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NorthStar 490 Echosounder Operation Manual

Northstar 490 echosounder car-echo sounder: user manual
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Northstar 490
Echo Sounder
Operations Manual

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Summary of Contents for NorthStar 490 Echosounder

  • Page 1 Northstar 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual...
  • Page 2 Call your Northstar dealer or Northstar for instructions. During the unit's warranty period, Northstar will repair or replace, at its option, any part of the unit it finds to be defective due to faulty material(s) or workmanship. All such repairs and/or replacements will be promptly performed by Northstar free-of-charge to the owner, excluding freight costs incurred in shipping to the factory.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Welcome to the Northstar 490 ........
  • Page 4 Reviewing past echoes using SoundTrac ..........6-1 Viewing past echoes using SoundTrac .
  • Page 5 Welcome Welcome to the Northstar 490 ... . . 1-2 Using this manual ......1-2 Technical support .

  • Page 6: Welcome

    Page 1-2 Congratulations on your purchase of the Northstar 490 Echo Sounder. The 490 connects with a Northstar navigator and a third-party transducer to add echo sounding capability to the Northstar 961, 962, 957, and 958 navigators. See the Northstar 490 Installation Manual (part number GM491) for recommended transducers.
  • Page 7 Chapter 4 describes how to adjust the depth settings to choose what portion of the water under the vessel you’ll display. Chapter 5 explains other functions—the A-Scope, etc. Chapter 6 describes Northstar’s exclusive SoundTrac™ feature, for accessing past echoes and navigating back to their locations.

  • Page 8: Technical Support

    Northstar factory. The 490’s serial number is located at the top of the unit. If you need help, feel free to call the Northstar Service Department at 978-897-6600 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

  • Page 9: How Echo Sounding Works

    (see the Limited Warranty Policy at the beginning of this manual) which, in summary, states that if the 490 is returned to the Northstar factory by the owner or dealer during the warranty period, Northstar will repair or replace, free of...
  • Page 10 490 connects to these navigators to enable echo sounding functions. 2201 antenna Navigator 10-foot cable Ship's (Northstar-supplied) Power Figure 1: 957/958 echo sounder system components 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 33-foot cable (part of transducer) module...

  • Page 11: Powering The 490 On And Off

    Control Head 961/962 Processor 10-foot cable Ship's (Northstar-supplied) Power Figure 2: 961/962 echo sounder system components As part of its power-up sequence, the navigator automatically activates the 490. The 490 is automatically shut off by the navigator when you press and hold PWR until the screen goes dark.
  • Page 12 Chapter 1 - Welcome Using the 961/962 Using the 957/958 Page 1-8 • 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: •...

  • Page 13: Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Page

    Chapter 1 - Welcome STAR key Auto Picture ECHO Frequency SCREEN Zoom Depth More Depth settings Picture settings Gain Shift Clutter More settings Range Noise Limiter Alarms Advance Speed Bottom box Signal level Snapshot Return Return A-Scope Data Return Alarm settings Data on-screen Snapshot Bottom box...
  • Page 14 Chapter 1 - Welcome Page 1-10 ECHO SCREEN Depth settings More settings Alarms Advance Speed Video A-Scope Data Return Data on-screen Video setup Temp box Temp graph Bottom box Speed Return Figure 4: 957/958 echo sounder menu structure 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 STAR key Auto Picture...
  • Page 15 Quick Start: Using the Echo Sounder 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Displaying the echo sounder’s picture ..2-2 Using demo mode ......2-4 Introducing the displayed information .

  • Page 16: Quick Start: Using The Echo Sounder

    You’ll see live echoes moving across the screen. Echo data Dist/brg Steering indicator to waypoint You can also review old echoes using Northstar’s exclusive ä SoundTrac feature. To activate SoundTrac, press the CURSOR PAD left or right on the ECHO screen. The position marker appears (controlled by the CURSOR PAD ), and movement of echoes to the left stops.
  • Page 17 Depth marker Echo data indicator Water temperature Color Water temperature scale Depth Lat/lon of position marker 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Chapter 2 - Quick Start: Using the Echo Sounder LIVE DATA key to return to real-time echoes. For details, see “Reviewing past echoes using SoundTrac”...

  • Page 18: Using Demo Mode

    Chapter 2 - Quick Start: Using the Echo Sounder Using demo mode Displaying echo sounder data on the screen CHART For the 961/962 For the 957/958 Page 2-4 The echo sounder can be operated in “demo mode” for training and familiarization. Simulated echo data generated by the 490 will be displayed.

  • Page 19: Introducing The Displayed Information

    Introducing the displayed information Echo sounding Depth and temperature Navigation Status tabs 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Chapter 2 - Quick Start: Using the Echo Sounder The following information can be displayed on the ECHO screen. • echo sounder data •...

  • Page 20: Using Automatic Mode

    Chapter 2 - Quick Start: Using the Echo Sounder Using automatic mode Cruising or fishing The status tabs Page 2-6 To operate the echo sounder automatically, just press AUTO . All of the 490’s adjustments will be set to produce a useful picture under most conditions.

  • Page 21: Changing The Frequency Of Echoes

    Manually overriding automatic mode Changing the frequency of echoes 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Chapter 2 - Quick Start: Using the Echo Sounder You can always manually change any of the echo sounder’s settings: the gain, clutter, noise limiter, shift, and range. (Manually setting the gain causes the range to be controlled manually.) Changing the appearance of the picture (colors, gain, clutter,...
  • Page 22 Chapter 2 - Quick Start: Using the Echo Sounder 50 kHz echoes Page 2-8 • the zoom function magnifies the frequency on the right side • when adjusting the picture, you can see the effect of changes on the right side 200 kHz echoes ECHO Figure 7:...

  • Page 23: Zooming In And Out

    Zooming in and out Choosing the zoom scale Choosing a zoom mode 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Chapter 2 - Quick Start: Using the Echo Sounder When using the zoom feature (which also splits the screen into halves), both sides of the screen always display the same frequency.
  • Page 24 Chapter 2 - Quick Start: Using the Echo Sounder Using bottom zoom Using bottom lock zoom Page 2-10 • marker zoom The original unzoomed echoes are on the right side, and the magnified area is shown on the left side of the screen. A tab below the ZOOM key shows which zoom mode is in use.
  • Page 25 Chapter 2 - Quick Start: Using the Echo Sounder When you select bottom lock/center zoom, the sea bottom is Using bottom lock/ flattened out and displayed in the center of the screen. You center zoom can see any fish near the bottom, as with the bottom lock zoom, and also examine the seabed’s composition.

  • Page 26: Setup Functions

    Be careful not to change any of the functions that are not described here unless you first read about them and understand their functions in the Northstar 490 Installation Manual. To access the ECHO SOUNDER SETUP screen, press STAR several times until “Echo Sounder” is highlighted at the top of the screen.
  • Page 27 Entering numerical values 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Chapter 2 - Quick Start: Using the Echo Sounder 961/962 echo sounder setup screen 957/958 echo sounder setup screen When changing the numerical value of the echo sounder’s settings, you can either press the CURSOR PAD to increase or decrease the value, or use the KEYPAD to manually type in the desired value.
  • Page 28 Chapter 2 - Quick Start: Using the Echo Sounder Transducer depth Changing the depth units Changing the temperature graph’s units and scale This option only appears on the screen if a temperature sensor is connected. Number of special waypoints Page 2-14 This option specifies how far below the surface of the water the transducer is mounted.
  • Page 29 Speed and temperature sensor setup 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Chapter 2 - Quick Start: Using the Echo Sounder sequence number restarts at 00, and the oldest waypoints with this same name will be overwritten (unless they have been renamed).
  • Page 30 Chapter 2 - Quick Start: Using the Echo Sounder Page 2-16 To simplify operation, the “sensor installed” options can be set to “No” to remove all references to temperature and speed from all the screens. Highlight the appropriate line and press EDIT to change an option.

  • Page 31: Adjusting The Echo Sounder Picture

    Adjusting the Echo Sounder Picture 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 The picture menu ......3-2 Adjusting the gain (strong echoes) .

  • Page 32: The Picture Menu

    Chapter 3 - Adjusting the Echo Sounder Picture The picture menu Adjusting the gain (strong echoes) Page 3-2 You can adjust the appearance of echoes in five different ways: • gain (for high intensity echoes) • clutter (for low intensity echoes) •...

  • Page 33: Adjusting The Clutter (Weak Echoes)

    Adjusting the clutter (weak echoes) 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Chapter 3 - Adjusting the Echo Sounder Picture 3. At the GAIN window, press the CURSOR PAD left or right to adjust the gain, or use the KEYPAD to manually enter the desired gain value.

  • Page 34: Adjusting The Signal Level (Weak Echoes)

    Chapter 3 - Adjusting the Echo Sounder Picture Adjusting the signal level (weak echoes) Page 3-4 displayed. If you select 5 , for example, all weak and moderate echoes will be displayed using the background color (just as if they weren’t there). You might choose this setting to eliminate high levels of background noise and echoes from turbulence or plankton.

  • Page 35: Suppressing Interference (The Noise Limiter)

    Suppressing interference (the noise limiter) 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Chapter 3 - Adjusting the Echo Sounder Picture desired signal range, Signal Level completely removes the weaker colors and their echoes. To adjust the signal level: 1. On the ECHO screen, press PICTURE . 2.

  • Page 36: Selecting The Color Bar (Hue) And White Level

    Chapter 3 - Adjusting the Echo Sounder Picture Selecting the color bar (hue) and white level Understanding the color bar Selecting the color bar (hue) Page 3-6 The color bar displayed at the extreme left of the ECHO screen shows the range of colors used to display different echo strengths.
  • Page 37 Chapter 3 - Adjusting the Echo Sounder Picture Hue and white level window 4. Press RETURN to go back to the ECHO screen. You can replace any single color in the color bar with white. Setting the white On the HUE AND WHITE LEVEL window, press the CURSOR level PAD up or down to select that color.
  • Page 38 Chapter 3 - Adjusting the Echo Sounder Picture Page 3-8 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2...

  • Page 39: Understanding Depth Settings

    Understanding Depth Settings 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Viewing the seabed depth ....4-2 Viewing the depth marker ....4-2 Changing the depth settings .

  • Page 40: Understanding Depth Settings

    Chapter 4 - Understanding Depth Settings Viewing the seabed depth Viewing the depth marker Changing the depth settings Page 4-2 The seabed depth (the “bottom”) is displayed in a black box at the left edge of the ECHO screen. You can change the size and location of the depth box on the ECHO screen.

  • Page 41: Setting The Picture's Shift (Starting Depth)

    Setting the picture’s shift (starting depth) 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 you can manually override these auto values for your specific needs at any time. There are two depth settings: • shift (how far below the surface the echo sounder picture starts) •...

  • Page 42: Setting The Picture's Range

    Chapter 4 - Understanding Depth Settings Setting the picture’s range Page 4-4 In the large rectangle on the right, the blue area at the top (with waves) represents the surface of the water, and the brown area below represents the seabed. The number at the bottom is the depth of the picture, and the seabed depth is also labelled.
  • Page 43 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Chapter 4 - Understanding Depth Settings The vertical black arrow in the SET RANGE window ind- cates the values that this window adjusts: the range of the echo sounder picture, relative to the depth of the water. The white number in the black box indicates the current range setting.
  • Page 44 Chapter 4 - Understanding Depth Settings Page 4-6 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2...
  • Page 45 Other Functions: Using the MORE key 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Using the MORE key ..... . . 5-2 Changing the advance speed .

  • Page 46: Other Functions: Using The More Key

    Chapter 5 - Other Functions: Using the MORE key Using the MORE key Changing the advance speed Page 5-2 Pressing the MORE key accesses the following functions: • alarms (described in Chapter 7) • advance speed • A-scope data (numeric and graphic information on the ECHO •...

  • Page 47: Displaying The A-Scope

    Displaying the A-scope 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Chapter 5 - Other Functions: Using the MORE key The echo sounder’s A-scope lets you look closely at present or past echoes by horizontally magnifying the echo from each ping. To display the A-scope: 1.

  • Page 48: Setting The Echo Screen Data

    Chapter 5 - Other Functions: Using the MORE key Using the A-scope with dual frequencies Using the A-scope with zoom mode Setting the ECHO screen data Page 5-4 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.
  • Page 49 Bottom depth box Temperature box This key won’t appear unless a temperature sensor is installed and configured. 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Chapter 5 - Other Functions: Using the MORE key Press BOTTOM BOX to set the size and location of the box displaying the bottom depth (white numbers on a black background).

  • Page 50: Introducing Snapshots

    Chapter 5 - Other Functions: Using the MORE key Temperature graph This key won’t appear unless a temperature sensor is installed and configured. Speed through the water This key won’t appear unless a speed sensor is installed and configured. Introducing snapshots Taking and storing a snapshot Page 5-6...
  • Page 51 Chapter 5 - Other Functions: Using the MORE key Snapshot screen (961/962 only) To rename a stored snapshot, from the SNAPSHOT screen, press the CURSOR PAD to highlight the desired slot, and press RENAME . Use the KEYPAD to enter a new name and press ACCEPT .
  • Page 52 Chapter 5 - Other Functions: Using the MORE key Archiving and restoring snapshots with a Zip disk Page 5-8 If your 961/962 has a zip drive installed, you can save up to 10 snapshots on each disk. To save a stored snapshot onto a zip disk, from the SNAPSHOT screen, press the CURSOR PAD to highlight the desired slot, and press ARCHIVE .

  • Page 53: Setting Up The Video Image Overlay

    Chapter 5 - Other Functions: Using the MORE key Setting up the video image overlay If you’ve connected the 957/958 to an NTSC-compatible device, you can display the image on the echo sounder screen. To display the video image on the ECHO SOUNDER screen, first press MORE , then press VIDEO .
  • Page 54 Chapter 5 - Other Functions: Using the MORE key Page 5-10 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2...

  • Page 55: Reviewing Past Echoes Using Soundtrac

    Reviewing past echoes using SoundTrac 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Viewing past echoes using SoundTrac ..6-2 Marking fish as waypoints ....6-3 Navigating to a past echo position .

  • Page 56: Viewing Past Echoes Using Soundtrac

    Page 6-2 On the SOUNDTRAC screen, you can use Northstar’s exclusive SoundTrac feature to look back and examine past echo data. To enable SoundTrac, at the ECHO screen, press the CURSOR PAD to the left. A dashed vertical line—called the position marker—is now displayed.

  • Page 57: Marking Fish As Waypoints

    Marking fish as waypoints Navigating to a past echo position 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Chapter 6 - Reviewing past echoes using SoundTrac Echoes from the last 3000 pings are stored. If you try to move the position marker beyond the oldest echoes stored, an alert is sounded.
  • Page 58 Going to a past echo position is described below. The other options are described in the Northstar 961/962 Operations and Reference Manual and the Northstar 957 Operator’s Manual or Northstar 958 Operator’s Manual.

  • Page 59: Setting The Alarms

    490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Setting the Alarms Understanding the alarms ....7-2 Setting the fish alarm ..... . 7-2 Setting the bottom alarm .

  • Page 60: Understanding The Alarms

    Chapter 7 - Setting the Alarms Understanding the alarms Setting the fish alarm Page 7-2 The echo sounder’s alarms work just like the other alarms. Their status is updated every second, and their messages are displayed in the following ways: at the bottom of the ECHO screen, and also on various •...
  • Page 61 Setting the alarm’s echo strength level Setting the upper and lower marker depths 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 4. Follow the instructions below for each of these five settings. To set the fish alarm’s minimum echo-strength level: 1. At the FISH ALARM window, press SET ALARM LEVEL . 2.

  • Page 62: Setting The Bottom Alarm

    Chapter 7 - Setting the Alarms Setting inside or outside fish markers Turning the fish alarm on and off The alarm Setting the bottom alarm Page 7-4 2. Press the CURSOR PAD up or down to set the depth, or use the KEYPAD to manually enter the desired depth.
  • Page 63 Setting the bottom level 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 To set the bottom alarm: 1. At the ECHO screen, press MORE . 2. Press ALARM . 3. At the ALARM screen, press BOTTOM ALARM . The options on the BOTTOM ALARM window are on/off and the depth setting.

  • Page 64: Setting The Temperature Alarm

    Chapter 7 - Setting the Alarms Turning the bottom alarm on and off The alarm Setting the temperature alarm This alarm isn’t present unless a temperature sensor is installed and configured. Page 7-6 To turn the alarm on, at the BOTTOM ALARM window, press TURN ALARM ON .
  • Page 65 Setting the upper and lower temperature limits Setting inside or outside temperature limits Turning the temperature alarm on and off 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 You can set the upper and lower temperature limits. When the water temperature is either inside or outside these limits, the temperature alarm will sound.
  • Page 66 Chapter 7 - Setting the Alarms The alarm Page 7-8 When the temperature alarm sounds, the message “THERM!” is displayed at the bottom of the screen. This message clears automatically after 20 seconds and the alarm is reset. 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2...

  • Page 67: Troubleshooting 490 Operations

    Troubleshooting 490 Operations 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Troubleshooting the echo sounder ..8-2 Checking the transducer ....8-4 his chapter explains how to troubleshoot the echo sounder system before returning the equipment for factory service.

  • Page 68: Troubleshooting The Echo Sounder

    Chapter 8 - Troubleshooting 490 Operations Troubleshooting the echo sounder Contact Northstar Service to upgrade to the latest version of 961/962 software. Configure NMEA Port 3 for the 490. See the 490 Operations Manual (GM490) for instructions. 1. Check fuses and circuit breakers 2.
  • Page 69 Configure 957 Aux Port for the 490. See the 490 Operations Manual (GM490) for instructions. 1. Check fuses and circuit breakers. 2. Check power to 490 with a voltmeter. 3. Verify that the data cable between the 957 and the 490 is properly wired and connected.

  • Page 70: Checking The Transducer

    Chapter 8 - Troubleshooting 490 Operations Checking the transducer Maintaining a transducer Page 8-4 To provide the best possible performance with the 490 echo sounder, Northstar recommends the use of an Airmar transducer. Table 3: Northstar-recommended transducers Manufacturer Model Airmar...
  • Page 71 490 Features and Specifications 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Table 4: 490 echo sounder features Performance characteristics 490-S Single Channel, 50/200kHz, 600W 490-D Dual Channel, 50/200, 1kW Alarms Fish, seabed, temperature Update rate 10 Hz maximum (depends on water depth) Auto modes Fishing and cruising Zoom modes...
  • Page 72 Zoom mode Name of waypoint, and distance and bearing to waypoint Steering indicator Interfacing Connects Northstar 961/962 GPS Chart Navigator Northstar 957/958 GPS Chart Navigator Northstar-recommended or compatible transducer Other Transducer outputs protected against open circuit/ short circuit LED monitors input power and system status...
  • Page 73 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 Table 4: 490 echo sounder features (Continued) Manual controls Gain 0 to 75 db Clutter 0 to 9 Signal level 0 to 5 Noise limiter ON/OFF White level Any single color Other Screen color palette Depth marker Position marker Zoom in/out...
  • Page 74 Appendix A – Specifications Page A-4 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2...
  • Page 75 A-scope clutter current default echo echo sounder fathom gain interference latitude longitude 490 Echo Sounder Operations Manual Rev. B2 GGlossary A horizontally magnified view of each echo, where the strength is shown by the width as well as the color of the line. Course-Over-Ground.
  • Page 76 Appendix B - Glossary meter nautical mile (nm ) ping tide transducer waypoint Page B-2 Meridian (a line running from the North to South Pole, passing through Greenwich, England). A unit of measurement (length) equal to 39.37 inches, slightly more than a standard yard. An international unit equal to 6,076.115 feet (1,852 meters) used officially in the U.S.

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