Garmin GPS II+ User manual

Owner’s
Manual &
Reference
®
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Software Version 2.0 or above
© 1997 GARMIN Corporation, 1200 E. 151st Street, Olathe, Kansas 66062 USA
Tel: [phone] or 800-800-1020 Fax: [phone]
GARMIN (Europe) Ltd., Unit 5, The Quadrangle, Abbey Park, Romsey, Hampshire SO51 9AQ UK
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Web Site Address: www.garmin.com
All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means includ-
ing photocopying and recording, for any purpose without the express written permission of GARMIN.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. GARMIN reserves the right to change or improve
its products and to make changes in the content without obligation to notify any person or organization of such changes.
GARMIN, GPS II+, Personal Navigator, AutoLocate, TracBack, and PhaseTrac12 are all trademarks of GARMIN
Corporation and may not be used without the expressed permission of GARMIN.
March 1997 Part # 190-00130-00 Rev. A Printed in Taiwan.
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Thank You!
Thank you for choosing the GARMIN GPS II+—the smallest, easiest-to-use GPS navigator for outdoor use! The GPS
II+represents GARMIN’s continuing commitment to provide quality navigation information in a versatile and user-
friendly flexible design you’ll enjoy for years. To get the most from your new GPS, take the time to read through the
owner’s manual in order to understand the operating features of the GPS II+. This manual is organized into three sec-
tions for your convenience:
Section One takes you through step-by-step instructions to initialize the receiver for first-time use.
Section Two (Getting Started Tour) introduces you to the basic features of the unit and provides a quick-start
orientation to the GPS II+.
Section Three (Reference) provides details about the advanced features and operations of the GPS II+by topic.
Before getting started with your GPS, check to see that your GARMIN GPS II+package includes the following items.
If you are missing any parts, please contact your dealer immediately.
Standard Package:
• GPS II+Unit
• Wrist Strap
• GPS II+Owner’s Manual
• Velcro Mount
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Cautions
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is operated by the government of the United States, which is
solely responsible for its accuracy and maintenance. The system is subject to changes which could affect
the accuracy and performance of all GPS equipment. Although the GPS II+is a precision electronic
NAVigation AID (NAVAID), any NAVAID can be misused or misinterpreted and, therefore, become unsafe.
For vehicular applications, it’s the sole responsibility of the owner/operator of the GPS II+to secure the
GPS unit so that it will not cause damage or personal injury in the event of an accident. Do not mount the
GPS II+over airbag panels or in a place where the driver or passengers are likely to have an impact with it
in an accident or collision. The mounting hardware provided by GARMIN is not warranted against collision
damage or the consequences thereof.
For vehicular operations, it is the sole responsibility of the operator of the vehicle to operate his or her
vehicle in a safe manner, maintain full surveillance of all driving conditions at all times, and never become
distracted by the GPS II+to the exclusion of safe operating practices. It is unsafe to operate the GPS II+while
you are driving. Failure by the operator of a vehicle equipped with a GPS II+to pay full attention to operat-
ing the vehicle and road conditions while the vehicle is in motion could result in an accident or collision with
property damage and personal injury.
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iii
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC limits for Class B digital devices. This equipment generates, uses,
and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications.
There is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to other equipment, which can be determined by turning the affected equipment off and on, the
user is encouraged to try and correct the interference by relocating the equipment or connecting the equipment to a
different circuit than the affected equipment.
Consult an authorized dealer or other qualified service technician for additional help if these remedies do not cor-
rect the problem. Operation is subject to the following conditions: (1) This device cannot cause harmful interference,
and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
The GPS II+does not contain any user-serviceable parts. Repairs should only be made by an authorized GARMIN
service center. Unauthorized repairs or modifications could void your warranty and your authority to operate this
device under Part 15 regulations.
FCC Compliance
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SECTION ONE
What is GPS? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Satellite Acquisition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Battery Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Unit Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Keypad Usage/Operating Terms . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Screen Orientation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Initializing the Receiver/Power On . . . . . . . .7-8
Initializing the Receiver/Troubleshooting . . . . .9
Page Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Getting Started Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-19
SECTION TWO Reference
Satellite Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20-25
Position Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26-28
Marking a Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29-30
Creating and Using Waypoints . . . . . . . . .31-39
GOTO and MOB Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40-41
TracBack Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42-45
Creating and Using Routes . . . . . . . . . . . .46-53
Compass and Highway Page . . . . . . . . . . .54-59
Map Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60-70
Menu Page and Auxiliary Functions . . . . .71-82
Simulator Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
Appendix A—Dashboard Mounting . . . . . . . .84
Appendix B—Specifications and Wiring . .85-88
Appendix C—External Antenna . . . . . . . . . . .89
Appendix D—Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90-91
Appendix E—Map Datums . . . . . . . . . . . .92-95
Appendix F—Time Offset Chart . . . . . . . . . . .96
Appendix G—Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97-99
Appendix H—Navigation Diagram . . . . . . . .100
Appendix I—Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
Table of Contents
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What is GPS?
1
What is GPS?
GPS is a system of 24 satellites which circle the earth twice a day in a very pre-
cise orbit and transmit information to earth. The GPS II+must continuously “see” at
least three of these satellites to calculate your position and track your movement.
By using an almanac (a timetable of satellite numbers and their orbits) stored in
the receiver’s memory, the GPS II+can determine the distance and position of any
GPS satellite and use this information to compute your position.
Your GPS receiver can only see satellites above the horizon, so it needs to know
what satellites to look for at any given time. To use this almanac data, your GPS
needs to either be told its general location or given the opportunity to find itself, or
“initialize.” Once you initialize the unit to a position, it will usually compute a fix
within a few minutes. We’ll show you how to initialize your new GPS on p. 7.
Initialization is only necessary under the following conditions:
• The first time you use your receiver (from the factory).
• After the receiver has been moved over 500 miles from the last time you
used it (with the power off).
• If the receiver’s memory has been cleared and all stored data has been lost.
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2
Satellite Acquisition
Satellite Acquisition
Because the GPS II+relies on satellite signals to provide you with navigation
guidance, the receiver needs to have an unobstructed, clear view of the sky for best
performance. In a nutshell, the GPS receiver’s view of the sky will generally deter-
mine how fast you get a position fix—or if you get a fix at all. GPS signals are rela-
tively weak and do not travel through rocks, buildings, people, metal, or heavy tree
cover, so remember to keep a clear view of the sky at all times for best performance.
Once the GPS II+has calculated a position fix, you’ll usually have anywhere from
four to twelve satellites in view. The receiver will then continuously select the best
satellites in view to update your position. If some of the satellites in view get blocked
or “shaded,” the receiver can simply use an alternate satellite to maintain the position
fix. Although a GPS receiver needs four satellites to provide a three-dimensional (3D)
fix, it can maintain a two-dimensional (2D) fix with only three satellites. A three-
dimensional fix means the unit knows its latitude, longitude, and altitude, while a
two-dimensional fix means the unit knows only its latitude and longitude.
To prevent accidental battery
power loss, the GPS II
+
will
automatically shut off 10 min-
utes after the last keystroke if
the unit is not tracking at least
one satellite and has not
acquired a position fix.
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3
Battery Installation
Battery Installation
The GPS II+operates on 4 AA batteries (not included), which are installed at the
base of the unit. These batteries provide up to 24 hours of use.
To install the batteries:
1. Flip up the metal ring at the base of the unit, and turn the ring 90˚ counter clockwise.
2. Install the batteries (Fig. 3), and close the battery compartment door.
3. Lock the door in the closed position by rotating the metal ring 90˚ clockwise.
Battery life varies due to a variety of factors, including temperature and
backlighting. You may find that the battery life varies in different conditions and
that lithium batteries provide longer life in colder conditions.
When replacing the GPS II+’s batteries, observe the polarity markings
engraved in the plastic case. An internal 10-year lithium battery will retain your
data while you’re changing batteries.
Polarity
Markings
Fig. 3
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4
Unit Features
Antenna
Function Keys
LCD Display
Battery Door
Rocker Keypad
Power Key (red)
To change the screen
orientation, press and
hold the page key.
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