Overview; Cleaning And Maintenance; Plug-In Cards - NorthStar EXPLORER 650 Installation And Operation Manual

1-1 Overview

The Northstar Explorer 650 is a compact, rugged,
highly integrated marine chartplotter and
fishfinder. It is easy to use and has an easy to
read color display. Complex functions can be
performed with a few key presses, taking the hard
work out of boating.
The available functions, displays and setup
menus depend on the optional sensors and
instruments that are installed:
Sonar functions require a sonar transducer to
be installed
Fuel functions require one or more
petrol/gasoline to be installed.
SmartCraft engine functions require a
SmartCraft system to be installed. For
information on using SmartCraft, see the
SmartCraft Gateway Installation and
Operation Manual.

1-2 Cleaning and maintenance

The Explorer screen is covered by a proprietary
anti-reflection coating. To avoid damage, clean
the screen only with a damp cloth and mild
detergent when dirty or covered in sea salt.
Avoid abrasive cleaners, petrol or other solvents.
If a plug-in card gets dirty or wet, clean it with a
damp cloth or mild detergent.
Cover or remove a transom-mounted transducer
when repainting the hull. If painting over a
through hull transducer with antifouling paint,

1-3 Plug-in cards

The Explorer can use two kinds of plug-in card:
C-MAP™ chart cards have chart details
required for navigating in a particular region.
When a chart card is plugged in, the extra
details automatically appear on the Explorer
chart display.
The Explorer can use NT, NT+ and NT-MAX
cards. NT-MAX cards have much more chart
information than earlier cards, including
photos of points of interest.
8
For information on installing options, see section
18-2.
This manual describes how to install and operate
the Explorer. Special terms are explained in
Appendix C. For maximum benefit, please read
this manual carefully before installing and using
the unit. For more information on this instrument
and other Northstar products, go to our website,
www.northstarnav.com.
use only one coat of paint. Remove the previous
coat of antifouling paint by sanding it lightly.
To optimize performance, avoid walking on
or jamming cables and connectors. Keep the
transducer free of weed, paint and debris. Do not
use a high pressure water blast on a speed sensor
paddlewheel as it may damage the bearings.
Push the dust cover over the display when the
Explorer is turned off.
Northstar Explorer 650 Installation and Operation Manual
DSC/Buddy track functions require a
Northstar DSC VHF radio with Buddy track
support to be installed.
The Explorer can send data to other
instruments, such as an autopilot, and receive
data from other instruments.
C-MAP™ user cards are used to store
navigation data. Each user card expands the
Explorer memory and allows the data to be
transferred to another Explorer easily (see
section 14).
Note: The older 5 volt user cards are not
supported.