewing your
track, change this option to ON.
To display the TRACK CONTROL screen,
To change any of these options, use the
press Track control on the CHART
cursor pad to move the arrow to the field
SETUP/STATUS screen.
you want to change, then press Edit. Press

Reference section 1 — Using the Chart Screen

Reference Manual Revision D Changing the track control
39
 the cursor pad to display the option you Press Return twice to return to the CHART
want. Press ENTER to lock in the selection. screen.

Using the course predictor line

The chart, 3D steer, and radar screens also 1. Press STAR several times to display the
display a course predictor line that indi- OPTIONS/SERVICE INFO screen.
cates where your vessel will be in a few 2. Press Navigation options.
minutes if you maintain your current
course and speed. The predictor line 3. Select the Predictor Line using the cur-
extends out from your vessel in the direc- sor pad.
tion of your Course Over Ground. Its 4. Press Edit.
length is determined by your speed and
5. Use the cursor pad to display the desired
the number of minutes you specify on the
line length.
Navigation Setup Options screen. You can
also turn the line off. The line never 6. Press ENTER.
extends beyond 100 nm. Then, just watch the predictor line on the
To use the predictor line, simply select the chart, 3D steer or radar screen to deter-
number of minutes you prefer the line to mine where your current course will take
represent as follows: you.

Using the distance and bearing calculator

You can quickly check the distance and 2. Press Distance and Bearing.
bearing between any two points on the The 6000i displays your present position at
CHART screen. You can also use this the center of the CHART screen with the
function to make new waypoints that you cursor directly over it.
define by their distance and bearing from 3. Press the cursor pad to move the cursor
another point. to the first location.
1. Press WAYPTS/ROUTES.

Reference section 1 — Using the Chart Screen

40 Using the course predictor line Northstar 6000i
 The distance and bearing from your posi-
tion to the cursor is displayed in the info
bar.
4. To measure the distance and bearing from
the cursor to another point, press Set
new “X.”
A new “X,” or starting point, is displayed at
that location. As you move the cursor, the
distance and bearing from the “X” point to
the cursor’s position are displayed in the
info bar.

Distance and Bearing screen

If you want to make a waypoint at the

cursor location, press Add waypt, then
enter its name, symbol, and any descrip-
tion on the NEW WAYPOINT screen. Press
ENTER to save it.

Reference section 1 — Using the Chart Screen

Reference Manual Revision D Using the distance and bearing calculator
41
 Reference section 1 — Using the Chart Screen
42 Using the distance and bearing calculator Northstar 6000i
 Reference section 2
Position coordinates
Displaying position, COG, and speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Using GPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Using DGPS or WAAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Using loran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Using Phantom Loran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

T he POSITION key displays your position coordinates (from GPS, loran or Phantom
Loran) and lets you check out GPS or loran signal status. COG, SOG, and time of day are
also displayed.

Reference Manual Revision D 43

 Displaying position, COG, and speed
The 6000i uses a high-performance GPS • as lat/lon coordinates
receiver as its primary source of position > from GPS satellites alone
data, with accuracy enhanced by either the > from GPS enhanced by the radiobea-
WAAS satellite system, or an optional con differential system
radiobeacon differential receiver, or both. > from GPS enhanced by WAAS satel-
Depending on the additional optional lites
receivers that are connected, the 6000i can > from loran
determine and display position coordi- • as loran coordinates
nates in several different ways: > from a loran receiver connected to the
6000i
> calculated from the GPS coordinates
(“Phantom Loran”)

Using GPS
Position, COG, and SOG are calculated
from the received satellite data, as well as
time and date. To display this position
information numerically, press the
POSITION key.
You’ll see your lat/lon coordinates on the
GPS POSITION screen.
If GPS data isn’t available, you’ll see
dashes instead of numbers.

You can display lat/lon as either degrees,

minutes, and seconds, or as degrees,
minutes, and thousandths of minutes. For GPS position screen
instructions, see Changing your display
settings, starting on page 154.

Reference section 2 — Position coordinates

44 Displaying position, COG, and speed Northstar 6000i
 The time of day, and today’s day and date A brief status summary of the GPS receiver
are displayed at the bottom of the screen. is displayed at the top of the screen. Table
You can display time in a 12- or 24-hour 1 describes the GPS status messages.
format (see 12- or 24-hour clock, on page
155). To designate the time zone for your
area, see Changing the time zone, on page
Table 1: GPS status messages
166.
SOG and COG readings are the result of Message Meaning
instantaneous measurements from the COMM FAIL the GPS receiver or its commu-
satellite signals. GPS speed is updated nication link has a problem
every second. For extremely stable read-
ings, you can average these readings over 3D NAV navigating with 4 or more satel-
several seconds by changing the GPS speed lites in 3-D mode
averaging value (see Changing your
2D NAV navigating with 3 satellites in
receiver settings, on page 160). 2-D mode
The name of the datum currently in use is
ACQUIRE trying to acquire satellites
displayed in the center of the screen. The
datum describes any adjustment made to
the standard WGS-84 position reported by
the GPS receiver. You can choose a Viewing GPS satellite status
different datum using the Navigations To display more information about the
Options setup screen (see Choosing a signals received from the GPS satellites,
geodetic datum, on page 158). You may press Sat info on the GPS POSITION screen.
wish to do this in order to match a paper The GPS SATELLITES screen shows the
chart or other information based on a received Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) for
different reference system. New charts use each satellite (the higher the SNR, the
the NAD83 or WGS84 datum, which are better the quality of the satellite signals),
nearly identical. and a map indicating where the satellites
are currently located in the sky. The satel-
WARNING: lites are identified by their PRN number, a
Using the wrong datum can significantly one- or two-digit number assigned by the
reduce accuracy. U.S. government. GPS satellites are repre-

Reference section 2 — Position coordinates

Reference Manual Revision D Using GPS
45
 sented by circles; WAAS satellites are The center of the satellite map represents
represented by hexagons. the center of the sky, and the outermost
ring is the horizon. The view is looking
down from above, with east to your right
and west to your left.
HDOP (Horizontal Dilution of Precision) is
a technical measure of the quality of your
position fix. It is calculated from the satel-
lites’ current positions. You’ll usually see
an invalid HDOP value displayed immedi-
ately after the 6000i is turned on, before
it’s ready to navigate. HDOP can range
from an ideal value of slightly less than
one, up to poor values of 10 or more. Any
value less than two indicates an excellent
Satellite status screen satellite configuration.

Using DGPS or WAAS

When using the 6000i with standard racy. When you require this additional
WAAS or an external radiobeacon DGPS accuracy, be sure to check often to verify
receiver, you’ll usually see position that either the WAAS or DGPS indicator is
measurements accurate to about one to present.
three meters, speed measurements
For most applications, the built-in WAAS
accurate to about 0.1 knot, and COG
receiver automatically supplies highly
measurements accurate to about 0.5 accurate navigation data. DGPS correc-
degree. WAAS or DGPS corrections remove tions are available only from a user-sup-
most of the errors caused by atmospheric plied external DGPS receiver using the
variations. SC-104 data format. No DGPS signal sta-
When the WAAS or DGPS indicator is tus is displayed.
displayed at the right edge of the screen,
the 6000i is using this higher level of accu-

Reference section 2 — Position coordinates

46 Using DGPS or WAAS Northstar 6000i
Using loran
Many users have lists of fishing spots and 2. Press Navigation Options, then select
other waypoints that were recorded using the Navigation Source field.
loran time differences (TDs). The 6000i lets 3. Press Edit, then press the cursor pad to
you continue using this invaluable data. display EXTERNAL LRN as the position
By interfacing your loran receiver to the source.
6000i, you can use the 6000i’s chart 4. Press Enter and then Return.
plotting and advanced navigating features
with actual loran coordinates. 5. Press POSITION to display the LORAN
POSITION screen.
If you don’t have a loran receiver, you can
still use the Phantom Loran feature
described on page 49. With it, the 6000i
calculates “Phantom” loran coordinates
from GPS position information.
If you don’t plan to use loran, you can skip
these sections.

NOTE:
The loran you use must support the standard
NMEA 0183 “RMA” output data sentence struc-
ture. The Northstar 800 loran supports NMEA
0183 and is an ideal choice to use with the
6000i.

Press L/L TDS several times to display

Selecting and displaying loran either the particular pair of TDs you want
To display loran time differences (TDs) to use, or the loran-derived
from a connected loran receiver: latitude/longitude.
1. Press the STAR key several times to
display the OPTIONS/SERVICE INFO screen.

Reference section 2 — Position coordinates

Reference Manual Revision D Using loran
47
 Setting the loran GRI receiver. They are displayed to the right of
each TD. (These indicators are available
The 6000i can convert the loran’s TDs to
only from Northstar 800 series lorans.)
latitude/longitude position fixes, if you set
the four-digit loran Group Repetition Table 2: Northstar 800 series loran
Interval (GRI) shown on the screen to
match the GRI being used by your loran
warning indicators
receiver. To change the GRI, press Set GRI Indicator Meaning
on the LORAN POSITION screen and press the
cursor pad to display the available GRIs SNR Signal-to-Noise Ratio is
one at a time. When the displayed GRI is low—use caution.
correct, press ENTER.
BLNK The Coast Guard is transmitting
a blink signal, indicating a prob-
able transmitter problem.
Checking GPS status
To display GPS coordinates and signal CYC The receiver has detected a
possible cycle slip.
status, press Check GPS. The 6000i
continues to navigate using loran, and will LOCK The loran has locked onto the
display loran data the next time you loran track point (this isn’t a
display the LORAN POSITION screen. warning indicator, but an indica-
tion of normal performance).

Viewing loran status The L/L indicators to the left of the TDs
To check the quality of signals being designate the two TDs that the loran
received by your loran, press Loran info on receiver has chosen for calculating latitude
the LORAN POSITION screen. The and longitude.
Signal-to-Noise ratio (SNR) for each loran
The F/L indicator to the left of a TD indi-
transmitting station is displayed graphi-
cates that the user has forced that TD to be
cally on the LORAN INFO screen.
used for calculating latitude and longitude.

Viewing loran warning indicators

Table 2 shows the loran warning indica-
tors obtained from any Northstar 800 loran

Reference section 2 — Position coordinates

48 Using loran Northstar 6000i
 Returning to GPS navigation loran in Selecting and displaying loran, on
page 47, but choose GPS instead of loran.
To return to using GPS signals for naviga-
tion, repeat the steps shown for selecting

Using Phantom Loran

If you have lists of fishing spots and other Selecting Phantom Loran
waypoints that you recorded as loran time
To display position coordinates as
differences (TDs), but you no longer have a
Phantom Loran TDs:
loran receiver, the 6000i can automatically
convert its GPS coordinates into TDs—in 1. Press the STAR key to display the
real time, as you travel. You can display OPTIONS/SERVICE INFO screen.
your current position as TDs or navigate to
2. Press Navigation Options, then high-
waypoints using TDs. The accuracy from
light the NAVIGATION SOURCE option.
this conversion is generally 500 to 1500
feet. 3. Press Edit, then press the cursor pad to
select PHANTOM LRN.
This feature, called Phantom Loran, can
help your transition from loran to GPS. You 4. Press ENTER, then press Return.
can use the 6000i to simulate the full oper- 5. Press POSITION to display the LORAN
ation of a loran receiver, using all of the POSITION screen.
6000i’s navigation functions as if it were
actually receiving loran signals.
Setting the Phantom Loran GRI
These calculated TDs won’t exactly match
the positions of previously recorded TDs Press Set GRI to change the GRI to be
obtained directly from actual loran signals. used in calculating the displayed TDs.
In most areas, TD errors shouldn’t exceed Press the cursor pad to display the avail-
one microsecond. However, larger errors able GRIs one at a time. When the GRI is
are possible in areas with poor station correct, press ENTER.
geometry, or for which the 6000i doesn’t
have accurate, factory-programmed ASF
correction points.

Reference section 2 — Position coordinates

Reference Manual Revision D Using Phantom Loran
49
 Phantom Loran screen

Press L/L TDS several times to display

either the particular pair of TDs you want
to use, or the GPS-derived
latitude/longitude.

Reference section 2 — Position coordinates

50 Using Phantom Loran Northstar 6000i
 Reference section 3
Navigating to Waypoints

Introducing waypoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Designating a waypoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Steering to a waypoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
The course predictor line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Navigating along routes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Restarting the track line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
The NAV LOG screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

A waypoint is a specific point you designate either by entering its coordinates or by

pointing to it on the chart using the cursor. Hundreds of waypoints can be stored in the
6000i’s memory, and can be strung together to form a variety of routes.

Reference Manual Revision D 51

 Introducing waypoints
To store a route, see
A waypoint is a point (a location) that • store waypoints into the 6000i
page 71. you’ve entered into the 6000i’s memory. • go to these waypoints
The waypoint is displayed on the chart
with the symbol you’ve chosen. In • string these waypoints together to form
contrast, the term nav aid refers to a point routes
that’s permanently stored on the Navi- • edit or erase waypoints or routes
onics chart cartridge. • plot waypoints on a chart
Here are some of the functions you can • transfer waypoints and routes from the
perform with waypoints: 6000i to a PC or an older Northstar
• go to a point on the CHART screen in navigator, and back again
one step (making a “quick” waypoint)

Designating a waypoint
You can designate waypoints in any of the Designating a waypoint on the chart
following ways: screen
• use the cursor on the CHART screen to You can go to a waypoint by moving the
select an existing waypoint or create a cursor to that point on the chart — either
new waypoint selecting an existing waypoint on the
• enter numeric position coordinates CHART screen, or designating any other
location on the CHART screen:
• select an existing waypoint from a list
1. On the CHART screen, move the cursor
You can also string together several
pad to choose an existing waypoint or nav
waypoints to form a route, and let the
aid, or any unmarked chart position.
6000i guide you from one waypoint to the
next (see Introducing routes, on page 71). 2. Press Go to waypt. (If you didn’t choose
a waypoint, the key will read Go to cur-
sor or Go to navaid.)
3. Press ENTER.

Reference section 3 — Navigating to Waypoints

52 Introducing waypoints Northstar 6000i
 If you selected an existing waypoint, the 2. If necessary, select the type of coordinates
6000i begins guiding you directly to it. you want to enter by pressing the Coord
If you chose a new cursor location, the type menu key:
6000i makes a new waypoint named
-QUIK-, and guides you directly to it. • lat/lon
Repeating this same procedure will create • distance and bearing from “here”
a new -QUIK- waypoint that overwrites the
existing one; therefore, you may want to (your present position), or from
save the -QUIK- waypoint as a regular way- any waypoint stored in the 6000i
point by renaming it. See Editing way- • loran TDs (make sure the GRI dis-
points, starting on page 70.
played is correct, and change it if
necessary)
Entering a waypoint’s position 3. Use the keypad to enter the waypoint’s
coordinates coordinates.
You can use the keypad to enter waypoint The initial position shown is your latest fix.
coordinates, and then go to that waypoint: If you wish, you can now give the -QUIK-
waypoint a unique name after you’ve
1. Press WAYPTS/ROUTES, then press entered its coordinates, since the next
Quick waypoint to display the QUICK -QUIK- waypoint you make will overwrite
WAYPOINT screen. this one: Just move the cursor to the name
field and change the name from -QUIK- to
a unique permanent name before continu-
ing.
4. Press ENTER twice.
The 6000i begins guiding you directly to the
waypoint.

Using previously stored waypoints

If you have already stored waypoints as
described starting on page 65, you can
select one of these and navigate to it.
1. Press WAYPTS/ROUTES, then press
Quik waypoint screen
Waypoints.

Reference section 3 — Navigating to Waypoints

Reference Manual Revision D Designating a waypoint
53
 2. Press Next view to display the most con-
venient view. You can select a waypoint
from the chart view, or from one of the
waypoint lists (often the local list, since the
waypoints you navigate to are usually
nearby). See Displaying waypoints, start-
ing on page 64
3. Press the cursor pad to select the way-
point you want to navigate to.
4. Press Go to, then press ENTER.
The 6000i begins guiding you directly to the
waypoint.

Local waypoints list

Steering to a waypoint
If your 6000i is interfaced to an autopilot, waypoint and don’t need to stay precisely
1. On track it can steer your vessel automatically along on the designated course line.
a track line directly to the active waypoint.
The following is also displayed:
To steer the vessel yourself, press the
2. Off track, STEER key. The 6000i displays a picture of • distance and bearing to the waypoint
come left
to return your vessel and the desired track line. Just • Speed-Over-Ground (SOG)
steer to keep the vessel close to the track
• Course-Over-Ground (COG)
line (see examples at left).
3. Off track
If you exceed the cross-track alarm
and moving This precise navigation is especially useful
towards distance, the 6000i issues an alarm. To
course line for following a harbor channel or a line
display this alarm message, press the STAR
between shoals and sandbars.
key. To clear the alarm, press Clear alarm.
4. Off track You can also steer using the CHART
and moving
screen when you just want to get to a There are two versions of the steering
away from
course line screen. The 2D SCREEN is a simple graphic
display of cross-track distance. The 3D

Reference section 3 — Navigating to Waypoints

54 Steering to a waypoint Northstar 6000i
 SCREEN is similar, but from an “overhead”
perspective view that also shows nearby
waypoints. Press STEER a second time to
switch between the screens.

The 2D steering screen

The 2D STEERING screen uses a traditional
two-dimensional display that shows your
cross-track distance — how far your vessel
is from your intended track line (the center
line of the display). The vessel symbol on
the display rotates as your vessel turns,
showing whether you are moving closer to
2D Steer screen — approaching the track line
the line or further from the line.
The direction in which your vessel symbol
Ideally, you’ll keep the vessel symbol close
is pointing tells you the direction you’re
to the track line and parallel to it.
actually travelling (your COG). The direc-
The scale of the cross-track display is tion may not be the same as your heading,
shown in the lower corners of the screen. if any current or wind is present.
To adjust the cross-track scale, see
When the 6000i sequences to a new leg
Choosing the cross-track scale, on page 159.
of a route, your vessel symbol will imme-
Note that the heading correction display diately show your COG relative to the
on the 2D screen (showing “Come 30°
Right,” below) indicates the heading
change needed to sail parallel to the
desired track line. This is the correction
to make after you are on the line.

Reference section 3 — Navigating to Waypoints

Reference Manual Revision D Steering to a waypoint
55
 new leg. It points straight ahead once pressing More info to cycle through the
you’ve finished the turn. three choices:
• Estimated Time Enroute (ETE) to the
waypoint, and Estimated Time and Date
of Arrival (ETA)
• Speed of Advance (SOA), and graphical
heading correction
• Waypoint name, description, and
position coordinates

The 3D steering screen

The 3D STEERING screen is similar to the 2D
2D Steer screen — vessel on track STEERING screen. It displays a three-dimen-
sional view of your vessel with the current
waypoint, the course line to the waypoint,
The distance and bearing to the waypoint, and the locations of any other nearby
and your Speed-Over-Ground (SOG) and waypoints ahead of your vessel.
Course-Over-Ground (COG) are displayed
at in the upper half of the screen. Your You can use the ZOOM keys to zoom in
6000i may show an arrow to the right of and out on this screen.
the SOG display, pointing upwards when
the trend of your speed is increasing, and
down when it’s decreasing.
When you’re less than a mile away from a
destination waypoint, you can show the
distance to the waypoint in feet (or meters)
by setting the 6000i’s steering precision
option to high. For details, see Changing the
steering precision, on page 159.
You can display additional information in
the center of the 2D STEERING screen by

Reference section 3 — Navigating to Waypoints

56 Steering to a waypoint Northstar 6000i
 3D Steer screen

The course predictor line

The course predictor line (see Using the The predictor line is also shown on the 3D
course predictor line, on page 40) provides steer screen. Here, it is often curved to
another effective way to navigate a course represent the actual track on the 3D grid.
line or even to navigate directly to a point The center of the line is black when you
on the chart. On the chart or radar screen, are not navigating to a waypoint, and
just keep the end of the predictor line near yellow when you are navigating to a
the intended course line, and your vessel waypoint. If the line would extend beyond
will steer towards and gently merge with the displayed horizon, it is not shown.
the line.

Navigating along routes

To follow a previously stored route, press pad to select the route you want to follow,
WAYPTS/ROUTES, then press Routes to then press Go. The 6000i displays a chart
display the ROUTES list. Press the cursor showing the chosen route.

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Reference Manual Revision D The course predictor line
57
 Starting a route
To go directly to the selected waypoint in
the route, press Go to waypt, then press
ENTER. The 6000i calculates a track line
from your present position to the selected
route waypoint. Your cross track error
starts at zero.
If you wish to start navigating along a
route leg, rather than directly to a
waypoint, select the leg by moving the
cursor onto the leg, then press Follow leg
and press ENTER. In this case, your initial
cross-track error is your distance from that
Chart screen, showing a route
leg. The leg you’re currently navigating
From here, you can do the following: along is displayed with arrows indicating
your chosen direction of travel; other legs
• select a starting waypoint or leg are displayed with fewer arrows.
• start following the route
• reverse the route Reversing a route
To follow the route in the reverse direc-
Selecting the starting point tion, press Reverse before starting the
route. The direction of the route and its
The nearest waypoint in the route is auto-
arrows will change from end to end.
matically selected as the starting point. To
choose a different waypoint or route leg,
press the cursor pad and select it on the
chart. You can zoom IN or OUT to see a
smaller or larger area of the route.

Reference section 3 — Navigating to Waypoints

58 Navigating along routes Northstar 6000i
Restarting the track line
When travelling from one waypoint to
another, you may find you’ve gone off
your planned track line. Maybe you
avoided an obstacle or drifted slightly
off-course. Whenever you’re off-track, you
can get back by one of two methods:
• after passing the obstacle, you can steer
your vessel back to the original track
line by using the cross-track error
Figure 3: Restarting the course line
display, and simply continue to the
waypoint (Track 1 in Figure 3)
To restart your track line from your
• after passing the obstacle, if you don’t present position, press Restart and ENTER.
need to return to your original track Restart is found on the CHART screen (in
line, you can go directly to the next vessel mode only), on the STEER screen,
waypoint by using the 6000i’s restart and on the NAVLOG screen.
function (Track 2 in Figure 3)
The 6000i calculates a new track line from
your present position directly to the next
waypoint, and resets your cross-track error
to zero.

The NAV LOG screen

The NAV LOG screen displays the waypoints The navlog helps you plan and log your
in your current trip and lets you easily trip, using three main functions:
make changes to them. To access the • displaying your progress along your
screen, press the Navlog key on the STEER trip
screen.

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Reference Manual Revision D Restarting the track line
59
 • allowing you to easily change the rest To see the waypoints you’re currently navi-
of your trip (add waypoints to a route, gating along, press the Navlog key on the
or reverse the entire trip) STEER screen.
• allowing you to sequence to the next
leg, if you’ve chosen manual waypoint
sequencing
The nav log contains the series of
waypoints that you follow along your route
and displays them in sequential order.
When you navigate to these waypoints, or
along an already stored route, the series of
waypoints is copied into the nav log, which
acts as a kind of “scratch pad” to monitor
your progress. You can change the nav
log’s route in any way you want without
affecting the original route, which remains Navlog screen
safely stored in the 6000i.
The NAV LOG screen shows the list of
waypoints, the length and bearing of each
leg, and the direction of your next trip leg.
Press the cursor pad to scan the waypoints
in the list.
To display either a waypoint’s description
or its estimated time of arrival (ETA), press
the Show waypt desc or Show waypt
ETA menu key. For waypoints you haven’t
passed yet, the times of arrival shown are
estimates based on your current speed. For
waypoints you’ve already passed, actual
times of arrival are shown. The 6000i
updates this information as you travel.

Reference section 3 — Navigating to Waypoints

60 The NAV LOG screen Northstar 6000i
 NOTE: edit-route function. (For details, see
Estimated times are just estimates, which ”Editing a route” starting on page 100.)
may be inaccurate if your SOG changes,
either intentionally or by passing through 4. Repeat these steps for any more way-
varying currents. points you want to add.

Your ETA at the last waypoint (your desti- NOTE:

nation) is shown at the top of the screen. A If you go to a waypoint or along a route
darkened arrow connecting the right ends by using the 6000i’s GO TO function, the
of two waypoint boxes indicates you’ve unit automatically enters and organizes
completed that leg of the trip. the waypoints in the nav log.

Reversing your trip

Changing your trip You can reverse your trip at any time.
Pressing the Reverse menu key on the
Adding waypoints to your trip NAV LOG screen lets you travel the trip in
You can add waypoints to your trip at any the opposite direction.
time:
1. On the NAV LOG screen, press the Stopping and restarting navigation
Append waypt menu key to display a
chart view of the trip waypoints on the Stopping navigation
APPEND WAYPT screen.
Whenever you press the nav log’s Stop
2. Press the cursor pad to select the desired menu key, the 6000i stops navigating, and
waypoint. won’t display distance and bearing to
3. Press the Select waypt menu key, then waypoints or ETA or ETE.
press the ENTER key to add the waypoint
to the nav log. Restarting navigation

NOTE: You can restart navigation along any leg or

Any waypoints added in this manner to any waypoint of the trip. On the NAV LOG
aren’t permanently added to the original screen, move the cursor arrow to highlight
route stored in the 6000i. To permanently the waypoint or leg. When you select a
change a route, you must use the waypoint, a triangle points to the waypoint.

Reference section 3 — Navigating to Waypoints

Reference Manual Revision D The NAV LOG screen
61
 When you select a leg, an arrow points
from the first waypoint to the second. Press
the Restart menu key.

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62 The NAV LOG screen Northstar 6000i
 Reference section 4

Creating waypoints and routes

Displaying waypoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Creating new waypoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Creating avoidance-area waypoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Editing waypoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Introducing routes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Creating a route from the chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Creating routes from a list of waypoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Saving a route as you travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Editing a route . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Transferring waypoints/routes to other units . . . . . . . . . 80
Transferring waypoints to and from a PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
This chapter explains how to create new waypoints and modify existing ones, how to
make a route from stored waypoints, and how to create a route by saving it as you travel.
You’ll also learn how to change a route by inserting, removing or changing the order of
its waypoints.

Reference Manual Revision D 63

 Displaying waypoints
To display waypoints, press the Waypoints on the local list
WAYPTS/ROUTES key, then Waypoints.
The WAYPOINTS (LOCAL) screen displays up
You can press Next view to step through
to 30 of the closest waypoints (within 100
the four available waypoint screens listed
nm) in order of their distance from your
below:
present position. This list is particularly
• waypoints displayed on the chart useful for working with the waypoints in
• a list of up to 30 local waypoints, sorted your area. Often these are the only
by distance (nearest first) waypoints you may be interested in at the
moment.
• a list of all waypoints, sorted
alphabetically
• a list of up to 30 local avoidance Waypoints on the alpha list
waypoints, sorted by distance (nearest The WAYPOINTS (ALPHA) screen displays all
first) stored waypoints in alphabetical order.
The waypoint screen type is shown in the Waypoints with a digit as the first char-
upper right corner. acter appear at the beginning of the list.
Those starting with a dash or parenthesis
are at the end.
Waypoints on the chart screen
The WAYPOINTS CHART screen displays your Waypoints on the avoidance list
waypoints graphically. You can press the
cursor pad to display other areas of the The WAYPOINTS (AVOIDANCE) screen displays
chart, and press the OUT or IN zoom keys up to 30 of the closest avoidance
to see more or less chart area. waypoints (within 100 nm) in order of
distance from your present position.
NOTE:
If you’ve turned off the display of way-
points on the CHART screen, you’ll only Using the waypoint lists
see waypoints that are currently in use for
After you’ve stored a few waypoints in the
navigation.
6000i, you can press the cursor pad to

Reference section 4 — Creating waypoints and routes

64 Displaying waypoints Northstar 6000i
 move up or down within a waypoint list to display coordinates, since it may be
select individual waypoints. easier to visualize “3 miles north” than
lat/lon digits)
When you display a waypoint list, you can
see their coordinates in any of the • as loran time differences
following ways by pressing the Coord The small letter “S” to the right of the waypoint
option menu key: name tells you that the displayed coordinates,
• as lat/lon coordinates either lat/lon or TDs, were the ones used to
originally store the waypoint.
• as distance and bearing from your
position (often the most useful way to

Creating new waypoints

There are two easy ways to create a new enter a description of up to 16 characters
waypoint: on the line below the name.
• numerically — by entering position
coordinates as lat/lon, loran TDs, or Assigning a symbol
distance and bearing on the NEW
WAYPOINT screen You can give the waypoint a symbol so
you can easily identify it on the CHART
• from the chart — by pointing to the
screen. When creating or editing
waypoint’s location on the CHART waypoints, you can choose from any one of
screen

Assigning a name and description

To permanently store a waypoint, you
must give it a name. The name can be from
one to six characters long, and must be
different from all the other waypoint
names stored in the 6000i. You can also

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Reference Manual Revision D Creating new waypoints
65
 16 symbols, eight of which are shown
below.

ANCHOR FISH FLAG X

FUEL WRECK DANGER DOT

Figure 4: Waypoint symbols
Local Waypoints screen

Entering waypoints numerically 3. Press Add to display the NEW WAYPOINT

screen.
To enter waypoints numerically:
1. Press WAYPTS/ROUTES.
2. Press Waypoints.

New Waypoint screen

Reference section 4 — Creating waypoints and routes

66 Creating new waypoints Northstar 6000i
 4. Enter a waypoint name and optional waypt followed by Select waypt.
description. Enter the bearing and the distance
Press (several times if necessary) the key from the designated waypoint to
on the 6000i keypad that contains the letter your new waypoint.
or digit you wish to enter. Press the cursor If you change your mind and want
pad when necessary to move the cursor to
the next character. to return to specifying distance
and bearing from your present
5. Choose a symbol for the waypoint by position instead of from another
repeatedly pressing Symbol. waypoint, press From vessel on
6. Enter the waypoint’s coordinates. To the chart screen.
switch between displaying coordinates as
lat/lon, as loran TDs, or as distance and 7. Press ENTER to permanently store the
bearing coordinates, press Coord type: new waypoint.
• For lat/lon, the N-S-E-W key lets NOTE:
you manually change the Don’t enter a number into the Warn
hemisphere, if necessary. radius box unless you want to make this
• For loran TDs, enter any valid pair of waypoint an avoidance point, as
TDs and the GRI for the pair. After described in the next section.
entering the GRI, check the name of
the GRI that’s automatically
displayed to ensure it’s correct.
Entering waypoints on a chart screen
• For distance and bearing from To enter waypoints on a CHART screen:
your present position, leave the 1. Press WAYPTS/ROUTES.
From point set to -HERE-, and enter
2. Press Waypoints. If necessary, press
the bearing and the distance to the
Next view to display the WAYPOINTS
desired waypoint.
CHART screen.
• For distance and bearing from a
waypoint, press the From menu
key to display a chart screen. Press
the cursor pad to select the desired
waypoint and press Select waypt,
or create a new waypoint at the
cursor location by pressing Add

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Reference Manual Revision D Creating new waypoints
67
 4. Press Add waypt to capture the cursor
coordinates and display the NEW WAY-
POINT screen.
5. Now follow the instructions above for
entering a waypoint numerically, start-
ing with Step 4. The coordinates of the
cursor (Step 6) will be already entered —
don’t change them unless you mean to.

Waypoints chart screen

3. Press the cursor pad to move the cursor

to the position of the new waypoint. You
can zoom in or out, as necessary, to pre-
cisely place your waypoint.

Creating avoidance-area waypoints

You can make avoidance areas from new or waypoint. You can use the international
existing waypoints. Then, if you travel into “slashed circle” no-entry symbol as the
a designated avoidance area, the 6000i will avoidance point’s symbol to help you
sound a beep and flash an alarm on the quickly see it on the chart.
screen.
The waypoint is treated as an avoidance
The 6000i displays an avoidance area on point only if you specify a warning radius
the CHART screen as a waypoint larger than zero. In other words, just
surrounded by a circle. The circle is the assigning the slashed circle symbol to a
avoidance area’s warning radius, which waypoint doesn’t cause the 6000i to treat
you set when you create or edit the that waypoint as an avoidance point.

Reference section 4 — Creating waypoints and routes

68 Creating avoidance-area waypoints Northstar 6000i
 to respond by turning or stopping after you
hear the alarm, and to allow for the typical
accuracy of the navigation source in use.

Setting the avoidance-area alarm

The 6000i will sound an audio alarm when
you enter an avoidance area, provided
you’ve turned on the audio alarm. (See
“Alarm audio” on page 142.)

CAUTION!

The avoidance alarm is only an extra safety

feature to help alert you to possible hazards.
It doesn’t replace local knowledge, proper
use of charts, the person on watch, or any
other aspects of good seamanship that are
required to safely navigate.

To make any waypoint act as an avoidance

point, enter a number in the WARN RADIUS
box at the bottom of the NEW WAYPOINT OR
EDIT WAYPOINT screen. The warning radius
can be from 0.1nm to 4.99 nm.
Be sure to allow a little extra distance
around the hazard area so you’ll have time

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Reference Manual Revision D Creating avoidance-area waypoints
69
 Editing waypoints
You can change any information about an 3. To edit the waypoint, press Edit. (On the
existing waypoint (except for the type of WAYPOINTS CHART screen, the key is
coordinates used to save it) or erase it labelled Edit waypt.)
entirely by using the 6000i’s waypoint
editing function.

Changing waypoints
To change a waypoint’s name, description,
position coordinates, or warning radius:
1. Press WAYPTS/ROUTES, then
Waypoints. If necessary, press Next
view to display the waypoint screen you
want.
2. Select the waypoint by highlighting it with
the cursor pad.
Edit Waypoint screen

The EDIT WAYPOINT screen appears, allowing

you to make changes just as if you were
entering a new waypoint. Press ENTER
when done.
If the waypoint is in an active navplan,
you must stop navigating before editing
it.

NOTE:
If you move the waypoint, any routes
containing this waypoint will be changed
Waypoint “SANDBAR” selected to reflect the waypoint’s new position.

Reference section 4 — Creating waypoints and routes

70 Editing waypoints Northstar 6000i
 A warning is displayed before any routes Updating waypoint coordinates
are changed.
You can “fine tune” a waypoint’s position
by actually sailing to the exact desired
Erasing waypoints position and setting the waypoint’s stored
coordinates to your present position. You
To permanently erase the waypoint, press can do this on the WAYPOINTS CHART screen
Erase on the EDIT WAYPT screen, then or any of the waypoint list screens.
ENTER.
To update the waypoint’s coordinates to
You can’t erase a waypoint if it’s used in a
your exact position, display the EDIT
route—you must first remove it from the
WAYPOINT screen for the waypoint as
route. For details about editing routes,
described above. When your position is
see Editing a route, starting on page 76.
correct, press Update coord and ENTER.

Introducing routes
A route is a sequence of waypoints that you follow route legs in a forward or backward
designate. Routes can be used to perform direction. You can start following a route in
the following functions: either of two ways:
• as guidance through a channel or • go directly to any waypoint in the
harbor route, then automatically continue on
• as a quick and efficient path to good the next leg (cross-track distance starts
fishing spots at zero, because you’re on the course
line from your present position to the
• as the best way around a permanent waypoint)
obstacle, such as an island
• start along any leg of the route
• as guidance on a single long voyage (cross-track distance starts at your
with various “legs” to food and fuel distance from the leg)
stops along the way, or to other
temporary destinations See ”Navigating along routes” beginning on
page 57.
Waypoints in a route are connected by
straight lines called legs. The 6000i can

Reference section 4 — Creating waypoints and routes

Reference Manual Revision D Introducing routes
71
 You can create a route in three different Route and waypoint capacity
ways:
A route can have up to 35 waypoints. You
• use the CHART screen to choose a can store as many as 500 routes in the
sequence of waypoints 6000i, but the maximum number depends
• use a waypoint list to choose a on the number of stored waypoints. Each
sequence of waypoints route takes up space that otherwise could
be occupied by one or two waypoints.
• save a route’s waypoints as you travel

Creating a route from the chart

To create a route graphically from the 2. Press New to display the NEW ROUTE
CHART screen: screen.
1. Press WAYPTS/ROUTES, and then press
Routes.
The names of any previously stored
routes are shown on the routes list.

New Route screen

3. Enter the name of the new route using the
keypad and cursor pad.

Routes list screen

Reference section 4 — Creating waypoints and routes

72 Creating a route from the chart Northstar 6000i
 4. If the Use Chart menu key is displayed, cally named, and the four-digit number
press it to change from list-based entry to uniquely identifies each waypoint. Also,
chart-based entry. each new waypoint is automatically given
5. Press ENTER. a description showing the time and date
you stored the waypoint.
The NEW ROUTE chart screen is dis-
played; you may now start selecting way- 7. Continue creating the route by moving the
points for the new route. cursor to each desired waypoint location
and pressing either Add waypt or Add
6. To add waypoints to the route, move the new WP. A line is drawn on the new
cursor to the first waypoint’s location, route screen connecting the waypoints,
which can be a nav aid, an existing way- with small arrows indicating the direction
point, or any unmarked point on the chart. of the route.
Press Add new WP. (If an existing way- 8. At any time, you can press Cancel add
point is selected, the menu key will read to stop appending waypoints, and then
Add waypt.) select a route leg or waypoint to continue
editing a different part of the route.
9. When you’re done, press Return to
switch to the NEW ROUTE screen to see all
of the route’s waypoints.

New Route chart screen

Newly created waypoints are named

(0001), (0002), etc. The parentheses
indicate that the waypoint was automati-

Reference section 4 — Creating waypoints and routes

Reference Manual Revision D Creating a route from the chart
73
 Creating routes from a list of waypoints
To create a route from a list of existing The SELECT WAYPT screen appears, list-
waypoints: ing all of your stored waypoints.
7. If you want to switch between the LOCAL
1. Press WAYPTS/ROUTES, then press
and ALPHA lists, press Next view.
Routes.
8. Move the cursor to select the desired way-
2. Press New to display the NEW ROUTE
point, then press ENTER to place the
screen.
waypoint in your route. Or, press New to
3. Enter the name of the route using the key- create a new waypoint, then add it to the
pad and cursor pad. route.
4. If the Use list menu key is displayed, 9. Repeat Steps 7 and 8 until your new route
press it to change from chart-based edit- is complete.
ing to list-based editing. To see or edit the route on the CHART
5. Press ENTER. screen at any time, press Chart. Press
Return to go back to the NEW ROUTE
6. Press Insert. entry screen.

Saving a route as you travel

To make a record of a trip that you may saving the route when you reach the end
want to repeat later, you can save of the route.
waypoints into a route as you travel by
To begin saving a route as you travel:
pressing the SAVE/MOB key every time
you pass a point you want to store in the 1. Press WAYPTS/ROUTES, and then press
route. Routes to display the ROUTES screen:
The save-route function makes this a very
simple process: First, you tell the 6000i
that you want to save a route as you travel,
then you press SAVE/MOB as you pass
each new waypoint, then you tell it to stop

Reference section 4 — Creating waypoints and routes

74 Creating routes from a list of waypoints Northstar 6000i
 Routes screen Save Route setup screen

2. Press the Save menu key to set up saving Enter the name of the route to be saved
a route automatically. using the keypad and cursor pad, then
press ENTER twice.
The SAVE ROUTE screen is displayed,
asking you to enter the name of the new The unit displays the message “saving to
route to be saved. route:” at the bottom of the ROUTES
screen, confirming the name of the route
If you use the name of any existing route, being saved.
waypoints will be added to the end of
that route.

Reference section 4 — Creating waypoints and routes

Reference Manual Revision D Saving a route as you travel
75
 waypoint is also given a description with
the time and date you stored the way-
point.

NOTE:
While you’re automatically saving a route,
you can also access all of the unit’s navi-
gation functions (except you can’t edit
the route you’re presently saving).

To check whether you’re still saving a

route, press WAYPTS/ROUTES, then
Routes to display the ROUTES screen. If
you’re still saving a route, the message
Routes screen — saving a route “saving to route:” is displayed at the bot-
tom of the screen.
3. As you pass the location of each desired
waypoint, press SAVE/MOB. If the route becomes full (35 waypoints),
you may want to stop saving to this route
The vessel’s location will be saved as a
and start a second one.
waypoint, and the waypoint will automati-
cally be added to the route being saved.
To stop saving a route:
The waypoint is stored with a name simi-
lar to (0001). The parentheses indicate 1. Press WAYPTS/ROUTES, then press
that the waypoint was automatically Routes.
named, and the four-digit number
2. Press Stop save and ENTER twice.
uniquely identifies each waypoint. Each

Editing a route
You can make changes to a route graphi- You can make any of the following
cally using the CHART screen or you can changes:
change it using a list of its waypoints.
• change the route name

Reference section 4 — Creating waypoints and routes

76 Editing a route Northstar 6000i
 • add new or existing waypoints to the
beginning, middle, or end of the route
• remove waypoints from the route
• erase the entire route
To edit a route:
1. Press WAYPTS/ROUTES, then press
ROUTES to display the ROUTES screen.

Edit Route screen

3. If you want to change the route’s name,

do so now.
4. Press Use chart or Use list to change
the edit method, if desired.
5. Press ENTER.
You can alternate between list and chart
Routes screen
editing at any time.

2. Press the cursor pad to select the route

you want to change, then press Edit. The
name of the route is displayed on the EDIT
ROUTE screen.

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Reference Manual Revision D Editing a route
77
 depending on the choice you make in step
one below.
1. Press the cursor pad to move the cursor
onto the route’s last waypoint (or first
waypoint, or a leg).

Editing a route on the chart

The direction of the route is indicated by

a series of small arrows in each leg, and
the cursor is in the middle of the screen.
Waypoint (0001) selected in the route
Editing from the chart is described below;
2. Press Add to end (or Add to front or
editing from a list of waypoints is described
Split leg).
in Editing a route using a waypoints list,
starting on page 79. 3. Move the cursor to the location that you
want to add to the route (either an existing
waypoint, or any other spot).
Editing a route using the chart As you move the cursor, the 6000i dis-
After you have accessed a route as plays the new route leg as a dotted line to
described above, you can add or remove the cursor position.
waypoints using the chart as follows:
4. Press a menu key once to add the way-
Adding waypoints to a route point:

You can add waypoints to the end of a • If you selected an existing waypoint,
route, or to the beginning, or the middle, the key is marked Add waypt.

Reference section 4 — Creating waypoints and routes

78 Editing a route Northstar 6000i
 • otherwise, the key will read Add Adding waypoints to a route
new WP. 1. Press the cursor pad to move the pointer
• If you’re adding to the middle of a at the left side of the screen to the spot in
route, the key is marked Insert between two existing waypoints where
new WP. you want to insert a new waypoint.
5. Repeat for each new waypoint or cursor (To add a waypoint to the beginning of
location you want to add to the route. the route, be sure to position the pointer
6. When you’re finished, press Cancel add. above the first waypoint, not right onto
it.)
Instead, you can press Return to switch
to list-based editing. 2. Press Insert to display the SELECT WAYPT
screen that lists all your stored waypoints.
Removing waypoints from a route To switch between the LOCAL and ALPHA
To remove waypoints from the route (the lists, press Next view.
waypoint is not erased from the 6000i): Note: you can’t add an avoidance point
to a route.
1. Move the cursor to the waypoint you want
to remove, then press Remove waypt.
3. Move the cursor to select the desired way-
Even if you remove all the waypoints from point, then press ENTER to add the way-
a route, the 6000i still retains the empty point to the route.
route. To remove the route entirely, see
Erasing an entire route, on page 80. Removing waypoints from a route
2. When done, press Return to go to 1. Press the cursor pad to move the
list-based editing. left-hand pointer directly onto the
waypoint you want to remove.
2. Press Remove.
Editing a route using a waypoints list
3. Press ENTER.
After you have accessed a route, as
described in Editing a route, starting on
page 76, you can add or remove waypoints
using the waypoints list as follows:

Reference section 4 — Creating waypoints and routes

Reference Manual Revision D Editing a route
79
 Erasing an entire route most chart screens and on the NAVLOG
screen.
To erase a route:
If you change a route you’re navigating
1. On the ROUTES screen, press the cursor along, the 6000i stores the changes, but
pad to select the route you want to erase. they won’t appear in the navplan you’re
2. Press Erase. following. To activate these changes in
3. Press ENTER. your current navigation, you must start
following the route again.
If you edit the coordinates of a waypoint
Editing a route you’re navigating directly in the navplan, you’ll receive a
along warning, as this might result in an unsafe
When you follow a route, the route’s path. You cannot erase a waypoint that is
waypoints are copied to the navplan for in a route or the navplan; it must be
safekeeping. The navplan is displayed on removed from the route first.

Transferring waypoints/routes to other units

Networked 6000i’s automatically share necessary upgrades, please see your
data. This section only applies to trans- authorized Northstar dealer.
ferring data to or from the older Northstar
units. You can perform the transfer from either
unit. The other unit can remain in
The 6000i’s import/export function lets normal operation, including the
you transfer all waypoints and routes displaying of different screens, as long as
between a 6000i and a Northstar 941, 951, you do not edit any of its waypoints or
952, 957 or 958. routes during the transfer. It is preferable
to stop navigating on the receiving unit by
NOTE: pressing STEER, Navlog, and then Stop.
To import or export waypoints and routes
to and from older 900-series Northstar The unit you operate to perform the
units, these older units must contain soft- transfer is called the “control unit.” The
ware version 3.12 or higher. To obtain any instructions here apply to operating the

Reference section 4 — Creating waypoints and routes

80 Transferring waypoints/routes to other units Northstar 6000i
 6000i; if you choose to operate the controls The control unit will then display the
on an older unit to perform the transfer, requested function. You can press any
the instructions may be slightly different. key on the second unit, however, without
interrupting the transfer process.
Be sure to choose the right function for
what you want to do: import waypoints To intentionally stop the transfer at any
and routes from the second unit, or export time, press the Stop key. The control unit
waypoints and routes to the second unit. will display the message “Transfer
aborted by key hit.” Waypoints and
routes transferred up to that point are in
Connecting the two units the receiving unit (be aware that routes
The two units must be properly connected may not contain all of their waypoints due
with the correct cabling and port settings. to the transfer interruption). Press the
For interfacing information, contact your Start key again to restart the entire
authorized Northstar dealer. To enable transfer process from the beginning.
transfers on the 6000i, go to the PORT
SETUP screen, change the AUX PORT to “D/B
1. Choose the unit you’d like to use as the
control unit. The instructions below are for
XFER,” and turn the unit off and then on.
a 6000i.
Remember: You can use either of the two
Transferring waypoints and routes units because both units are capable of
importing or exporting waypoints and
When you transfer waypoints, the entire
routes. Make sure the second unit is on.
contents of one unit’s database are moved
into the other. They will be added to the
2. At the control unit, press WAYPTS/ROUTES.
waypoints and routes already in the
receiving unit. If any exact waypoint or
route name matches exist, the waypoints
or routes from one unit will overwrite the
waypoints or routes already in the other.

NOTE:
If you press any function key on the con-
trol unit during the transfer, the message
“Transfer aborted by key hit” will be dis-
played, and the process will be aborted.

Reference section 4 — Creating waypoints and routes

Reference Manual Revision D Transferring waypoints/routes to other units
81
 5. Press Import or Export to display the
IMPORT or EXPORT DATA screen.
The status bar in the center of the screen
displays the message “Ready to trans-
fer” to show that the transfer is ready to
start.

6. Before transferring, you can check the

communication link between the two units
by pressing Test comm.
The status bar should display the mes-
sage “Remote link ok.”
Waypoints and routes screen
7. To move waypoints and routes in the
3. Press Import/Export. direction you’ve chosen, press Start.
4. Decide whether you want to import way- The status bar displays the message
points into the control unit, or export them “Transferring” and shows the number of
to the second unit. waypoints and routes already transmitted
against the total number. The progress
bar, located below the status bar, graphi-
cally displays the percentage completed.

If there’s a problem with the transfer pro-

cess, the following messages may
appear:

If the second unit is not ready, the control

unit displays “Couldn’t get remote
waypt/route count” or “Transfer
aborted by communication timeout”
and the status-bar message “Commu-
nication error.”
Import/Export screen

Reference section 4 — Creating waypoints and routes

82 Transferring waypoints/routes to other units Northstar 6000i
 If the sending unit doesn’t have any way- dialog-box message “Status error [002]
points and routes, the control unit dis- database full.”
plays the dialog-box message “No
waypts or routes to transfer” and the 8. If the transfer is successful, the control
status-bar message “No transfer done.” unit’s status bar displays the message
“Transfer complete.”
If the receiving unit is completely full of
You can now press any key to resume
waypoints and routes with no more room
normal operations.
available, the master unit displays the

Transferring waypoints to and from a PC

If you’ve stored many waypoints or routes
in the 6000i, or if these waypoints are the
only record you have of these important
locations, you may want to keep a separate
copy on your Personal Computer.
You can transfer waypoints and routes to
your PC using Northstar’s loader cable
(part number 1100-LC) and the included
PC software. Using available third-party
software, you can copy, edit or plot your
waypoints and routes. Most importantly,
you can reload them from your PC into
your 6000i if they’re accidentally erased or
lost due to equipment failure. For transfer
software and instructions, and cable
ordering information, contact your autho-
rized Northstar dealer.

Reference section 4 — Creating waypoints and routes

Reference Manual Revision D Transferring waypoints to and from a PC
83
 Reference section 4 — Creating waypoints and routes
84 Transferring waypoints to and from a PC Northstar 6000i
 Reference section 5
Radar
How radar works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Northstar radar models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Turning the radar transmitter on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Displaying radar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Using the radar’s main menu keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Overlaying radar on the chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Changing radar scale and rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Setting user preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Operating modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Using the radar adjustment keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Using the Radar Markers keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

This chapter first describes radar briefly, and then explains how to display, control, and
adjust the 6000i’s radar..

Reference Manual Revision D 85

 How radar works
The word “radar” is an acronym for “Radio knowing how long it takes for a signal to
Detecting and Ranging.” A radio trans- return, the distance to a target can be
mitter sends out a very short microwave determined. As the radar antenna scans
pulse, and then a receiver listens for that through a 360-degree rotation, it shows the
signal’s echo when it’s bounced back from target’s location relative to your position.
a target in its path. Targets, which may be By watching repeated scans of a target,
other boats or ships, navigational markers, such as another vessel, you can see how
flocks of birds, or land masses, are that target is moving.
displayed on the 6000i’s screen. By

Northstar radar models

There are two types of radar units from • in the 2kW radar, auto modes do not
Northstar. The 4kW, 6kW, 12 kW and continuously adjust themselves
25kW units all are operated in the same • ranges of manual settings are different
way. The new 2kW Northstar radar works between the two types of units
slightly differently, and these differences
are clearly indicated in this manual. The • the 2kW unit does not have a STC
major differences are: curve adjustment

Turning the radar transmitter on and off

Each time you turn on the Northstar 6000i, Press ENTER to turn it on, or CLEAR to
the radar transmitter must be turned on access the radar adjustment pages without
separately, as a safety feature. turning the transmitter on.
When you first press the RADAR key after
turning the system on, the unit displays:
The Radar TX is off.
Do you want to turn it on?

Reference section 5 — Radar

86 How radar works Northstar 6000i
 1. Press RADAR to display the radar screen.
2. Press Radar TX so it indicates On or
NOTE:
Off, as desired.
The radar remains in standby mode
for a minute and a half after power is
applied. NOTE:

Even though the transmitter has

You can also turn the transmitter on or off
been turned off, the radar is still in
using the menu keys:
standby mode and draws power.

Displaying radar
The radar image includes: A special demo mode for simulating radar
echoes based on the chart information is
• A north indicator to show the direction
available. Radar demo mode is activated
Note: of true or magnetic north.
whenever the chart demo is turned on.
• The current radar scale, shown by the
It’s important
numbers in the upper left corner of the
that you do
radar image. Rng is the distance from
not use Demo
the center to the largest range ring, and
Mode when a
RR is the spacing between the range
radar is inter-
rings.
faced to the
Northstar • A dashed white heading line. This line
6000i. indicates your heading, not
Course-Over-Ground, and can be used
to compare the radar presentation with
the view in front of the vessel.
• A gray course predictor line.
For information about rotating and scaling
the radar, see Changing radar scale and Radar screen
rotation, starting on page 90.

Reference section 5 — Radar

Reference Manual Revision D Displaying radar
87
 Using the radar’s main menu keys
The radar’s main menu keys allow you to: Controlling radar
• overlay the radar image on the chart (if In order to control the radar, Control
the chart is also displayed) the Control key (if present) Radar
• switch control between the radar and must indicate Radar.
chart (if the chart is also displayed) If necessary, press the Control key repeat-
• rotate the radar image edly until it indicates Radar.
• access the radar markers
• access the radar adjustment pages Rotating the radar image
• show more navigation information on Press Rotate repeatedly to
the info bar at the bottom of the screen choose the screen rotation.
You can choose north up,
course-up, heading-up, or leg-up. For more
information, see Changing radar scale and
rotation, on page 90.

Adjusting the radar

Press the Page 2 key to
Page 2
display the first of several (adjustments)

pages of radar adjustments.

For more information about using these
keys, see Using the radar adjustment keys,
on page 94.
Radar screen (split)
Using the radar markers
Press Radar Markers to
display the controls for the
6000i’s electronic bearing

Reference section 5 — Radar

88 Using the radar’s main menu keys Northstar 6000i
 lines (EBLs), variable range markers (VRMs), press of More info shows the following
and guard zones. For more information information:
about using these keys, see Using the
• your vessel’s present
Radar Markers keys, starting on page 98.
Speed-Over-Ground (SOG),
Course-Over-Ground (COG), and
Transmitter control heading
• your vessel’s distance (dist) and bearing
When the radar image is
(brg) to the current waypoint, if any,
displayed full-screen by
along with a steering indicator
pressing the RADAR key, a
menu key allows you to • your vessel’s position in lat/lon (or TDs,
turn the radar transmitter on or off. if enabled)
• the water depth, water temperature,
and Speed Through Water (STW)
Viewing more info reading from the sounder (if interfaced)
Press More info to display an “info bar” at
the bottom of the screen. Each additional

Overlaying radar on the chart

To overlay radar onto the chart, press Setting radar transparency
CHART to switch to the chart screen, then
When you overlay a radar image on a
press Overlay to display Radar in the key’s
chart, you can choose whether the radar
blue box.
should be opaque (the chart doesn’t show
Radar can be displayed on the main radar through) or transparent (the chart shows
screen, or as an overlay on the chart through faintly):
screen, or as part of a split screen. All radar
functions are controlled in the same way, 1. Press Page 2, then Page 3, Page 4 and
regardless of how radar is displayed. Just Prefs... .
press the Control key so that it displays 2. Press Fade to select Off (no transpar-
Control Radar. ency), Medium, or High (maximum
transparency).

Reference section 5 — Radar

Reference Manual Revision D Overlaying radar on the chart
89
 To remove the radar overlay, press the
Overlay key on the radar’s “Page 1” so that
it displays Off.

Changing radar scale and rotation

Changing the scale the rotation you want; you have the same
options as for a CHART screen.
To change the radar’s scale, press the IN
key to zoom in (smaller area, more detail) The rotation of the chart and the rotation
or the OUT key to zoom out (wider area, of the radar interact under certain circum-
less detail). stances, as described in the table below. If
the Control key indicates Radar, you’re
rotating the radar; if it indicates Chart,
Using zoom on a split screen you’re rotating the chart.
If there’s no radar overlay on the chart, the
chart and radar are scaled separately.
Zooming in on the chart, for example, has
no effect on the radar’s scale. If the Control
key indicates Radar, you’re zooming the
radar; if it indicates Chart, you’re zooming
the chart.
However, if the radar overlay is turned on,
the chart and radar scales are locked
together. When you zoom in on the chart,
radar scale changes to match the chart.

Rotating the radar image

To rotate the radar image, press the
ROTATE key repeatedly until it indicates

Reference section 5 — Radar

90 Changing radar scale and rotation Northstar 6000i
 If the Chart And the radar image is...
screen’s in...
Overlaid on the chart Not overlaid

Browse mode The chart can’t rotate in Browse The chart can’t rotate, but
mode. If you change the Control the radar can rotate. Chart
key to Radar, the chart’s mode and radar can have differ-
automatically switches to vessel ent rotations.
mode and rotated as described
below).

Vessel mode Chart and radar both rotate Chart and radar can both
together. If you change the rotation rotate. Chart and radar can
of one, the other automatically have different rotations.
changes to match.

Setting user preferences

Press Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, and the distance from your vessel. The spacing of
Prefs... key from the main radar screen to the range rings is shown in the upper
display menu keys for controlling: left-hand corner of the radar image (identi-
fied by “RR.”
• range rings
• bearings Press Range Rings to turn
the range rings on or off.
• echo colors
• sweep type
• fade (transparency)
Bearings
Press Bearings to display the
fixed EBL’s bearing digits as
Range rings relative to:
Range rings are concentric circles around • the vessel heading, or
your vessel that can be used to measure

Reference section 5 — Radar

Reference Manual Revision D Setting user preferences
91
 • north (either true or magnetic north as analog sweep (displays data in a way that
selected in the Navigation Setup screen) simulates the appearance of a traditional
radar sweep line).

Echo colors
Press Echo Colors to choose Fade
Echo colors
the color scheme that will be When you overlay a radar
used to display radar echoes. image on a chart, you can
choose whether the radar
should be opaque (the chart
Sweep type doesn’t show through) or transparent (the
Press Sweep type to choose chart shows through faintly). Press Fade
between digital quadrant
Sweep repeatedly to select Off (opaque), Medium,
update (displays data as it is
Analog
or High (maximum transparency).
received from the radar) and

Operating modes
The Northstar radar can be set to any of • Harbor automatically optimizes the
several operating modes. These modes radar settings for use in a harbor.
control the gain and clutter settings. For • Range Rider is a Northstar exclusive
most situations, one of the automatic feature recommended when manual
modes will provides a good picture, and settings are required. The user can
the radar will normally adjust itself for an freely make any needed gain and
excellent image. Range Rider mode can be clutter adjustments, and these settings
used to further improve the picture, if are “remembered” for each range. When
necessary. The available modes are listed the range is selected again, the
below: last-used gain and clutter settings for
• Auto 1 and Auto 2 are for normal, that range is reapplied.
open-water use. The two automatic • Manual is a fully manual function in
modes can be optimized for two which the user usually needs to adjust
different conditions.

Reference section 5 — Radar

92 Operating modes Northstar 6000i
 the settings each time the range is Fine tuning automatic settings
changed.
This section does not apply to the 2kW
While in Range Rider mode, the Sea State radar.
control can be used to adjust the sea
The appearance settings should have been
clutter for all ranges (see Sea State, starting
adjusted during installation, but you may
on page 96).
wish to fine tune them as follows:
To set the appearance of the sea clutter or
Automatic modes gain controls for Auto1, Auto2 and Harbor
This section does not apply to the 2kW modes:
radar. 1. From the main radar page, press Page 2.
In automatic mode, the unit continuously 2. Press Mode if necessary until it reads
evaluates its settings and adjusts them as Auto 1, Auto 2, or Harbor.
necessary to obtain the best image. Gain
3. Set the Sea clutter or Gain to automatic if
and clutter are evaluated separately in
necessary by pressing the key so that it
various areas of the screen, and the
reads “Auto.”
settings are optimized for each area.
Breaking waves often cause stronger 4. Use the keypad or cursor pad to enter a
clutter echoes on one side of the vessel new value to change the appearance.
than on the other, and automatic mode 5. If necessary, continue adjusting the image
can optimize the image for each area. until it looks the way you want it.
Use the automatic settings to adjust the 6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each range set-
desired appearance of the radar image to ting
your preference. The will radar attempt to
maintain this appearance over a variety of
conditions by monitoring the signals and Manual settings
making adjustments as conditions change. Even if the mode is set to automatic, any
You can store two sets of image appear- gain or clutter setting can be overridden
ance settings: one called Auto 1 and one and set to manual. Each adjustment key is
called Auto 2. Automatic settings are stored labeled Manual or Auto. Simply press each
individually for each range. key to change its mode.

Reference section 5 — Radar

Reference Manual Revision D Operating modes
93
 Manual settings directly control Rain 2. Press Mode if necessary until it reads
Clutter, Sea Clutter and Gain. They may be Range Rider or Manual.
applied in either of two ways, depending 3. Use the keypad or cursor pad to enter a
on the setting of the Mode control on this new value to change the appearance.
screen.
4. If necessary, continue adjusting the image
• Mode = Manual: settings are applied until it looks the way you want it.
directly as entered
The modes of rain clutter and sea clutter
• Mode = Range Rider: settings are saved are always locked together: if the user sets
separately for each range, and the one to manual, the other automatically
last-used settings for each range are switches to manual, and vice-versa.
reapplied when that range is selected.
More information on using these settings is
To set the appearance of the sea clutter or given Radar adjustments on Page 2, starting
gain controls in manual mode: on page 95.
1. From the main radar page, press Page 2.

Using the radar adjustment keys

Press Page 2 to display the Settings with a large adjustment range are
Page 2
first of several pages of radar (adjustments) entered with the keypad or cursor pad. The
adjustments. Most of these menu key for these adjustments must be
adjustments correspond to conventional activated by pressing once, changing the
radar adjustments and are used in the key from blue to red. (Any key that is red is
same way. All settings are retained while active and will respond immediately. A
the system is turned off. blue key must first be pressed to activate
it.)

Using the keys To make an adjustment to the radar (such

as rain clutter, or gain, etc.), use the
Settings that have only a very few values following procedure:
are adjusted by repeatedly pressing the
menu key to cycle through the available 1. Press the key (such as Gain) to activate it
choices. (the key changes from blue to red).

Reference section 5 — Radar

94 Using the radar adjustment keys Northstar 6000i
 2. If a numerical value appears, you can Sea Clutter controls the
change it by: strength of the clutter
• pressing the cursor pad up and echoes returned from the
down (changes affect the display ocean surface. Higher
immediately after the cursor pad is values suppress more clutter. Sea Clutter
released), or can be set to automatic or manual mode.
Press the activated Sea clutter key to
• using the numeric keys on the switch modes. The sea clutter setting can
keypad to enter the value, or be entered on the keypad or by using the
• in some cases, pressing the menu cursor pad. Manual settings range from 0
key again to 214 (0 to 255 on the 2kW unit). Auto-
matic settings range from 0 to 50 (0 to 255
on the 2kW unit) and are unrelated to the
Radar adjustments on Page 2 manual setting numbers.
Press the keys to adjust the mode, rain Gain controls the strength
clutter, sea clutter, or gain. of all echoes, and should be
Press the Mode key to adjusted for a pleasing and
Mode
Auto 1 select the operating mode useful image. Higher values
as described on page 92. display brighter echoes. Gain can be set to
automatic or manual mode. Press the acti-
Rain Clutter controls the vated Gain key to switch modes. The gain
strength of the clutter setting can be entered on the keypad or by
echoes returned from using the cursor pad. Manual settings
rainfall or snow. Higher range from 0 to 299. Automatic settings
values suppress more clutter. Rain Clutter range from 0 to 50 and are unrelated to
can be set to automatic or manual mode. the manual setting numbers. (Settings for
Press the activated Rain clutter key to the 2kW unit range from 0 to 255). Manual
switch modes. The rain clutter setting can gain adjustments will be different for each
be entered on the keypad or by using the range scale. Longer ranges generally
cursor pad. Manual settings range from 0 require more gain.
to 99 (0 to 8 on the 2kW unit). Higher
settings suppress more rain echoes. If speckling appears on the screen, you
may wish to decrease the gain a bit or
increase the sea clutter setting.

Reference section 5 — Radar

Reference Manual Revision D Using the radar adjustment keys
95
 Radar adjustments on Page 3 Interference rejection
Press the following keys to adjust the radar Certain types of interfer-
transmitter, the transparency (fade) of the ence (for example, from
radar overlay on a chart, the radar trails, radars on other vessels) can
and the visibility of echoes. be lessened by using the
interference rejection filter. Press Interfer-
Sea State ence Rejection repeatedly to select Off, 1
(low), 2 (medium), or 3 (high).
The Sea State control is available only
when the Mode control is set to Range Trails
Rider.
Trails on the radar image
Sea State adjusts sea clutter for all ranges help you track the motion
up or down slightly to correspond with the of moving targets. Press
expected echoes from whitecaps and Trails repeatedly to select
breaking waves. The normal or “0” setting
how often trail points are recorded: every
applies no changes, and is used when the
15 seconds, 30 seconds, every minute, 3
sea state is the same as when the gain and
minutes, 6 minutes, always (points are
clutter settings were entered. Positive
recorded continuously), or off (points are
numbers can be used when the sea is
not recorded).
rougher, and negative numbers when the
sea state is calmer. If trails are left on continuously, the
recorded points may eventually fill up a
To set the Sea State:
large part of the screen. Zooming in or out
1. From the main radar screen, press Page 2 will erase all recorded trail points.
and Page 3.
Expand
2. Press Sea State.
3. Use the cursor pad to enter a new num- Press Expand to turn echo
ber. expansion off or on. Select
On to make small echoes
Press Done to go back to the main radar appear larger and easier to
screen. see.

Reference section 5 — Radar

96 Using the radar adjustment keys Northstar 6000i
 Radar adjustments on Page 4 Installation settings
Press Radar TX to turn the
These keys are described in the Northstar
radar transmitter On or Off.
radar installation manual, P/N GMKRadIM
The radar transmitter is
(GMKRad2KIM for the 2kW unit), and set-
automatically turned off
tings should not be changed unless their
every time you shut down the 6000i.
functions are fully understood.
Turning the transmitter off when it is not
in use saves electrical power and allows
you to work safely in the vicinity of the Tuning page
rotating antenna.
These keys are described in the Northstar
Prefs... radar installation manual, P/N GMKRadIM
(GMKRad2KIM for the 2kW unit), and
Press to display the user preferences menu settings should not be changed unless
keys (see Setting user preferences, on page their functions are fully understood.
91).

Install... Restore factory settings

Press to display the installation settings The Restore functions can be used to set
menu keys. These keys are described in the many adjustments back to their factory-set
Northstar radar installation manual (P/N values. Press the Restore... key to access
GMKRadIM) and settings should not be these keys.
changed unless their functions are fully
Restore Auto, Restore Harbor, Restore
understood.
Range Rider and Restore Manual each set
the Clutter and Gain adjustments back to
Restore...
the factory settings for the specified oper-
Press to display the restore menu keys (see ating modes.
Restore factory settings, on page 97).
Restore Factory Settings sets the following
values:

Reference section 5 — Radar

Reference Manual Revision D Using the radar adjustment keys
97
 mode: Auto 1 bearings: True/mag
rain clutter, sea clutter and gain are set to echo colors: The first set (green)
useful values for each range sweep: Analog
interference rejection: Off fade: Off
trails: Off STC curve: 4 (not present on 2kW model)
expansion: Off tune mode: Auto
range rings on/off: On tune preset: 79 (not on 2kW model)

Using the Radar Markers keys

Press Radar Markers to Variable
display controls for the EBL / VRM Range
Marker
6000i’s electronic bearing Floating Point B B
lines (EBLs), variable range
Guard Zone Variable
markers (VRMs), and guard Range B
Point A
zones. The two upper menu Marker
A
keys select whether you
control the EBL/VRMs or the Guard Zones A
Electronic Bearing Line
for adjustments. When finished, press Your Vessel
Done to return to the main radar menu
keys. All settings are retained while the Figure 5: Fixed EBL
system is turned off. You can move Point B to a point of interest
using the cursor pad. At the end of the line,
a blue circle called a variable range marker
Electronic Bearing Lines (EBLs) (VRM B) surrounds Point B. Another VRM
Electronic bearing lines (EBLs) are markers circle (called VRM A) surrounds your
that you can place on top of the radar vessel’s position.
image to aid in navigation and to keep
You can change the size of each VRM to
track of your surroundings. The 6000i uses
measure distances from Point A or Point B
two types of EBLs: fixed and floating.
to any point of interest on the screen.
The fixed EBL is a blue line from your
present position (Point “A”) to Point “B.”

Reference section 5 — Radar

98 Using the Radar Markers keys Northstar 6000i
 Variable coded blue for the fixed EBL and pink
Range for the floating EBL.
Marker
Point D D
Press the following keys to adjust the elec-
Variable tronic bearing lines.
Range Point C D
Marker Press EBL to select either
C
the fixed or the floating EBL.
C
The selected EBL can be
Electronic Bearing Line
adjusted with the following
Your Vessel
two controls:
Figure 6: Floating EBL
Press Visibility to show or
The floating EBL is a pink line connecting hide the EBL selected above.
Point C and Point D. It’s similar to the fixed When an EBL is hidden, its
EBL, except that both points can be moved, Edit key is also unavailable.
to allow measuring distances between any Press Edit repeatedly to
two points on the screen. Again, there’s a select what part of the EBL is
variable range marker at each end of the controlled by the cursor pad:
line.
For the fixed EBL, select:
The following information about the EBLs
and VRMs appears on your screen: • Point B — to move the point at the far
end of the fixed EBL
• In the upper right-hand corner, you’ll
see: • VRM A — to control the size of the VRM
> The coordinates of Point A, B, C or D circle at the vessel
(whichever point you selected)
• VRM B — to control the size of the VRM
> The ETE and ETA to the selected point
circle at point B
• In the bottom right-hand corner, you’ll
see the radius of the VRM(s). These For the floating EBL, select:
numbers are color coded blue for the • Point C— to move the point at one end
fixed EBL and pink for the floating EBL. of the EBL
• In the bottom left-hand corner, you’ll
• Point D — to move the point at the
see the length of the electronic bearing
other end of the EBL
line(s). These numbers are also color

Reference section 5 — Radar

Reference Manual Revision D Using the Radar Markers keys
99
 • VRM C — to control the size of the VRM You can turn each zone on or off, change
circle at point C its boundaries, and set the echo strength
that will cause an alarm.
• VRM D — to control the size of the VRM
circle at point D Guard Zone

Shortcut for moving the fixed EBL

Point A
On page 1 of the radar screen, you can use
the cursor pad to change the position of Point B
the fixed EBL and read the measurements
displayed.
Figure 7: Guard zone
Guard zones Press the following keys to adjust each
Press the Guard Zone menu key to control guard zone.
this feature.
Press Guard Zone repeat-
You can designate up to edly to select zone 1, 2, or 3 Guard Zone
EBL / VRM Zone 2
three guard zones that the for adjustment.
6000i monitors for radar
Press Visibility to show or
echoes. Any echoes inside a Guard Zone hide the zone selected above.
guard zone and as strong as Zone 1 When a zone is hidden, it
or stronger than the desig-
doesn’t alarm and its Edit
nated trigger level are
and Trigger Level keys aren’t available.
displayed in red and cause an alarm. Each
zone is bounded by red lines — an inner You can set the boundary
and an outer arc centered on the vessel, and size of each guard zone
and two straight lines extending outward by moving Point A and Point
from the vessel as shown in Figure 7. B. Press Edit to select Point A
or Point B. Then press the CURSOR PAD to
move the selected point and create an
arc-shaped zone.

Reference section 5 — Radar

100 Using the Radar Markers keys Northstar 6000i
 As you change Point A or B, the coordi-
nates of that point are updated in the
upper right-hand corner of the screen.
Press Trigger Level repeat-
edly to set the signal strength
that causes an alarm: low,
medium, high, or off (no
alarm).
The alarm is temporarily turned off while
you are displaying the radar markers menu
keys. It automatically turns back on after a
minute passes with no further adjust-
ments, or when you press Done.

Reference section 5 — Radar

Reference Manual Revision D Using the Radar Markers keys
101
 Reference section 5 — Radar
102 Using the Radar Markers keys Northstar 6000i
 Reference section 6
Echo sounding
Welcome to the Northstar 490 Echo Sounder . . . . . . . . . 104
Displaying the echo sounder’s picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Using automatic mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Changing the frequency of echoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Zooming in and out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Echo Sounder setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
The picture menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Changing the depth settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Using the MORE key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Viewing past echoes using SoundTrac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Echo sounding alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
T he Northstar 490 Echo Sounder connects with a Northstar navigator and a
transducer to add echo sounding capability to the Northstar 6000i. See the Northstar 490
Installation Manual (part number GM491) or the Airmar website (www.airmar.com) for
recommended transducers.

Reference Manual Revision D 103

 Welcome to the Northstar 490 Echo Sounder
sounder screen. The echo sounding system
lets you see a real-time cross section of
CAUTION! what’s happening underneath your vessel.
The model 490-S is a 600-watt single
Proper installation and configuration of channel echo sounder designed to be used
your Northstar 490 is of utmost impor- with a transducer having a single ceramic
tance for accurate and effective perfor- element capable of 50 and 200 kHz.
mance under a variety of conditions. To
The model 490-D is a 1000-watt dual
get the best performance from your
channel echo sounder designed to be used
490, Northstar strongly recommends
with a transducer having dual ceramic
installation and set-up be performed by
elements, one each for 50 and 200 kHz.
a qualified marine technician. For
installation procedures, see the North- The 490 module automatically turns on
star 490 Echo Sounder Installation and off as the 6000i is turned on and off.
Manual (Part Number GM491).

Setting up the 490

How echo sounding works Your 490 should be installed by a qualified
An echo sounder produces high-voltage marine technician. Your satisfaction with the
electrical pulses that the transducer system’s performance will be greatly influ-
converts into sound waves (called “pings”). enced by the practical knowledge and
When a sound wave hits and reflects off an experience of the installer. Unlike GPS or
object, such as fish, debris, seaweed, or the other marine electronics systems, echo
seabed, the reflected sound wave (an sounder installation is as much an art as it
“echo”) returns back to the transducer is a science.
along an imaginary vertical line called a The installation procedure includes setting
“water column.” The transducer converts the 6000i’s AUX port to the 490 option,
this echo into a tiny electrical pulse. The and then setting the following options:
490 digitizes these pulses and sends them
to the navigator, so that echo sounding • the transducer’s depth
pictures of the water and seabed can be • the speed and temperature
displayed and analyzed on the echo

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

104 Welcome to the Northstar 490 Echo Sounder Northstar 6000i
 • the calibration for the speed sensor
• the calibration for the temperature
sensor
• the gain calibration for the transducer
You may wish to change the following
options from time to time to match your
personal preferences:
• depth units (feet, meters, or fathoms)
on the screen
• temperature units (Celsius or
Fahrenheit) on the screen
• temperature scale (lowest and highest)
on the screen
• automatic saving of *fish##* or
*therm##* waypoints when the 490
detects the presence of fish or a certain
water temperature that you’ve set

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

Reference Manual Revision D Welcome to the Northstar 490 Echo Sounder
105
 SOUNDER SOUNDER key

Auto
Picture
ECHO Frequency
SCREEN Zoom
Depth
More

Depth settings Picture settings

Gain
More settings Shift Clutter
Range Noise Limiter
Alarms
Hue
Advance Speed
Bottom box Signal level
Return Return
A-Scope
Data
Return

Data on-screen Alarm settings

Temp box Fish alarm
Temp graph Bottom alarm
Bottom box Temp alarm
Speed

Return Return

Figure 8: Echo sounder menu structure

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

106 Welcome to the Northstar 490 Echo Sounder Northstar 6000i
Displaying the echo sounder’s picture
To see the echo sounding screen at any
time, press SOUNDER. You’ll see live
echoes moving across the screen.

Depth
marker Echo data Depth Scale
and
indicator

Water
temperature
box

Color
bar

Water
temperature
scale
Frequency
selection and
indicator
Depth
box

Navigation Lat/lon of Dist/brg Steering indicator Speed, course, and speed

information vessel to waypoint through the water
Figure 9: Illustrated SOUNDER screen

You can also review old echoes using For details, see Viewing past echoes using
Northstar’s exclusive SoundTrac™ feature. SoundTrac, on page 127.

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

Reference Manual Revision D Displaying the echo sounder’s picture
107
 Depth
marker Echo data Depth Scale
and
indicator

Water
temperature
box

Color
bar
Position
Water marker
temperature and
scale indicator

Depth
box

Lat/lon of Dist/brg to Steering indicator Speed, course, and speed

position position through the water
marker marker
Figure 11: Illustrated Soundtrac screen
Using demo mode
The SAVE and MOB functions always The echo sounder can be operated in
work normally. Moreover, whenever you “demo mode” for training and familiariza-
press either of these keys, the corre- tion. Simulated echo data generated by the
sponding *SAVE##* or *MOB##* way- 490 will be displayed.
points will be displayed automatically on
the echo sounder’s picture, as well as on To enter demo mode:
the chart screen.

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

108 Displaying the echo sounder’s picture Northstar 6000i
 1. Press the STAR key to display the 3. Press the cursor pad up or down to high-
OPTIONS/SERVICE INFO screen, and then light “On,” then press Enter.
press Sounder Options. While in demo mode, the word “Demo”
2. Press the cursor pad down to select appears in the upper-right corner of the
SOUNDER screen.
Demo mode, then press Edit.
To leave demo mode, repeat this proce-
dure, selecting “Off” instead of “On.”

Using automatic mode

To operate the echo sounder automati- Cruising or fishing
cally, just press Auto. All of the 490’s
Automatic mode has two variations:
adjustments will be set to produce a useful
autocruising and autofishing.
picture under most conditions. When
you’re too busy to optimize the settings • autocruising optimizes the gain and
manually, the echo sounder can automati- clutter for tracking the bottom, with
cally set the optimal gain, clutter, and less emphasis on any fish in the water
range settings, to show an excellent picture • autofishing optimizes the gain and
from the surface to the bottom. clutter for searching for fish
When you select Auto, the range setting
Press Auto to switch between autocruising
may change from time to time to keep the
and autofishing. The setting is shown by
seabed in view as the water depth
the colored tab below the menu key.
changes.

It is recommended that the 490 be

The status tabs
operated automatically whenever possible.
The 490 can reliably detect the seabed Colored status tabs just below the Auto
depth only when it controls the gain and and Picture keys are green when the echo
clutter settings. sounder is operating fully automatically.
They turn yellow to show one or more
settings has been set manually.

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

Reference Manual Revision D Using automatic mode
109
 Manually overriding automatic mode Changing the appearance of the picture
(colors, gain, clutter, and the noise limiter)
You can always manually change any of is described in The picture menu, starting
the echo sounder’s settings: the gain, on page 117.
clutter, noise limiter, shift, and range.
(Manually setting the gain causes the range Setting the range and shift is described in
to be controlled manually.) Changing the depth settings, starting on
page 121.

Changing the frequency of echoes

The 490 uses two transducer frequencies: • 200 kHz displayed on a full screen
50 kHz and 200 kHz. The advantages and • 50 kHz on the left half of the screen,
disadvantages of each frequency are shown and 200 on the right
below.
• 200 kHz on the left half of the screen,
Table 3: 50 kHz vs. 200 kHz and 50 on the right
There are two reasons why you might want
50 kHz 200 kHz to operate with your preferred frequency
Longer wavelength goes Shorter wavelength pro- on the right side of the screen:
deeper, but with some- vides a sharper picture,
what lower resolution. but can’t go as deep.
• the zoom function magnifies the
frequency on the right side
Less resolution is better at Finer resolution is better at
finding big fish, but may finding small fish (baitfish)
• when adjusting the picture, you can see
miss the bait fish. and subtle bottom details. the effect of changes on the right side

Wider beam is good for Narrower beam is very

seeing fish not directly focused. Reduces the
beneath the boat. influence of a rough sea.

You can choose from four settings for the

transducer frequency:
• 50 kHz displayed on a full screen

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

110 Changing the frequency of echoes Northstar 6000i
 50 kHz echoes 200 kHz echoes

Adjusts the frequency

of the data displayed
(currently showing dual
frequency on a split
screen, with 50 kHz to
the left and 200 kHz to
the right)

Echo screen with both frequencies displayed

To choose the transducer frequency, press A dual-frequency screen is split into two
Frequency until the desired combination halves separated by a gray vertical line in
is shown. the center.
When you change the frequency, echoes When using the zoom feature (which also
already on the screen don’t change, they splits the screen into halves), both sides of
just move off the screen as they are the screen always display the same
replaced by echoes at the new frequency. frequency.

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

Reference Manual Revision D Changing the frequency of echoes
111
 Zooming in and out
The echo sounder’s zoom feature expands the top edge of the marker. Press OUT to
a portion of the echoes. You can examine zoom out and increase the amount of
closely any part of the water column to water seen.
determine the composition of the bottom
Six depth ranges are available for the
or look at the echoes of fish, rocks, or
magnified echoes: 15’, 30’, 60’, 120’, 240’
wrecks. When fishing, the zoom function is
and 480’. Similar scales are available for the
useful for showing a detailed view of any
other depth units.
echoes below the vessel.
When zoom is in use, only a single fre-
quency is displayed. Unzoomed echoes
Choosing a zoom mode are on the right, and the same frequency
is shown magnified on the left.
Press the Zoom menu key on the ECHO
screen to select one of the four zoom
You cannot zoom out to a scale that
modes (or turn the zoom feature off):
shows more water than the original pic-
• bottom zoom ture. For example, if the original picture is
set to a scale of 50 feet, the only zoom
• bottom lock
scales available will be 15 feet and 30
• bottom lock/center feet.
• marker zoom
The current zoom mode is displayed below
the Zoom key.
The original unzoomed echoes are on the
right side, and the magnified area is shown
on the left side of the screen.

Choosing the zoom scale

Press IN to zoom in and increase the
magnification of the echoes you see below

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

112 Zooming in and out Northstar 6000i
 Bottom zoom Bottom lock zoom
When you select bottom zoom, the contour Bottom lock zoom is similar to bottom
of the bottom is magnified, clearly zoom, except the magnified sea bottom is
displaying canyon edges and echoes near flattened out and displayed on the left side
the seabed. The 490 automatically locates of the screen at the lower edge. You can
the seabed and displays it on the lower left see any fish that are swimming near the
side of the screen (normal echoes are bottom.
displayed on the right side).
If the seabed moves out of the lower half
of the screen (for example, if you travel
into deeper water), the 490 automatically
repositions the bottom back into the lower
half. You’ll see the zoomed image jump up
or down from time to time, as the 490
keeps the seabed displayed on the screen.

Bottom lock zoom

Bottom lock/center zoom

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

Reference Manual Revision D Zooming in and out
113
 Bottom lock/center zoom Marker zoom
When you select bottom lock/center zoom, When you select marker zoom, you can
the flattened-out sea bottom is displayed in choose the part of the water column to
the center of the screen. You can see any magnify. The top edge of the magnified
fish near the bottom — as with the bottom area is determined by the location of the
lock zoom — and also examine the seabed’s depth marker. To move the depth marker,
composition. press the cursor pad up or down.

Bottom lock/center zoom Marker zoom

Leaving zoom mode

To return to the normal unzoomed display,
just press Zoom repeatedly until you have
cycled through all the zoom modes.

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

114 Zooming in and out Northstar 6000i
Echo Sounder setup
Several setup functions are available to Transducer depth
configure the echo sounder.
This option specifies how far below the
CAUTION: surface of the water the transducer is
Be careful not to change any of the func- mounted. The number is added to all
tions that are not described here unless depths measured by the 490 so they will
you first read about them and understand refer to depth from the surface, not from
their functions in the Northstar 490 Instal- the transducer. This value should have
lation Manual. been set correctly during installation and
should not be changed.

Accessing the setup screen

To display the echo sounder setup screen, Depth units
press the STAR key to display the You can change the depth units to feet,
OPTIONS/SERVICE INFO screen, and then press meters, or fathoms:
Sounder Options. 1. Press the cursor pad up or down to
highlight the Depth Units option.
2. Press Edit.
3. Press the cursor pad up or down to dis-
play the desired units.
4. Press ENTER.

The temperature graph’s units and

scale
You can change the highest and lowest
water temperatures that will be displayed
on the temperature graph:
Echo Sounder Setup screen

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

Reference Manual Revision D Echo Sounder setup
115
 1. Press the cursor pad up or down to Speed and temperature sensor setup
highlight the temperature scale option.
These functions are set during installation
2. Press Edit. and should not be changed unless they are
3. Press the cursor pad up or down to high- known to need adjustment.
light °C or °F, as desired, then press From the ECHO SOUNDER SETUP screen,
ENTER. press Speed/Temp to access the SENSOR
4. To change the endpoints of the scale, SETUP screen.
press the cursor pad to the right.
5. Enter two digits for the lower temperature
limit using the keypad.
6. Enter two digits for the upper limit.
7. Press ENTER.

Transducer calibrations
These functions are set during installation
and should not be changed unless they are
known to need adjustment.
The 50 kHz and 200kHz calibrations are
used to equalize the signal strengths of the
two frequencies. Bottom lock/center zoom

To simplify operation, the “sensor installed”

Demo mode options can be set to “No” to remove all
references to temperature and speed from
To activate Demo mode, see Using demo all the screens.
mode, on page 108.
Highlight the appropriate line and press
Edit to change the option.
Speed calibration is entered as a percentage
from –99% to +99% to make the speed

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

116 Echo Sounder setup Northstar 6000i
 read lower or higher than the uncalibrated Temperature is calibrated by entering the
value. temperature error as a number of degrees
from –99 to +99. This offset is added to the
NOTE: uncalibrated temperature before it is
You must enable the speed setting under displayed or graphed.
the Data menu on the ECHO SOUNDER
screen.

The picture menu

You can adjust the appearance of echoes in no effect on the operating mode (the tabs
five different ways: remain green).
• gain (for high intensity echoes)
• clutter (for low intensity echoes) Adjusting the gain (strong echoes)
• noise limiter (for interference) The gain setting selects the echo strengths
• hue (to choose colors and white level) that will be displayed using the topmost
color in the color bar at the left edge of the
• signal level (to remove weak echoes) screen (the strongest echoes). Any echoes
Gain and clutter changes are applied only stronger than this selection will use the
to new echoes as they appear on the right same color and no detail can be distin-
side of the screen—earlier echoes are not guished. The gain is usually set so that
affected. strong seabed echoes are displayed in
brown, the strongest level.
NOTE:
When you override the gain’s automatic The gain can be also be set automatically
settings, the tabs on the Picture key and by pressing Auto. This provides an excel-
Auto key change from green to yellow, lent picture under most conditions, and
indicating the system is no longer in auto- allows the 490 to reliably detect the seabed
matic mode. When you turn the noise depth.
limiter on, only the Picture key tab Gain is normally adjusted together with
changes from green to yellow. Changing clutter, as described on the next page.
the hue or adjusting the signal level has
To adjust the gain:

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

Reference Manual Revision D The picture menu
117
 1. Press Picture. When you adjust the gain, the color of the
Auto and Picture key tabs changes
2. Press Gain. from green to yellow, since the echo
3. Press the cursor pad left or right to adjust sounder is no longer in automatic mode.
Also, a yellow tab appears under the
the gain, or use the keypad to manually Depth key, indicating that the range set-
enter the desired gain value. The available ting is no longer automatically controlled
settings range from zero (minimum) to 75 and that the 490 may not always identify
(maximum). the bottom reliably.

Adjusting the clutter (weak echoes)

The clutter setting selects the echo strength
that will be displayed using the bottom
colors of the color bar (the weaker echoes).
Any echoes weaker than this selection are
displayed. If you select a clutter value of 5,
for example, all weak and moderate echoes
are suppressed. You might choose this
setting to eliminate high levels of back-
ground noise and echoes from turbulence
or plankton. A setting of 0 allows all echoes
to be displayed.
Gain window
To adjust the clutter:
The window shows the effect of adjusting
the gain. The fish symbols near the bottom 1. At the SOUNDER screen, press Picture.
of the window represent various echo 2. Press Clutter.
strengths, and the expanding and contract-
ing color bar above shows the colors that 3. Press the cursor pad left or right to adjust
will be used to display echoes of these the clutter, or use the keypad to manually
strengths. As you adjust the gain to obtain enter the desired clutter value. The avail-
the best looking picture, also watch the real
able settings range from zero (shows all
echoes on the right side of the screen.
echoes) to nine (suppresses many ech-
4. Press Return to go back to the SOUNDER oes).
screen.

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

118 The picture menu Northstar 6000i
 To adjust the signal level:
1. On the SOUNDER screen, press Picture.
2. Press Signal level.
3. Press the cursor pad up or down to
remove the weaker color levels from the
picture, or use the keypad to manually
enter the desired signal level.
The available settings range from 1 (mini-
mum) to 5 (maximum). For example, if
you select a signal level of 3, echo
strengths of 0 through 3 are all displayed
using the same color as the background.
Clutter window
4. Press Return to go back to the SOUNDER
screen.
4. Press Return to go back to the SOUNDER
screen.
When you adjust the clutter, the color of the Suppressing interference (the noise
Auto and Picture key tabs changes limiter)
from green to yellow, since the echo
sounder is no longer in fully automatic The noise limiter reduces the adverse
mode. effects of interference caused by other
nearby echo sounders or electronic
devices. However, the noise limiter may
Adjusting the signal level (weak cause some very weak echoes to be made
echoes) smaller or be entirely eliminated, since it
As with the Clutter key, the Signal level removes any echoes that aren’t sustained
key controls the appearance of low level for at least two pings.
noise in the picture. Whereas clutter To turn on the noise limiter:
compresses or expands the available colors
to fit the desired signal range, Signal Level 1. At the SOUNDER screen, press Picture.
completely removes the weaker colors and 2. Press Noise limiter.
their echoes.

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

Reference Manual Revision D The picture menu
119
 3. Press the cursor pad up to turn the noise Selecting the color bar (hue)
limiter on (or press Noise limiter again).
To select the color bar:
4. Press the Return key to go back to the
SOUNDER screen.
1. On the SOUNDER screen, press Picture.

Turning the noise limiter on changes a por- 2. Press Hue.

tion of the Picture key tab from green to 3. Press the cursor pad left or right to select
yellow, as a reminder.
the color bar desired, or use the keypad to
manually enter the number of the color
Selecting the color bar (hue) and bar. The selected color bar is outlined with
a flashing rectangle
white level
The color bar displayed at the extreme left
of the ECHO screen shows the range of
colors used to display various echo
strengths. Weaker echoes are displayed
with colors near the bottom of the scale,
and stronger echoes are displayed with
colors near the top.
You can choose any one of nine palettes of
colors to represent the echo strengths from
weakest to strongest.
• Color bar #1 is the one most often
used.
• Color bar #2 is similar but with fewer Hue and white level window
colors, to aid visibility under some
conditions. 4. Press Return to go back to the SOUNDER
screen.
• Color bars # 3-8 are additional
variations with different background
Setting the white level
colors.
• Color bar #9 uses a monochrome scale, You can replace any single color in the
ranging from dark to bright. color bar with white. On the HUE AND WHITE

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

120 The picture menu Northstar 6000i
 LEVEL window, press the cursor pad up or To remove the white level and return to
down to select that color. using all the colors on the color bar, press
the cursor pad down until the white level
moves off the color bar.

Changing the depth settings

You can adjust the shallowest and deepest The number at the bottom is the depth of
echoes to be shown on the ECHO screen. In the picture, and the seabed depth is also
automatic mode, the echo sounder sets labelled.
these values based on its current environ-
The smaller rectangle inside the larger one
ment. However, you can manually override
represents the echo sounder’s picture. As
these auto values for your specific needs at
you move the shift and range settings, this
any time. There are two depth settings:
rectangle adjusts to show what you will see
• shift (how far below the surface the on the echo screen.
echo sounder picture starts)
Adjusting the shift or range changes the
• range (the depth covered by the echo Auto and Depth status tabs from green
sounder picture from the top of the to yellow, since the echo sounder is no
screen to the bottom of the screen) longer in fully automatic mode.
The shift and range settings are controlled
by a screen that graphically shows the Setting the picture’s shift (starting
exact effect of your settings.
Shift depth)
A sliding vertical bar shows the portion of The shift setting adjusts the depth of the
the water that the echo sounder displays top edge of echoes pictured on the
on the screen, based on the shift and range SOUNDER screen. You can “shift” the entire
displayed echoes

settings. picture up and down to start at the surface

In the large rectangle on the right, the blue of the water, 20 feet down, or any other
Range area at the top (with waves) represents the depth you choose.
surface of the water, and the brown area To set the shift value:
below represents the seabed.
1. At the SOUNDER screen, press Depth.

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

Reference Manual Revision D Changing the depth settings
121
 4. Press Return to go back to the SOUNDER
screen.

Setting the picture’s range

The range setting adjusts the overall depth
covered by the echo sounder picture, from
the top of its display to the bottom. The
range can be set automatically (by pressing
Auto), or manually on the SET RANGE
window.
To set the range:
Shift window 1. Press Depth.
2. Press Range.
2. Press Shift.
The SET SHIFT window shows a picture of
the current shift settings (and range). The
large white number in the black box
shows the current shift value. A horizontal
black arrow points to the value that the
shift window adjusts: the depth at which
the echo sounder picture starts, relative
to the surface of the water.

3. Press the cursor pad up or down to shift

the starting depth, or use the keypad to
enter the digits of the desired depth. If you
type the number on the keypad, wait a Range window
moment for the system to enter the num-
ber.

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

122 Changing the depth settings Northstar 6000i
 The vertical black arrow in the SET 2. To cycle through the size choices, repeat-
RANGE window indicates the values that edly press Bottom box. To move the box
this window adjusts: the range of the up and down, press the cursor pad.
echo sounder picture.
3. Press Return to go back to the SOUNDER
The white number in the black box indi- screen.
cates the current range setting. The depth box can also be adjusted by
pressing More, then pressing Data.
3. Press the cursor pad up or down to adjust
the range, or use the keypad to manually You cannot change the size of the depth
enter the desired range. box on the SoundTrac screen.
4. Press Return to go back to the SOUNDER
screen. Using the depth marker
You can use the depth marker to accu-
Viewing the seabed depth rately measure the depth of an echo. To
display the depth marker—a dashed hori-
The seabed depth (the “bottom”) is
zontal line—and move this marker up or
displayed numerically in a black box at the
down, press the cursor pad down on the
left edge of the echo screen.
main echo screen. Attached to the depth
You can change the size and location of marker line is a small black box which
the depth box: displays the marker’s exact depth.
1. Press Depth. The depth marker also affects the Marker
Zoom display (see Marker zoom, on page
114).

Using the MORE key

Pressing the MORE key accesses the • advance speed
following functions: • A-scope
• alarms (described in Chapter 7)

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

Reference Manual Revision D Using the MORE key
123
 • data (numeric and graphic information 1. At the SOUNDER screen, press More,
on the SOUNDER screen) then press Advance spd.
When the menu function is in use, the 2. Keep pressing Advance spd to select
SOUNDER screen only moves twice per the desired advance speed.
second, giving the picture a less-smooth 3. Press Return to go back to the SOUNDER
appearance. Press Return to go back to the screen.
main screen for a normal, smooth
appearance.
Displaying the A-scope
Changing the advance speed The echo sounder’s A-scope lets you look
closely at present or past echoes by hori-
Advance speed refers to the speed at which zontally magnifying the echo from each
the vertical scan lines move from right to ping.
left across the SOUNDER screen. There are
five advance speeds (plus the Stop setting, To display the A-scope:
which freezes the advance of all data): 1. Press More.
• 2/1 - two identical lines of data are 2. Press A-scope to turn the A-Scope on or
displayed for every ping off.
• 1/1 - one line of data is displayed for
every ping
• 1/2 - one line of data is displayed for
every two pings
• 1/4 - one line of data is displayed for
every four pings
• 1/8 - one line of data is displayed for
every eight pings
For speeds 1/2, 1/4, and 1/8, each dis-
played line of data is the average of 2, 4,
or 8 pings, respectively.

To set the advance speed:

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

124 Using the MORE key Northstar 6000i
 The A-scope with dual frequencies
If you’re displaying both 50 and 200 kHz
echoes, the A-scope magnifies echoes from
the frequency shown on the right side of
the screen.

The A-scope with zoom mode

If you’re in zoom mode, the A-scope
magnifies the unzoomed echoes on the
right side of the screen.

The A-Scope with SoundTrac

A-scope If you have pressed the cursor pad to the
left to show the position marker, the
A-Scope magnifies the water column at the
position marker location.
The A-scope appears on the far right-hand
side of the screen, magnifying one water
column.

Setting the ECHO screen data

Numeric and graphic information can be
displayed on top of the echoes, including
bottom depth, water temperature, and
speed through the water (STW).
To access these functions, press More, and
then Data.
Note that the temperature and speed menu
keys don’t appear if the sensors are not
configured.

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

Reference Manual Revision D Setting the ECHO screen data
125
 Temperature box
Press the Temp box key to set the size and
location of the box displaying the water
temperature (white numbers on a black
background).
Press this key again to cycle through the
available sizes: off, small, medium, large,
and huge.
Press the cursor pad up and down to set
the position of the box along the left edge
of the screen.

Echo screen data selections

Temperature graph
Press Temp graph to turn the temperature
graph on or off.
The temperature graph displays an orange
Bottom depth box temperature scale at the left of the screen,
Press BOTTOM BOX to set the size and and an orange line tracing out the varying
location of the box displaying the bottom water temperature measurements, super-
depth (white numbers on a black imposed on the echoes.
background).
Press this key again to cycle through the Speed through the water
available sizes: small, medium, large, and
huge. Press Speed to turn the Speed Through
the Water display on or off. STW is
Press the cursor pad up and down to set displayed on the bottom right corner of the
the position of the box along the left edge screen.
of the screen.

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

126 Setting the ECHO screen data Northstar 6000i
 Viewing past echoes using SoundTrac
On the SOUNDTRAC screen, you can use
Northstar’s exclusive SoundTrac feature to
look back and examine past echo data.
To enable SoundTrac:
1. At the main SOUNDER screen, press the
cursor pad to the left.
The position marker — a dashed vertical
line — is now displayed.
2. To move back to echoes that were dis-
played within the past few minutes, con-
t tinue pressing and holding the cursor pad
tes
to the left.
nd-
the The 6000i recalls echoes from the last SoundTrac screen
nce 3000 pings.
As you move the position marker with the
cursor pad, the marker speed accelerates The lat/lon of the position marker is
to quickly scroll to the desired location. displayed at the bottom of the picture,
along with the time elapsed since the ping,
and the distance and bearing from your
present position to the marker (assuming
the navigator is providing position data).
As you move the position marker left and
right, these coordinates change
accordingly.

NOTE:
When you use the position marker on a
split screen (showing either two frequen-
cies, or zoom mode), each half of the

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

Reference Manual Revision D Viewing past echoes using SoundTrac
127
 screen has a position marker. Both mark- In deeper water, the 490 pings at a slower
ers designate the same physical location. rate, so the echo sounder saves data over a
longer period of time. A slower advance
The number of minutes of past echo data speed will have the same effect.
available depends on two factors:
• the depth of the water
• the advance speed

Echo sounding alarms

The echo sounder’s alarms work just like You can selectively limit the size of the fish
all other alarms: they are displayed as a you want to be notified about by adjusting
flashing alarm icon on the screen, with the alarm’s echo strength level. Using this
details shown on the ALARM screen feature, you’ll only be alerted to the
accessed with the STAR key. (See Alarms, presence of fish that meet your minimum
starting on page 138.) size requirements.
To alert you automatically in situations You may further narrow your fish alarms
related to echo sounding, you can set three to notify you of the presence of fish within
types of alarms: (or outside) a certain depth range. Only
those fish that are detected inside (or
• fish alarm
outside) of that range will trigger the
• seabed bottom alarm alarm.
• temperature alarm When fish are detected, the alert tone
sounds and the flashing FISH alarm icon is
displayed. This message clears automati-
Setting the fish alarm cally after 20 seconds and the alarm is
When the fish alarm is on, an alarm sounds rearmed.
if an echo returns from either inside or
To access the fish alarm settings:
outside specific upper and lower limits
you’ve set. 1. At the SOUNDER screen, press More.
2. Press Alarm.

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

128 Echo sounding alarms Northstar 6000i
 3. Press Fish alarm. Setting the upper and lower marker depths
The fish alarm will sound only when there
are echoes inside (or optionally, outside)
the upper and lower markers. These
markers are displayed on the SOUNDER
screen.
To set the markers:
1. Press Set upper mkr.
The upper marker window is highlighted in
black, ready to be set.
2. Press the cursor pad up or down to set
the depth, or use the keypad to manually
enter the desired depth.
Fish alarm window The depth setting is displayed in the tab
below the Set upper mkr key.
3. Press Set lower mkr and set the depth
Setting the alarm’s echo strength level of the lower marker in the same way.
To set the fish alarm’s minimum Now you must tell the 6000i whether you
echo-strength level: wish to be notified of fish detected inside
1. At the FISH ALARM window, press Set the depth range you’ve set, or outside that
alarm level. range.
2. Press the cursor pad up or down to set Setting inside or outside fish markers
the echo strength level from 1 to 15, as
represented on the vertical color bar. If you designate the markers as inside
Echoes that are strong enough to be within
markers, the fish alarm sounds when fish
the crosshatched area on the vertical bar are detected within these markers. If you
will cause an alarm (weaker echoes will be set these markers as outside markers, the
ignored). fish alarm sounds when fish are detected
outside of these markers.

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

Reference Manual Revision D Echo sounding alarms
129
 To set the markers to inside or outside, at
the FISH ALARM window, press
Inside/outside mkrs to switch between
the inside and outside settings. The setting
is displayed in the tab below the key.

Turning the fish alarm on and off

To turn the alarm on, at the FISH ALARM
window, press Turn alarm on. Generally,
you’ll want to turn the alarm on after
making all the other settings.
The setting that is in effect is displayed in
the tab below the key.
Bottom alarm window
To turn the alarm off, press Turn alarm off.
Now you may set the depth at which you
want to be notified about a shallow
Setting the bottom alarm bottom.
When the bottom alarm is set, an alarm
sounds if the echo sounder detects that the Setting the bottom level
bottom is shallower than the limit you’ve When the bottom is shallower than the
set. depth you have set, the bottom alarm will
When a shallow bottom is detected, the sound.
alert tone sounds and the flashing alarm To set the bottom level, at the BOTTOM
icon BOTTOM is displayed. This message ALARM window, press the cursor pad up or
clears automatically after 20 seconds, and down to set the depth, or use the keypad
the alarm is reset. to manually enter the desired depth.
To access the bottom alarm:
NOTE:
1. At the SOUNDER screen, press More. The 490’s depth indicator reflects the
2. Press Alarm. depth below your vessel’s transducer, not
below the keel. Ask your installer for the
3. Press Bottom alarm. exact distance between your transducer

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

130 Echo sounding alarms Northstar 6000i
 and your keel. This value must then
always be manually added to the 490’s
depth indicator, or entered into the trans-
ducer’s depth setting on the ECHO
SOUNDER SETUP screen for a reading
that doesn’t need to be corrected.

Turning the bottom alarm on and off

To turn the alarm on, at the BOTTOM ALARM
window, press Turn alarm on. To turn the
alarm off, press Turn alarm off.

Setting the temperature alarm

When the temperature alarm is set, an Temperature alarm window
alarm sounds if the echo sounder detects
that the water temperature has either risen Setting the upper and lower temperature limits
above or dropped below the limit you’ve
set. You can set the upper and lower tempera-
ture limits. When the water temperature is
This alarm isn’t present unless a temper- either inside or outside these limits, the
ature sensor is installed and configured. temperature alarm will sound.

When the temperature alarm sounds, the To set the upper temperature limit:
flashing alarm icon THERM is displayed. 1. At the TEMPERATURE ALARM window,
This message clears automatically after 20 press Set upper limit.
seconds and the alarm is reset
The upper limit window is highlighted in
To set the temperature alarm: black.

1. At the SOUNDER screen, press More. 2. Press the cursor pad up or down to set
the temperature, or use the keypad to
2. Press Alarm. manually enter the desired temperature.
3. Press Temp alarm. The temperature is displayed in the tab just
below the Set upper limit key.

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

Reference Manual Revision D Echo sounding alarms
131
 Set the lower temperature limit in the same
way, after pressing Set lower limit.

Setting inside or outside temperature limits

If you set the upper and lower tempera-
ture limits as inside limits, the temperature
alarm sounds when the measured tempera-
ture is within these limits. If you set these
limits as outside limits, the temperature
alarm sounds when the measured tempera-
ture is outside of these limits.
Press Inside/outside limits on the TEMPER-
ATURE ALARM window to switch between
the inside and outside settings. The current
setting is displayed in the tab just below
the key.

Turning the temperature alarm on and off

To turn the alarm on, at the TEMPERATURE
ALARM window, press Turn alarm on. To
turn the alarm off, press Turn alarm off.

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

132 Echo sounding alarms Northstar 6000i
Troubleshooting the echo sounder

No echoes displayed when the SOUNDER key is pressed.

Is the
Advance YES Change the Advance Speed
Speed set to setting.
zero?

NO

Configure the AUX Port for

Has
the 490. See "Setting up the
NO AUX Port
Echosounder" in Section 10
been configured
of this manual, or the 490
for the 490?
Operations Manual (GM490)
for instructions.

YES

1. Check fuses and circuit 1. Check transducer

breakers connector for the
2. Check power to 490 with STEADY proper wiring.
OFF Check ON
a voltmeter. the 490's STAT 2. If wiring is correct,check
3. Verify that the data cable indicator transducer impedance
between the 6000i and with an ohmmeter.
the 490 is properly wired 3. If the transducer is open
and connected. or shorted, replace it
FLASHING

FOUR
ONCE TIMES
The 490 and the 6000i PER What PER
aren't communicating properly. SECOND is the flash SECOND
There's a hardware problem
Check the wiring of the data rate of the STAT
with the 490.
cable between the 6000i indicator?
and the 490.

Figure 12: Troubleshooting the echo sounder

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

Reference Manual Revision D Troubleshooting the echo sounder
133
 Maintaining the transducer
Do not expose a transducer to gasoline or
clean it with strong solvents, as either of
these can penetrate and degrade the
housing. If a transducer will be exposed to
salt water, coat it with anti-fouling paint to
prevent sea growth. To clean a transducer
of sand, debris, or sea growth, use a stiff
brush or putty knife. If necessary, wet-sand
with finer grade wet or dry paper. Use
sanding sparingly, as repeated sanding may
affect a transducer’s performance at high
speeds. Check the transducer periodically.

Reference section 6 — Echo sounding

134 Troubleshooting the echo sounder Northstar 6000i
 Reference section 7
Video

Video sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

Displaying video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

Reference Manual Revision D 135

 Video sources
The Northstar 6000i can display video to see, you can use a video switch avail-
signals from a variety of sources. TV able at many electronics stores.
cameras, videotape, and DVD players all
Video signals are not carried over the N2
can display their images on the 6000i’s
network. A separate video cable must be
screen as long as the signals conform to
run to each 6000i display.
NTSC or PAL standards.
Video can be displayed full-screen, or as a
Just connect the video source’s cable to the
video window superimposed on the
BNC connector on the back of the 6000i,
primary navigation screens (CHART, POSI-
and the signals are available for display. If
TION, STEER, RADAR and SOUNDER). You can
you have more than one signal you’d like
set the size of the video window, as well as
its transparency.

Displaying video
To display a video signal from a connected second time. The video control screen
source, press the VIDEO key. appears.
The full-screen video image works just like To turn the video window on or off, press
any other function — press VIDEO to the Video menu key.
display it and press any other function key
Configure the video window as follows:
to switch to another screen.
• set the window’s position on the screen
If no video signal is present, color bars are
using the cursor pad
displayed.
• set the window’s size with the keypad
• set the video transparency using the IN
Video window and OUT keys.
To turn on the video window (a small If you make the video window trans-
window displayed on top of the other navi- parent, you will be able to see through it to
gation screens), press the VIDEO key a the screen underneath.

Reference section 7 — Video

136 Video sources Northstar 6000i
 Reference section 8
Alarms and TideTrack

Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
TideTrack™ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Reference Manual Revision D 137

 Alarms
Alarms automatically alert you to certain
situations, for example, when you’re
approaching a waypoint, or entering an
avoidance area, or when you’ve lost
position fixes. The 6000i displays an alarm
in two ways:
• as an alarm icon flashing on the display
screen. (For a detailed explanation of
these alarm icons, see Table 4 on page
139.)
• as an alarm message on the ALARMS
screen
Also, whenever an alarm icon appears on Alarm screen, showing “passed” alarm
any screen, an audible alarm will sound if
you’ve turned on the alarm audio. Each
alarm has a distinctive beep that’s based on New alarm messages
Morse code. If you’re choosing whether to The word NEW in the Recent Alarms box
keep the alarm audio on or off, remember tells you that the alarm shown hasn’t been
that the audio beep may be a necessity acknowledged, or “cleared” yet (see
when you’re unable to look at the display “Clearing alarms” below). There may also
screen. be other uncleared alarms that you should
acknowledge by clearing.
Displaying alarm messages Recent alarm messages
To display more information about current
The 6000i keeps a record of the most
and previous alarms, press the STAR key.
recent alarm from each main category
(such as anchor, avoidance, communica-
tions, cross track, GPS signals, and
waypoints) enabling you to “browse”
through older alarm messages that have
not been acknowledged. Each successive

Reference section 8 — Alarms and TideTrack

138 Alarms Northstar 6000i
 press of Clear alarm will show you the disappears, or in some cases, after a
most recent alarm message from each short time-out period (typically about
category. 10 seconds). Most alarms are
auto-clearing; however, they can also
be manually cleared, if desired.
Clearing alarms • Alarms that require manual clearing
Clearing an alarm means removing the stay on-screen until you clear them on
flashing alarm icon as well as the word new the alarms screen. Some serious alarms,
from the display of that alarm on the such as loss of position fixes, will repeat
ALARMS screen. To manually clear an alarm at intervals.
(and to see other alarms that may need
All of the 6000i’s alarms are described in
clearing), press the Clear alarm key on the
Table 4 below.
ALARMS screen.
There are two types of alarms:
• Auto-clearing alarms automatically
clear after the alarm condition

Table 4: 6000i alarms

CONTROLLED CLEARS CLEARS
ALARM ALARM MESSAGE ACTIVATED WHEN . . . ON ALARM AFTER WHEN
ICON SCREEN? TIME–OUT? OK?
YOUR ANCHOR MAY Vessel has moved outside the radius limit set in YES No No
BE DRAGGING the anchor alarm.

YOU’VE ARRIVED AT Vessel has entered the arrive radius of an active No 10 seconds YES
WAYPT: ‘NAME’ waypoint. This alarm is shown only if you’re nav-
igating to a single waypoint, or if you’ve chosen
manual waypoint switching.

YOU’VE ENTERED Vessel has entered the warning radius of an No No No

AVOID ZONE avoidance waypoint.

Reference section 8 — Alarms and TideTrack

Reference Manual Revision D Alarms
139
 Table 4: 6000i alarms (continued)
CONTROLLED CLEARS CLEARS
ALARM ALARM MESSAGE ACTIVATED WHEN . . . ON ALARM AFTER WHEN
ICON SCREEN? TIME–OUT? OK?
NOW NAVIGATING Vessel has switched to the next leg of the route. No 10 seconds YES
TO WAYPT: ‘NAME’

YOU’RE CLOSE TO Vessel is within 900 feet of entering the arrive No YES, YES
’ WAYPT: ‘NAME radius of the current waypoint. 10 seconds

CROSS-TRACK Vessel has exceeded the off-course limit set in YES No YES
LIMITS EXCEEDED the cross track alarm.

!!DEMO MODE IS You’ve powered-up the unit while already in No No YES

ON!! demo mode, or a networked unit has selected
demo mode.

NO WAAS/DGPS DGPS or WAAS corrections have become YES No YES

unusable.

BIG JUMP IN GPS Your GPS position suddenly “jumps” an unrea- No YES, No
POSITION sonable amount based on the vessel’s speed. 30 seconds

NO GPS POSITION GPS position fix is unavailable and GPS or No No YES

FIX Phantom loran is the chosen position source.
This alarm is delayed for three minutes at
power-up.

Reference section 8 — Alarms and TideTrack

140 Alarms Northstar 6000i
 Table 4: 6000i alarms (continued)
CONTROLLED CLEARS CLEARS
ALARM ALARM MESSAGE ACTIVATED WHEN . . . ON ALARM AFTER WHEN
ICON SCREEN? TIME–OUT? OK?
GPS The GPS receiver may have failed. No No No
COMMUNICATION
FAILURE

NO LORAN Position fix from an external loran receiver is No No YES

POSITION FIX unavailable and external loran is the chosen
position source. This alarm is delayed for three
minutes at power-up.

LORAN The 6000i hasn’t received any messages from No No No

COMMUNICATION the external loran receiver for over 30 seconds.
FAILURE

YOU’VE PASSED Vessel has passed abeam of the active way- No YES, YES
WAYPT: ‘NAME’ point — without entering the arrive radius. This 10 seconds
alarm only appears if there are NO future way-
points, or if waypoint switching is manual.

POOR LORAN BLINK, CYCLE or LOW SNR detected by the No No YES

SIGNALS external loran used as the position source.

NO NETWORK A 6000i designated as a slave and requiring a No No YES

master to be present on the network is not
receiving networking signals.

Sounder alarms (shown only if the sounder is enabled)

Reference section 8 — Alarms and TideTrack

Reference Manual Revision D Alarms
141
 Table 4: 6000i alarms (continued)
CONTROLLED CLEARS CLEARS
ALARM ALARM MESSAGE ACTIVATED WHEN . . . ON ALARM AFTER WHEN
ICON SCREEN? TIME–OUT? OK?
BOTTOM Echo sounder detects that the seabed is higher No Within 20 YES
COLLISION! than the specific limit you’ve set. seconds
after the
seabed falls
below the
alarm zone

TEMPERATURE Water temperature reaches the condition speci- No

ALARM fied.

FISH ALARM Echoes are detected within the specified depth No

range.

Radar alarms (shown only if radar is enabled)

RADAR GUARD VIO- Radar echoes are received within the guard No No No
LATION zone.

RADAR DATA NOT The 6000i hasn’t received radar data for several No No YES
AVAILABLE seconds.

NO HEADING DATA The 6000i is not receiving data from the heading No No No
sensor.

Alarm audio off, or you can turn the audio off

completely so that you’ll only see alarm
You can turn the alarm audio on so that
icons and messages displayed on the
the 6000i will beep when any alarm goes
screen:

Reference section 8 — Alarms and TideTrack

142 Alarms Northstar 6000i
 1. On the alarm screen, press the cursor pad 4. Press the cursor pad to turn the alarm to
to select Alarm Audio, then press Edit on.
alarm. 5. Set the distance your vessel can normally
2. Press the cursor pad to display OFF or be expected to move on its anchor chain
ON, then press ENTER. by pressing the cursor pad to the right,
and using the keypad to enter the dis-
Anchor alarm tance. (Remember to add a safety factor
to allow for GPS or loran inaccuracy.)
The anchor alarm will signal when your
vessel moves a certain distance from the 6. Press ENTER.
position of your vessel when you pressed
the Drop anchor key. You can turn the Cross-track alarm
anchor alarm on or off, and set the The cross-track alarm will signal if your
distance that you can drift without trig- vessel moves beyond a certain distance
gering the alarm. The default setting is 0.20 from the desired track line. The default
nautical miles (about 1200 feet). You can setting is 0.10 nautical miles (about 600
set the anchor alarm to as little as 0.01 nm, feet). You can set the cross track to as little
but be sure to allow for drifting the length as 0.01 nm (about 60 feet).
of the anchor chain, plus a safety factor to
allow for any GPS or loran inaccuracy. To set the cross-track alarm:
1. On the alarm screen, press the cursor pad
NOTE:
to highlight Cross Track, then press Edit
Remember to turn off the anchor alarm
before you intentionally move away from alarm.
the anchor-drop point. 2. Press the cursor pad to turn the alarm to
on.
To set the anchor alarm: 3. To set the cross-track distance limit, press
1. Press Drop anchor where you’ve the cursor pad right, and use the keypad
dropped the anchor. A waypoint named to enter the distance, then press ENTER.
ANCR is created at this location.
Arrive radius
2. Press ENTER.
3. Press the cursor pad to highlight Anchor The arrive radius defines a circle around
Alarm, then press Edit alarm. your current active waypoint. The default
setting for the radius is 0.20 nautical miles,

Reference section 8 — Alarms and TideTrack

Reference Manual Revision D Alarms
143
 or about 1200 feet. You can set the radius data time-out setting. To adjust this setting,
to as little as 0.01 nm (approximately 60 See Choosing a DGPS corrections time-out,
feet). on page 162.
Either of two alarms may be triggered To turn on the DGPS alarm, press the
when the vessel enters the arrive radius: cursor pad to highlight DGPS ALARM, then
press Edit alarm. Press the cursor pad to
• If you’re following a route and have
turn the alarm to ON, then press ENTER.
chosen automatic waypoint switching,
the 6000i displays the CHANGING
alarm icon and switches to the next leg. Setting alarms to honk
Automatic waypoint switching will also
You can connect a loud external alarm to
occur if you cross the perpendicular at
the 6000i, to help you hear alarms in noisy
the end of the current leg.
situations. This function is called
“honking.” You can set the 6000i to honk
• If there are no more waypoints in the
when the anchor alarm is activated, or
route, or if you’ve chosen manual
when any alarm is activated. See the North-
waypoint switching, the ARRIVE alarm
star 6000i Installation Manual for
is triggered.
instructions for connecting an external
To set the arrive radius: alarm.
1. On the alarm screen, press the cursor pad Note: The honk output signal can also be
to highlight Arrive Radius, then press Edit programmed to generate a 200
alarm. pulse-per-nautical-mile speed log signal,
or it can be programmed to control DC
2. To set the distance around waypoints, use
power for the radar or sounder module.
the keypad to enter the distance, then
press ENTER. If the honk output is used elsewhere,
you can’t use it for external alarms.
DGPS alarm
The DGPS alarm will signal if you were To turn on the honk output:
using GPS or Phantom loran fixes, but 1. On the ALARMS screen, press the cursor
valid, usable beacon or WAAS differential pad to highlight Honk Output, then press
corrections haven’t been received within Edit alarm.
the time limit you’ve specified in the DGPS

Reference section 8 — Alarms and TideTrack

144 Alarms Northstar 6000i
 2. Press the cursor pad to select ANCHOR Honking for all alarms
ALM, or ALL ALARMS, as desired.
If all alarms are set to honk, any alarm will
3. Press ENTER. cause the external alarm to sound for half
a second, followed by silence for half a
Anchor alarm second. This honking sequence stops when
If the anchor alarm is set to honk, a contin- the alarms are cleared.
uous honking sequence begins when: To set all alarms to honk:
• your vessel moves outside the specified 1. Press the cursor pad to highlight Honk
anchor-alarm radius Output, then press Edit alarm.
- or - 2. Press the cursor pad to select ALL
ALARMS, then press ENTER.
• the navigation source (for example,
GPS signals) becomes unavailable, cre- 3. Set the Alarm Audio to ON if it’s currently
ating an uncertainty in the 6000i as to off.
whether it’s inside the anchor watch
radius or not
If your vessel moves outside the
anchor-alarm radius, then for the next 10
seconds the anchor drag icon begins
flashing and the alarm automatically beeps
(you’ll hear the beeping only if you’ve set
the Alarm Audio to On). The honk sequence
consists of a honk every 15 seconds. The
first honk is 1 second long; the second is 2
seconds, the third 3 seconds, and so forth.
This honk cycle repeats until you manually
clear the anchor alarm. This honk does not
automatically clear under any conditions.
To clear the alarm, press the STAR key to
display the ALARMS screen, then press
Clear alarm. You may also want to set the
anchor alarm back to the off setting.

Reference section 8 — Alarms and TideTrack

Reference Manual Revision D Alarms
145
 TideTrack™
The 6000i calculates tide information for The TideTrack screen
any of over 3,540 NOS/NOAA tide stations.
The name of the selected NOAA tide
To display this information, press the STAR
station and the selected day are shown at
key until you see the tide track screen.
the top of the screen.
A graph of the water height for the
selected tide station during any 24-hour
period is displayed.
Press the cursor pad up or down to move a
horizontal measurement line to any spot
on the tide graph. The line is labelled with
the exact height that it represents.
Maximum and minimum heights are
shown as dashed horizontal lines labeled
with the height in feet. Mean Lower Low
Water (MLLW) is shown as a solid line near
Tide Track screen the bottom of the graph. A solid vertical
line and arrow points to the tide level at
The entire U.S. coastline — including Alaska
the current time.
and Hawaii — is covered, plus many Carib-
bean islands and eastern and western Just below the tide graph is the time scale,
Canada. Tides can be displayed for any showing the vessel’s local time (LCL) for
date up to the year 2010. Data is from the each point, and (if the station is in a
official tide-table predictions and should be different time zone) the time at the tide
about as accurate as the printed tables. For station (TID).
more information about tides, see Tide
At the bottom of the screen, the times of
Tables published by the NOS/NOAA, Rock-
the day’s high and low tides are listed for
ville, Maryland 20852.
that location, along with the tide height at
the present time.

Reference section 8 — Alarms and TideTrack

146 TideTrack™ Northstar 6000i
 Choosing a nearby tide station Choosing a tide station from the chart
You can choose from any of the nine tide You can also choose a tide station by
stations closest to your present position. moving the cursor to any location along
the U.S. coastline.
1. On the TIDE TRACK screen, press
CONFIGURE. 1. On the Tide track screen, press
2. Press Choose closest tide station. Configure.
The 6000i searches for the nine stations 2. Press Choose tide station from chart.
closest to your present position and dis- 3. Press the cursor pad to select the general
plays this list with the closest station at coastline location for which you want tide
the top. information, then press ENTER to display
a list of the nine tide stations closest to this
3. Press the cursor pad to select the desired cursor location.
station, then press ENTER twice to dis-
play the tides for that station on the TIDE 4. Press the cursor pad to select the desired
TRACK screen. station, then press ENTER twice to dis-
play the tides for that station on the TIDE
TRACK screen.

Choosing a specific date

The TIDE TRACK screen normally displays
tide information for today’s date. To
display these tides for a different date, you
can either press the cursor pad right or left
to move the date forward or backwards by
one day, or select a new date as follows:
1. Press Configure, then press New date.
The first digit of the current date flashes.
2. Press the cursor pad to move to the
month or digit you want to change. To
Tide Station Selection screen change a digit, press that key on the key-

Reference section 8 — Alarms and TideTrack

Reference Manual Revision D TideTrack™
147
 pad. To change the month, press the cur-
sor pad up or down.
3. When the date is correct, press ENTER
twice to display the tides for the new date.

Reference section 8 — Alarms and TideTrack

148 TideTrack™ Northstar 6000i
 Reference section 9
N2 Networking

General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Restrictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

Reference Manual Revision D 149

 General information
Northstar’s N2 Networking is a major step matically copied into that unit when it is
forward in integrating the major sensors turned back on.
and displays on your vessel. Waypoints
Navigation can be started from any unit,
and routes are shared among all networked
and your progress and steering screens are
displays, without any work on the user’s
displayed on any unit. In addition, radar
part. Any changes made to a route or
and sounder images are sent in real time to
waypoint instantly appear in all connected
all 6000i displays on the network, and the
units. If a unit is turned off while changes
radar and the sounder can be controlled
are being made, those changes are auto-
from any of the connected units.

Restrictions
In an N2 network, one unit is designated as In normal use, this means that as long as
the master, and all others as slaves. The the master is turned on, everything works
GPS antenna is connected to the master automatically.
unit. The only restrictions on N2
networking are the following:
Radar overlays
• there must be one and only one master
unit operating in a network The 6000i’s radar overlay function matches
the radar scale to the chart scale so that
• all units must have the same software
the radar image can be superimposed on
version. the chart. Only one display unit at a time
If, for example, a slave unit is turned on can display the radar overlay, since
before the master, a message is displayed multiple units may show charts at different
reminding the user to turn on the master scales, or may even be using different chart
unit before using the slave. In case the cartridges.
master unit is not available (in for service, Whenever you turn on radar overlay, any
for example), brief instructions show how other unit that is displaying the radar
to temporarily convert a slave into a master overlay will switch it off and display
unit. Suspend in that unit’s Overlay menu key.

Reference section 9 — N2 Networking

150 General information Northstar 6000i
 Pressing the Overlay key on any unit will The unit will turn on and operate as a
restore the radar overlay function on that master unit.
unit and switch it off on other units.
After the original master unit is restored,
The remainder of this section tells what to the replacement unit should be set back to
do if you experience one of the rare occur- slave status.
rences where networking stops working.

Master unit unavailable

If your master unit becomes unavailable
due to a failure or other reason, you can
replace it with any other 6000i on the
vessel.
The GPS antenna and any necessary NMEA
devices must be connected to the replace-
ment unit. In many situations, it will be
easiest to move the replacement unit to the
location of the master and physically
replace it.

Configuring the replacement as a master

To function in an N2 network, the replace-
ment unit must be designated as a master
unit. To do this:
1. Turn the unit on while pressing the STAR
key. Hold the STAR key until the special
service screen is displayed (about a
minute or so).
2. Press the “9” key on the keypad to switch
the master/slave designation.
3. Press ENTER.

Reference section 9 — N2 Networking

Reference Manual Revision D Restrictions
151
 Reference section 9 — N2 Networking
152 Restrictions Northstar 6000i
 Reference section 10
Setup

Changing your display settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154

Changing your navigation settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Changing your receiver settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Changing your port settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Setting up the echosounder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Setting up radar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Installing software updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Displaying system information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Changing the time zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166

Reference Manual Revision D 153

 Changing your display settings
To access the 6000i’s display options, press Changing the settings
the STAR key several times until you see
To change any of the options (explained in
the Options/Service Info screen.
detail on the following pages), select the
option by pressing the cursor pad to move
the arrow at the left of the screen, then
press Edit. The selected option flashes,
waiting for you to change it using the
cursor pad or the keypad. Once you’ve
made the change, press ENTER.

Rhumb line or great circle

calculations
You can set the 6000i to calculate the
distance and initial bearing to your
Options and Service Info screen
intended destination along either a Great
Circle route or a rhumb line.
Press Display options to access the Display
Options screen. The shortest distance between any two
points on the surface of a sphere is called a
Great Circle route. It appears as a straight
line on a globe, but as a curved line on a
Mercator chart.
Rhumb line navigation maintains a
constant true direction to your destination
(seen as a straight line on a Mercator
chart), but makes a longer route to travel
over great distances than the Great Circle
calculation.
Great Circle and rhumb line navigation are
virtually the same if the start and end
Display Options screen

Reference section 10 — Setup

154 Changing your display settings Northstar 6000i
 points are closer than 100 nm. You can The number of saved waypoints
approximate a longer great circle using a
When you save a waypoint by pressing the
series of shorter rhumb lines. All legs are
SAVE key, the 6000i automatically assigns
drawn as straight lines on the chart
a sequential waypoint number (such as
screens.
–S001–) to each point stored. When this
number passes the number you set in the
Distance and speed units Max saved waypt option (the factory default
setting is 100 saved waypoints), it restarts
Distances and speeds can be displayed in at the number 1, and overwrites the old
any of the following units of measurement: saved waypoint previously designated
• nautical miles, feet, and knots number 1. For many applications, you may
want to set this maximum number to a
• kilometers, meters, and kilometers per
small value, such as five or ten, as long as
hour
you promptly rename any saved waypoints
• statute miles, feet, and miles per hour you want to save permanently—before
they’re overwritten.
12- or 24-hour clock You can enter a number up to 199 for the
maximum number of saved waypoints. For
Time of day can be displayed in either a
one- or two-digit values, enter zero as the
12- or 24-hour format. This option affects
first digit(s).
all of the time-related displays, including
high and low tides, sunrise/sunset, and When being saved to a route, waypoints are
ETA. automatically assigned four-digit numbers;
these waypoints can be overwritten only
during a database IMPORT operation.
Lat/lon precision
Latitude and longitude can be displayed as Entering a personalized owner’s
either degrees, minutes, and seconds (XX°
XX’ XX”), or as degrees, minutes, and thou-
message
sandths of minutes (XX° XX.XXX’). To provide your 6000i with a substantial
measure of theft protection, you can enter
a personalized owner identification
message that is displayed every time the

Reference section 10 — Setup

Reference Manual Revision D Changing your display settings
155
 unit is turned on. To enter or change this character block of the owner’s message
message, you need an access code that flashes.
Northstar sends you when you return your 3. Enter your message using the keypad and
product registration card. Once you’ve cursor pad, then press ENTER.
received your registered-owner access
code, you can enter your owner ID Your message can be changed only by
message: entering your access code number and
repeating the above procedure. The
1. From the Display Options menu select the 6000i gives you three attempts at enter-
Owner’s Message option and press Edit. ing the correct access code; after that, all
2. Enter the access code from your Northstar operations freeze, requiring you to turn
owner’s card, then press ENTER. The first power off, then turn it back on again to
resume functioning.

Changing your navigation settings

To access the 958’s navigation options,
press the STAR key until you see the
OPTIONS/SERVICE INFO screen.

Press Navigation options to access the

NAVIGATION OPTIONS screen.

Navigation Options screen

Reference section 10 — Setup

156 Changing your navigation settings Northstar 6000i
 Changing the settings Choosing magnetic variation
To change any of the options (fully A compass naturally points to the magnetic
described in the following pages), select it north pole, several hundred miles from the
by pressing the cursor pad to move the Earth’s geographic north pole. The differ-
arrow at the left of the screen, then press ence between the angles to the two poles is
Edit. The selected option flashes, waiting known as magnetic variation.
for you to change it using the cursor pad
You can display bearings as true (relative
or the keypad. Press ENTER to finalize
to north) or magnetic (to match your
your changes.
compass). The 6000i can calculate the
magnetic variation for your position auto-
Choosing a navigation source matically, or you can enter it manually.

The 6000i’s position screens and waypoint Push the cursor pad up or down to choose:
navigation are based on position informa- • true — no variation applied (true
tion obtained from one of the following bearings are usually required when
navigation sources: using a gyrocompass)
• GPS — choose this to use GPS position • automatic — the unit calculates
data variation automatically according to
• Phantom Loran — choose this to see your location and the date
your GPS position displayed as loran The factory default setting is “automatic.”
TDs (any available GPS differential Under most conditions, you’ll want the
corrections will also be used in the 6000i to calculate the variation automati-
calculation of the Phantom Loran TDs) cally for your position, since the automat-
ically calculated variation is usually
• external loran — choose this to use a
entirely adequate.
loran receiver connected to the 6000i

NOTE: • manual setting — press the cursor pad

This option includes a setting for demo to the right, enter three digits
mode. For instructions on demo mode, representing your variation from 0 to
see Using demo mode, on page 16. 180, and press E / W to select the
direction.

Reference section 10 — Setup

Reference Manual Revision D Changing your navigation settings
157
 The manual setting (1º to 180º) is avail- display of distance and bearing informa-
able when the display must match an tion for the current waypoint. With manual
older or less accurate chart, or in remote switching, you must manually change to
areas (such as above 70º north latitude) the next waypoint every time you arrive at
where the variation calculations can be the current waypoint:
significantly off.
1. Press STEER and then Nav log.
2. Select the next leg or waypoint if neces-
Switching waypoints manually or sary.
automatically
3. Press Restart and then ENTER.
You can set waypoint switching to:
• automatic — the 6000i automatically
switches to the next waypoint upon
Choosing a geodetic datum
arrival at each waypoint A variety of lat/lon coordinate models is
• manual — you manually switch to the
used by cartographers to produce the
next waypoint world’s navigation charts. Each model is
called a datum. The 6000i’s geodetic datum
When set to automatic, the 6000i displays option contains all referenced datums,
the new distance and bearing information according to Defense Mapping Agency
for the next waypoint when you arrive at publications.
the previous one. It immediately stops
navigating when you pass a lone waypoint You should always be sure that the current
or the last waypoint in a route. datum matches your Nav-Chart cartridge.
All Navionics charts for the last few years
NOTE: use the WGS84 datum. A few old charts
For instructions on changing the way- from South America and other areas use
point arrival distance, see Arrive radius, other datums. If you choose a datum other
on page 143. than WGS84, an offset will be applied, but
only to the GPS lat/lon of your vessel’s
You may want to switch waypoints position. The vessel will be moved on the
manually if you’re maneuvering around a chart, but not waypoints, routes, or track
waypoint in search of a lobster trap, or points.
trying to find a buoy in a thick fog. Manual
To change the datum reference:
switching lets you keep a continuous

Reference section 10 — Setup

158 Changing your navigation settings Northstar 6000i
 1. On the NAVIGATION OPTIONS screen,
select the Geodetic datum option and
press Edit. Table 5: Cross-track scale options
2. Press the cursor pad up or down to scan Dist/speed units Cross-track full scale
through the alphabetic listing. setting setting
3. When you see your choice, press ENTER.
MI/MPH you can choose 1000 FT,
For a list of the available datums, see 2000 FT, or 1/2 MI
Appendix C at the back of this manual.
NM/KNOTS you can choose 1000 FT,
NOTE: 2000 FT, or 1/2 NM
You can specify a different datum for the
KM/KPH you can choose 200 M,
6000i’s output ports than the one set for
1KM, or 2KM
the positional display. For instructions on
how to do this, see the Northstar 6000i
Installation Manual (part number To change the crosstrack full scale setting:
GM6KIM). 1. On the NAVIGATION OPTIONS screen,
choose the cross track full scale option
and press Edit.
Choosing the cross-track scale
2. Press the cursor pad to make your choice.
You can set the Cross-track Full Scale
option to suit your particular 3. Press ENTER.
needs—whether you’re navigating out in
open water or trying to maneuver in a tight
channel. Cross-track scale is the total Changing the steering precision
left-to-right distance shown on the 2D The Steer Dist Precision option adds preci-
STEER screen. For example, a cross-track sion to the distance-to-waypoint and
full scale setting of 1,000 feet displays 500 cross-track error displays on the STEERING
feet on either side of your track line. and 3-D STEER screens. The “normal” setting
displays these distances in hundredths of
Table 5 shows the choices for the
miles or kilometers. If you change the
cross-track full scale, depending on the
setting to “high,” these distances change to
distance and speed units that you’ve set on
feet (or meters) whenever they’re under
the DISPLAY OPTIONS screen.
one mile or kilometer.

Reference section 10 — Setup

Reference Manual Revision D Changing your navigation settings
159
 Course Predictor Line
This setting controls the length of the
predictor line described in Using the course
predictor line, on page 40.

Changing your receiver settings

To access the 6000i’s receiver options, Changing the settings
press the STAR key until you see the
To change any of the options (fully
OPTIONS/SERVICE INFO screen.
described in the following pages), select it
Press Receiver options to access the by pressing the cursor pad to move the
RECEIVER OPTIONS screen. arrow at the left of the screen, then press
Edit. The selected option flashes, waiting
for you to change it using the cursor pad or
the keypad. Press ENTER when done.

Choosing the speed averaging time

When you’re using uncorrected GPS, you
may see that your Speed-Over-Ground
readings are slightly erratic, varying by up
to several knots. The 6000i’s GPS speed
averaging function can help steady these
readings by lengthening the time over
which your speed is averaged, from two to
ten seconds. Averaging can also be turned
Receiver Options screen off for the quickest possible reaction time.
Shorter averaging times provide a faster
display of speed changes, but with less
accuracy. A longer averaging time is useful
at lower speeds when you require the

Reference section 10 — Setup

160 Changing your receiver settings Northstar 6000i
 steadiest readings and highest accuracy, and sends DGPS corrections to the 6000i’s
such as when you want to trawl at a GPS receiver. Another channel continu-
certain optimum speed. ously scans the entire differential
frequency band (283.5 to 325kHz), evalu-
ating available DGPS signals.
Choosing beacon frequency and baud
If the signal that’s received and monitored
rate (optional equipment)
by Channel 1 degrades for any reason
Differential corrections are invaluable for (such as bad weather between your vessel
navigating in narrow or congested areas, and the transmitter), the 6000i tries to
such as ports and waterways, or whenever select a better frequency from the direc-
you require extreme accuracy in order to tory it has compiled. This function allows it
locate a particular spot. to switch to the best differential signal
WAAS is one source of accurate correc- before your GPS accuracy is affected.
tions received directly from satellites. If
you need an alternate source, you can Manual mode
interface your 6000i with an optional Although the need is rare, you can
external Northstar beacon receiver. A manually override the beacon receiver’s
beacon receiver takes corrections broad- automatic mode at any time. In manual
cast by shore-based marine radiobeacons mode, the beacon receiver uses only the
situated along most of the U.S. coastline selected station.
and uses those corrections to further
enhance the accuracy of GPS. Beacon To manually choose a differential station,
frequencies are automatically selected as you must select the frequency of the
you move from one differential coverage desired station:
area to another, or as weather conditions 1. On the RECEIVER OPTIONS screen,
change. The receiver constantly evaluates highlight the Beacon Frequency option
the quality of the radiobeacon signals, and and press Edit.
selects the best station.
2. Change the settings from AUTO to MAN-
UAL. A differential transmitter frequency
Automatic mode
appears to the right of the word MANUAL.
Automatic differential mode can normally 3. Press the cursor pad to the right to high-
be used at all times. One receiver channel light the digits you want to change. Enter
tracks the best available differential signal

Reference section 10 — Setup

Reference Manual Revision D Changing your receiver settings
161
 the appropriate frequency—any value • radiobeacon — the 6000i uses
between 283.5kHz and 325kHz—and radiobeacon corrections only
press ENTER.

NOTE: Choosing a DGPS corrections time-out

You can also manually set the baud rate
The DGPS data time-out setting deter-
(the transmitter’s data transmission
speed) for the selected differential fre- mines how long the 6000i will continue to
quency. However, Northstar strongly rec- use old DGPS corrections if no new correc-
ommends leaving the beacon baud rate tions are received due to bad weather,
setting at Auto. extreme distance from beacon, etc.
If the time-out period ends without any
NOTE: new corrections, the 6000i reverts to
The 6000i can manually control a standard GPS navigation, displays the old
non-Northstar external differential corrections status message on the DGPS
receiver as long as the receiver supports
STATUS screen, and displays the DGPS lost
the MX50R control protocol. Check the
alarm. DGPS will automatically resume
manufacturer’s instructions to see if they
when the 6000i receives valid corrections.
support this control protocol before con-
necting to a 6000i. Under normal operating conditions, you
should set the time-out to one minute (the
factory default) to guarantee the best accu-
Setting differential operation racy. A time-out of 30 seconds or less is
The 6000i’s differential operation setting often too short and can cause false alarms.
has four options for differential Generally, one minute provides good navi-
information: gation accuracy, and is best left
unchanged.
• auto — the 6000i evaluates available
WAAS and radiobeacon corrections and In bad weather — where you may need to
uses whichever provides the higher tolerate a minor loss of accuracy — you can
accuracy increase the value up to a maximum of
four minutes, which lets the 6000i ignore
• WAAS — the 6000i uses only WAAS
occasional brief outages of differential
differential corrections
reception.
• disabled — the 6000i doesn’t use any
differential corrections

Reference section 10 — Setup

162 Changing your receiver settings Northstar 6000i
 Adjusting satellite elevation lites, thereby preventing their use as
sources of GPS position information, and
The lowest sat elevation option is used avoiding potential errors.
mainly for technical applications, in which
the 6000i must track all visible satellites This option is adjustable from 0° to 25°, in
regardless of how low they are on the 5˚ increments, but Northstar recommends
horizon. In other instances where leaving this option at the factory setting of
high-precision fixes are necessary, you can 5°.
increase this setting to “hide” any low satel-

Changing your port settings

You can interface the 6000i directly to a two NMEA ports (labeled NMEA) and one
variety of external equipment, such as the auxiliary port (labeled AUX). To see a
Northstar 490 “black box” for fishfinding, summary of the wiring information for
autopilots, depth sounders, PC’s, and so on. these ports, press the STAR key to display
The 6000i’s ports meet the specifications of the OPTIONS/SERVICE INFO screen, then Port
most navigation devices, providing you setup options and Wiring info.
with a customized setup for interfacing
For details about interfacing the 6000i,
with practically any NMEA 0183-compat-
contact your local authorized Northstar
ible equipment.
dealer.
The 6000i is interfaced with other equip-
ment through its data transmission ports:

Setting up the echosounder

For the echosounder to work with the 1. Press the STAR key to display the
6000i, you must configure the echo- OPTIONS/SERVICE INFO screen.
sounder to the 6000i’s AUX port and then 2. Press Port setup options.
set up the AUX port for fishfinding:
3. Press Edit.

Reference section 10 — Setup

Reference Manual Revision D Changing your port settings
163
 4. Set the AUX port option to “490.” 6. To activate this setting, turn the 6000i off
5. Press ENTER. and back on again.

Setting up radar
To use radar with the system, you must 3. Press Port 2 Setup,
connect the Northstar radar to the 6000i’s 4. Press Edit.
Port 2 and configure the port:
5. Set the output format to “Radar” by using
To set up Port 2 for radar: the cursor pad up or down.
1. Press the STAR key to display the 6. Press ENTER.
Options/service info screen.
If an optional heading sensor is used, it
2. Press Port setup options. must be connected to the same 6000i as
the radar.

Installing software updates

You can install current software updates by Update all slave units before updating the
obtaining a software update cartridge from master unit.
Northstar or your local authorized North-
1. Press the STAR key to display the
star dealer.
Options/service info screen.
CAUTION! 2. Press More.
3. On the MORE OPTIONS/SERVICE INFO
screen, press Software update.
Do not remove the card or turn
the unit off while the update is in 4. On the SOFTWARE UPDATE screen, press
progress or your 6000i system will Start Update and follow any instructions
be corrupted. on your screen.

Reference section 10 — Setup

164 Setting up radar Northstar 6000i
Displaying system information
To see your unit’s serial number, software failure, you may have to return the unit to
versions, and receiver self-test results, press the factory for service.
the STAR key until you see the
Options/Service info screen.
GPS receiver self-test
If the GPS receiver’s self-test message is
failed, you may have to return the unit to
the factory for service.

Testing the 6000i’s keypad

A built-in keypad test lets you check the
integrity of all the unit’s keys except the
PWR and SAVE/MOB keys (pressing SAVE/
MOB during the keypad test saves a
waypoint instead of testing the keys).
1. On the OPTIONS/SERVICE INFO screen,
press More to display the MORE OPTIONS
/ SERVICE INFO screen.
2. Press Diagnostics, then Keypad.
Beacon receiver self-test Pressing each key identifies it on the
If your 6000i is connected to an optional screen.
Northstar radiobeacon receiver, the 3. When you’re done, press and hold the
receiver is automatically tested each time cursor pad up or down until the unit dis-
the unit is turned on. The message plays the MORE OPTIONS/SERVICE INFO
PASSED or FAILED is displayed in the screen again.
beacon rcvr self test field. In many cases, a
failure is caused by an open or shorted
antenna cable, which can be repaired in
the field. If this isn’t the source of the

Reference section 10 — Setup

Reference Manual Revision D Displaying system information
165
 N2 status screen The unit you are currently operating is
identified with the text “(me).”
The N2 status screen lists all operating
units connected to the N2 network for
troubleshooting: Using the LCD test key
1. On the OPTIONS/SERVICE INFO screen, From the DIAGNOSTICS screen, press LCD
press More to display the MORE OPTIONS test. This function is used for factory
/ SERVICE INFO screen. testing of the unit’s screen, and it simply
2. Press N2 status. All units are listed with displays a blank screen. Press any function
their model number and serial number. key to return to another screen.

Changing the time zone

Press the STAR key until you see the TIME factory, the time zone is set to “GMT”
OF DAY screen. The time, date, local time (Greenwich Mean Time).
zone, and time of today’s sunrise and
Note that the day of the week in Green-
sunset are shown.
wich, England may be different from the
day in your local time zone.

To change the time zone used for all of the

6000i’s time displays, press Time zone, and
use the cursor pad to select the desired
zone and standard or daylight time. Press
ENTER to use the new time zone.

The current time is displayed in the center

of the screen. When shipped from the

Reference section 10 — Setup

166 Changing the time zone Northstar 6000i
 Appendix A — Datum list

The following pages list all of the datums available in the 6000i, together with the mathe-
matical parameters for each.

Reference Manual Revision D 167

 Datum ID Datum name ELLIPSOID delta x delta y delta z
ADI_MN ADINDAN Mean—Africa CL1880 -166 -15 204
ADI_E ADINDAN—Ethiopia CL1880 -165 -11 206
ADI_MA ADINDAN—Mali CL1880 -123 -20 220
ADI_SE ADINDAN—Senegal CL1880 -128 -18 224
ADI_SU ADINDAN—Sudan CL1880 -161 -14 205
AFG AFGOOYE—Somalia KRASS -43 -163 45
AIN AIN EL ABD 1970—Bahrain Island INTL -150 -251 -2
ANA ANNA 1 ASTRO 1965—Cocos Islands AUSTR -491 -22 435
ARC50_MN ARC 1950 mean value CL1880 -143 -90 -294
ARC50_B ARC 1950—Botswana CL1880 -138 -105 -289
ARC50_L ARC 1950—Lesotho CL1880 -125 -108 -295
ARC50_M ARC 1950—Malawi CL1880 -161 -73 -317
ARC50_S ARC 1950—Swaziland CL1880 -134 -105 -295
ARC50_ZR ARC 1950—Zaire CL1880 -169 -19 -278
ARC50_ZM ARC 1950—Zambia CL1880 -147 -74 -283
ARC50_ZB ARC 1950—Zimbabwe CL1880 -142 -96 -293
ARC60_MN ARC-1960 mean value CL1880 -160 -8 -300
ARC60_K ARC 1960—Kenya CL1880 -161 -7 -300
ARC60_T ARC 1960—Tanzania CL1880 -158 -12 -299
ASC Ascension Island 1958 INTL -207 107 52
ABE Astro Beacon “E” (Pacific Isl.) INTL 145 75 -272
AB4 Astro B4 Sorol Atoll (Hawaiian Islands) INTL 114 -116 -333
AD714 Astro Dos 71/4 (Atlantic Isl.) INTL -320 550 -494
AS52 Astronomic Station 1952 INTL 124 -234 -25
AG66 Australian Geodetic 1966 AUSTR -133 -48 148
AG84 Australian Geodetic 1984 AUSTR -134 -48 149
BEL Bellevue (IGN) INTL -127 -769 472
BER Bermuda 1957 CL1866 -73 213 296
BOG Bogota Observatory (Colombia) INTL 307 304 -318
CMI Campo Inchauspe INTL -148 136 90
CA66 Canton Astro 1966 INTL 298 -304 -375
CAPE Cape (South Africa) CL1880 -136 -108 -292
CC_MN Cape Canaveral mean value CL1866 -2 150 181
CARTH Carthage CL1880 -263 6 431
CHAT Chatham 1971 (S.W. Pac. Isl.) INTL 175 -38 113
CHUA Chua-Astro INTL -134 229 -29
CORR Corrego-Allegre INTL -206 172 -6
DJAK Djakarta (Batavia) B1841 -377 681 -50
DOS68 DOS 1968 (S.W. Pac. Isl.) INTL 230 -199 -752
EI67 Easter Island 1967 INTL 211 147 111
EUR50_MN European 1950—mean value INTL -87 -98 -121

Reference section 10 — Appendix A — Datum list

168 Changing the time zone Northstar 6000i
 Datum ID Datum name ELLIPSOID delta x delta y delta z
EUR50_WE European 1950—Western Europe INTL -87 -96 -120
EUR50_CY European 1950—Cyprus INTL -104 -101 -140
EUR50_EG European 1950—Egypt INTL -130 -117 -151
EUR50_GB European 1950—England INTL -86 -96 -120
EUR50_GR European 1950—Greece INTL -84 -95 -130
EUR50_IR European 1950—Iran INTL -117 -132 -164
EUR50_SA European 1950—Sardinia INTL -97 -103 -120
EUR50_SI European 1950—Sicily INTL -97 -88 -135
EUR50_NF European 1950—Norway and Finland INTL -87 -95 -120
EUR50_PS European 1950—Portugal and Spain INTL -88 -109 -122
EUR79 European 1979 INTL -86 -98 -119
GAND Gandajika Base (Indian Ocean) INTL -133 -321 50
GD49 Geodetic Datum 1949 INTL 84 -22 209
GUAM63 Guam 1963 CL1866 -100 -248 259
GUX Gux 1 Astro INTL 252 -209 -751
HJOR Hjorsey 1955—Iceland INTL -73 46 -86
HK Hong Kong 1963 INTL -156 -271 -189
IND_TV Indian (Thailand/Vietnam) EVRST 214 836 303
IND_BIN Indian (Bangladesh/India/Nepal) EVRST 289 734 257
IRE65 Ireland 1965 AIRYM 506 -122 611
ISTS ISTS 073 Astro 1969 INTL 208 -435 -229
JI61 Johnston Island 1961 INTL 191 -77 -204
JAND Kandawala—Sri Lanka EVRST -97 787 86
KERG Kerguelen Island (Indian Ocean) INTL 145 -187 103
KERT Kertau 1948 (Malaysia) EVRSTM -11 851 5
KKJ KKJ (Finnish) FINN -78 -231 -97
LC5A L.C. 5 Astro (Caribbean) CL1866 42 124 147
LIB64 Liberia 1964 CL1880 -90 40 88
LUZ_P Luzon—Phillipines CL1866 -133 -77 -51
LUZ_M Luzon—Mindanao Island CL1866 -133 -79 -72
MAHE Mahe 1971 (Indian Ocean) CL1880 41 -220 -134
MASI Marco Astro—Salvage Islands INTL -289 -124 60
MASS Massawa (Africa) B1841 639 405 60
MERCH Merchich (Africa) CL1880 31 146 47
MA61 Midway Astro 1961 INTL 912 -58 1227
MINA Minna (Africa) CL1880 -92 -93 122
NAH_O Nahrwan—Masirah Island (Oman) CL1880 -247 -148 369
NAH_UA Nahrwan—United Arab Emirates CL1880 -249 -156 381
NAH_SA Nahrwan—Saudi Arabia CL1880 -231 -196 482
NAP Naparima BWI (Trinidad and Tobago) INTL -2 374 172
NAD27_MN North American 1927—CONUS mean value CL1866 -8 160 176
NAD27_WU North American 1927—Western U.S. CL1866 -8 159 175
NAD27_EU North American 1927—Eastern U.S. CL1866 -9 161 179
NAD27_AK North American 1927—Alaska CL1866 -5 135 172

Reference section 10 — Appendix A — Datum list

Reference Manual Revision D Changing the time zone
169
 Datum ID Datum name ELLIPSOID delta x delta y delta z
NAD27_BH North American 1927—Bahamas CL1866 -4 154 178
NAD27_SS North American 1927—San Salvador Island CL1866 1 140 165
NAD27_CN North American 1927—Canada CL1866 -10 158 187
NAD27_AB North American 1927—Alberta and B.C. CL1866 -7 162 188
NAD27_EC North American 1927—East Canada CL1866 -22 160 190
NAD27_MO North American 1927—Manitoba and Ontario CL1866 -9 157 184
NAD27_NE North American 1927—N.W. Terrs. & Sask. CL1866 4 159 188
NAD27_YK North American 1927—Yukon CL1866 -7 139 181
NAD27_CZ North American 1927—Canal Zone CL1866 0 125 201
NAD27_CR North American 1927—Caribbean CL1866 -7 152 178
NAD27_CA North American 1927—Central America CL1866 0 125 194
NAD27_CU North American 1927—Cuba CL1866 -9 152 178
NAD27_GR North American 1927—Greenland CL1866 11 114 195
NAD27_MX North American 1927—Mexico CL1866 -12 130 190
NAD83 North American 1983 GRS80 0 0 0
OB1966 Observatorio 1966 (Atl. Isl.) INTL -425 -169 81
OEG Old Egyptian HELM -130 110 -13
OHW_MN Old Hawaiian—mean value CL1866 61 -285 -181
OHW_HW Old Hawaiian—Hawaii CL1866 89 -279 -183
OHW_KA Old Hawaiian—Kauai CL1866 45 -290 -172
OHW_MA Old Hawaiian—Maui CL1866 65 -290 -190
OHW_OA Old Hawaiian—Oahu CL1866 56 -284 -181
OMAN Oman CL1880 -346 -1 224
OSGB_MN Ordin. Survey of Gr. Britain 1936—mean value AIRY 375 -111 431
OSGB_E Ordin. Survey of Great Britain 1936 —England AIRY 371 -112 434
OSGB_IM Ordin. Survey of G. B. 1936—Isle of Man, Wales AIRY 371 -111 434
OSGB_SSI Ord. Surv of G.B. 1936—Scot. & Shetlnd Islands AIRY 384 -111 425
OSGB_WL Ordinance Survey of Great Britain 1936—Wales AIRY 370 -108 434
PDLN Pico De Las Nieves—Canary Islands INTL -307 -92 127
PA67 Pitcairn Astrological—1967 INTL 185 165 42
PSC63 Provisional S. Chilean 1963 INTL 16 196 93
PSA56_MN Provisional S. American 1956—mean value INTL -288 175 -376
PSA56_BO Provisional S. American 1956—Bolivia INTL -270 188 -388
PSA56_NC Provisional S. American 1956—N. Chile INTL -270 183 -390
PSA56_SC Provisional S. American 1956—S. Chile INTL -305 243 -442
PSA56_CO Provisional S. American 1956—Columbia INTL -282 169 -371
PSA56_EC Provisional S. American 1956—Ecuador INTL -278 171 -367
PSA56_GY Provisional S. American 1956—Guyana INTL -298 159 -369
PSA56_PR Provisional S. American 1956—Peru INTL -279 175 -379
PSA56_VN Provisional S. American 1956—Venezuela INTL -295 173 -371
PRICO Puerto Rico CL1866 11 72 -101
QUAT Qatar National INTL -128 -283 22
QORN Qornoq (Greenland) INTL 164 138 -189
REUN Reunion (Indian Ocean) INTL 94 -948 -1262

Reference section 10 — Appendix A — Datum list

170 Changing the time zone Northstar 6000i
 Datum ID Datum name ELLIPSOID delta x delta y delta z
ROME Rome 1940 INTL -225 -65 9
SDOS Santo (DOS) (S.W. Pacific Isl.) INTL 170 42 84
SBRAZ Sao Braz (Atl. Isl.) INTL -203 141 53
SHILL Sapper Hill 1943 INTL -355 16 74
SCHW Schwarzeck (Namibia) B1841N 616 97 -251
SA69_MN South American 1969—mean value SA1969 -57 1 -41
SA69_AG South American 1969—Argentina SA1969 -62 -1 -37
SA69_BO South American 1969—Bolivia SA1969 -61 2 -48
SA69_BR South American 1969—Brazil SA1969 -60 -2 -41
SA69_CH South American 1969—Chile SA1969 -75 -1 -44
SA69_CO South American 1969—Colombia SA1969 -44 6 -36
SA69_EC South American 1969—Ecuador SA1969 -48 3 -44
SA69_GY South American 1969—Guyana SA1969 -53 3 -47
SA69_PA South American 1969—Paraguay SA1969 -61 2 -33
SA69_PR South American 1969—Peru SA1969 -58 0 -44
SA69_TT South American 1969—Trinidad and Tobago SA1969 -45 12 -33
SA69_VZ South American 1969—Venezuela SA1969 -45 8 -33
SASIA South Asia FS1960M 7 -10 -26
SEBAS Southeast Base INTL -499 -249 314
SWBAS Southwest Base INTL -104 167 -38
TIMB Timbalai 1948 (Malaysia) EVRST -689 691 -46
TOK_MN Tokyo mean value B1841 -128 481 664
TOK_JP Tokyo—Japan B1841 -123 483 662
TOK_KR Tokyo—Korea B1841 -128 481 665
TOK_OK Tokyo—Okinawa B1841 -135 478 661
TA68 Tristan Astrological 1968 (S. Atl.) INTL -632 438 -609
VL16 Viti Levu 1916 (S.W. Pac. Isl.) CL1880 51 391 -36
WE60 Wake-Eniwetok 1960 HOUGH 101 52 -39
WGS72 WGS 1972 WGS-72 0 0 4.5
WGS84 WGS 1984 WGS 0 0 0
ZAND Zanderij (S. America) INTL -265 120 -358

Reference section 10 — Appendix A — Datum list

Reference Manual Revision D Changing the time zone
171
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