Garmin West Marine 276C Plus User manual

Owner’s Manual
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© Copyright 2005 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries
Garmin International, Inc.
1200 East 151st Street, Olathe, Kansas 66062, U.S.A.
Tel. [phone] or 800/800.1020
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Garmin (Europe) Ltd.
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Tel. [phone]
Fax [phone]
Garmin Corporation
No. 68, Jangshu 2nd Road, Shijr, Taipei County, Taiwan
Tel. [phone]
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Garmin®, AutoLocate®, TracBack®, BlueChart®, City Select®, and MapSource® are registered trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries and may not be used
without the express permission of Garmin.
January 2005 Part Number 190-00501-00 Rev. A Printed in Taiwan
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INTRODUCTION
Thank you for choosing the 276C Plus, which utilizes the proven
performance of Garmin® GPS and full-featured mapping to create an
unsurpassed portable marine navigation chartplotter and automobile
navigation device. Take a moment to compare the contents of this
package with the packing list on the outside of the box; if any pieces
are missing, contact your Garmin dealer immediately.
About This Manual
To get the most out of your new navigation system, take time to read
this manual and learn the operating procedures for your unit. This
manual is organized into the following eleven sections:
The Introduction contains the Table of Contents. The Getting
Started section provides an overview of the unit, how to turn the
unit on, and how to simulate navigation.
The Basic Operation in the Sea Modes section provides you with
information about navigating with the 276C Plus in the sea modes:
Powerboat and Sailboat. The Pages and Features of the Sea Modes
section reviews the main pages and features in sea modes, such as
using DSC and Man OverBoard.
The Basic Operation in the Land Modes section provides you with
information about navigating with the 276C Plus in Automotive
mode and Off Road mode. The Pages and Features of the Land
Modes section reviews, in detail, the main pages and features in
Automotive mode and Off Road mode, such as the Trip Computer.
The Additional Page and Features section describes pages and
features found in the Main Menu.
To learn how to change the settings of the 276C Plus, read the
Customizing Your 276C Plus section.
If you have a Garmin GSD 20 Sounder Module connected to your
276C Plus, refer to the Setting Up and Using Sonar section.
The Appendix contains specifications, optional accessories,
maintenance information, and other product information. Read the
Safety Information for information about installing and using
your 276C Plus safely and responsibly.
An Index is provided at the end of the manual for reference.
276C Plus Owner’s Manual i
INTRODUCTION > ABOUT THIS MANUAL
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Table of Contents
Introduction ...........................................................................i
About This Manual ................................................................... i
Getting Started .....................................................................1
Unit Overview .......................................................................... 1
Charging the 276C Plus .......................................................... 2
Information about Charge Mode .................................................... 2
Turning On the 276C Plus ....................................................... 3
Adjusting the Backlight and Volume .............................................. 3
Getting Satellite Signals ......................................................... 4
Viewing GPS Status with the GPS page ......................................... 4
Receiver Status ............................................................................... 5
GPS Options ................................................................................... 6
GPS Tips ......................................................................................... 6
Learning about the Keypad .................................................... 7
Using the 276C Plus ................................................................ 8
Understanding Features .................................................................. 8
Selecting Options and Entering Data .............................................. 9
Using the Databases ...................................................................... 10
Simulated Basic Navigation ................................................. 11
Activating Simulator Mode .......................................................... 11
Entering a New Location .............................................................. 11
Simulating Navigation .................................................................. 12
What is the Difference Between the Modes? ...................... 14
Powerboat Mode ........................................................................... 14
Sailboat Mode ............................................................................... 14
Automotive Mode ......................................................................... 14
Off Road Mode ............................................................................. 14
Which Mode Should I Use? .......................................................... 14
How do I Switch Modes? ............................................................. 14
Basic Operation .................................................................15
Finding an Item ...................................................................... 15
Using the Find From Feature ........................................................ 16
Recently Found Items ................................................................... 16
Viewing the Information Page ...................................................... 16
Creating and Using Routes .................................................. 17
Creating a Route ........................................................................... 17
Navigating a Saved Route ............................................................ 18
Editing a Route ............................................................................. 19
Using the Route Tab Options ........................................................ 20
Manually Transitioning to the Next Waypoint ............................. 20
Creating and Using Waypoints ............................................ 21
Marking Your Present Position ..................................................... 21
Creating a Waypoint Using the Map ............................................. 22
Creating a Waypoint by Entering Coordinates ............................. 23
Going to a Waypoint ..................................................................... 23
Reviewing a Waypoint .................................................................. 24
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Editing a Waypoint ....................................................................... 25
Adding a Waypoint to a Route ...................................................... 25
Projecting a Waypoint ................................................................... 26
Averaging the Waypoint’s Location ............................................. 27
Organizing Waypoints into Categories ......................................... 27
Deleting Waypoints ...................................................................... 29
Proximity Points ........................................................................... 30
Managing Your Tracks .......................................................... 32
Setting up and Saving your Tracks ............................................... 32
Saved Tracks ................................................................................. 34
Navigating a Saved Track ............................................................. 35
TracBack Tips ............................................................................... 35
Basic Operation In the Sea Modes ..................................36
Sea Modes Page Sequence .................................................. 36
Navigating in the Sea Modes ................................................ 37
Initiating Navigation ..................................................................... 37
Man OverBoard (MOB) ............................................................... 39
Adding Points to Your Route ........................................................ 39
Following a Route in the Sea Modes ................................... 40
Follow Your Route on the Map Page ............................................ 40
View Your Heading with the Compass Page ................................ 40
View Your Path on the Highway Page .......................................... 40
See Your Progress on the Active Route Page .............................. 41
Watch Your Trip Data on the Position Data Page ......................... 41
Sea Modes Pages and Features .......................................42
Map Page ................................................................................ 42
Map Orientation ............................................................................ 42
Zooming In and Out of the Map ................................................... 43
Panning the Map ........................................................................... 44
Changing the Map Detail .............................................................. 45
Measuring Distance ...................................................................... 45
Compass Page ....................................................................... 46
Compass Page Options ................................................................. 46
Using the Marine Timer ................................................................ 47
Highway Page ........................................................................ 48
Using the Highway Page .............................................................. 48
Highway Page Options ................................................................. 49
Active Route Page ................................................................. 50
Active Route Page Options ........................................................... 50
Tide Page ............................................................................... 51
Position Data Page ................................................................ 53
Position Data Page Options .......................................................... 53
Entering Your Vessel’s Information ..................................... 54
Setting Your Home Port ................................................................ 55
Navigating to Your Home Port ..................................................... 55
Viewing Your Marine Log ...................................................... 56
276C Plus Owner’s Manual iii
INTRODUCTION > TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Using DSC .............................................................................. 57
Understanding Distress Calls ........................................................ 57
Understanding Position Reports ................................................... 57
Making a Distress Call ................................................................. 57
Receiving a Position Report or Distress Call ............................... 58
Navigating to a DSC Location ................................................ 58
DSC Call List .......................................................................... 58
DSC Log ................................................................................. 59
DSC Directory ........................................................................ 59
Setting up DSC ............................................................................. 60
Basic Operation In the Land Modes ................................61
Automotive Mode Page Sequence ....................................... 61
Off Road Page Sequence ...................................................... 61
Navigating in Automotive Mode ........................................... 62
Initiating Navigation ..................................................................... 62
Following a Saved Route .............................................................. 63
Editing Your Route ....................................................................... 63
Entering Custom Avoids ......................................................... 64
Creating a Detour .................................................................... 64
Adding and Editing Stops (Via Points) ................................... 65
Following an Automotive Route ................................................... 66
Track your Progress with the Map Page ................................. 66
Watch your Trip Information .................................................. 66
See your Next Turn with the Current Route Page ................... 66
Navigating in Off Road Mode ............................................... 67
Initiating Navigation ..................................................................... 67
Following an Off Road Route ....................................................... 67
See Your Route on the Map Page ............................................ 67
View Your Heading with the Compass Page .......................... 67
See Your Progress on the Active Route Page ......................... 67
Watch your Trip Information .................................................. 67
Pages and Features of the Land Modes ..........................68
Map Page ................................................................................ 68
Current Route Page ............................................................... 69
Saving the Current Route ............................................................. 69
Trip Computer Page .............................................................. 70
Resetting the Trip Computer ......................................................... 70
Dashboard Page .................................................................... 71
Additional Features ...........................................................72
Setting Alarms ....................................................................... 72
Navigation (Nav) Alarms ............................................................. 72
System Alarms .............................................................................. 73
Sonar Alarms ................................................................................ 73
Using the Calendar ................................................................ 74
Day View ...................................................................................... 74
Week View .................................................................................... 74
Month View .................................................................................. 74
Calendar Options .......................................................................... 74
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Viewing Celestial Information .............................................. 75
Sun & Moon Tab .......................................................................... 75
Hunt & Fish Tab ........................................................................... 76
Viewing Messages ................................................................. 77
Viewing the Temperature ...................................................... 78
Changing the Temperature Display .............................................. 78
Reset the Temperature Graph ....................................................... 78
Customizing Your 276C Plus ............................................79
Setting up the System ........................................................... 79
Adding a Welcome Message ......................................................... 79
Enabling Map Data ....................................................................... 80
Changing the Page Layout and Data Fields .................................. 81
Setting up the Map Page ............................................................... 81
Changing the Page Sequence ........................................................ 82
Some Tips about the Page Sequence ....................................... 82
Changing the Display ................................................................... 83
Changing the Sounds .................................................................... 84
Changing the System Settings ...................................................... 85
Setting the Timers ......................................................................... 86
Changing the Time ........................................................................ 86
Customizing the Units .................................................................. 87
Restoring Defaults ........................................................................ 87
Customizing the Routing and Guidance Settings .............. 88
Road Routing Settings .................................................................. 88
Guidance Settings ......................................................................... 89
Changing the Location Settings .......................................... 90
Changing the Location Format ..................................................... 90
Selecting a Different Map Datum ................................................. 90
Selecting a Different Heading Reference ..................................... 90
Changing the Data Format ................................................... 91
Advanced NMEA Output Setup ................................................... 93
Setting up and Using Sonar .............................................94
Using the Sonar Page ........................................................... 94
Adjusting the Sonar Page ............................................................. 95
Adjustment Options ................................................................ 96
Resizing the Split Screen .............................................................. 97
Using the Pointer on the Sonar Page ............................................ 98
Marking an Underwater Waypoint ............................................... 98
Showing Sonar on the Map Page .................................................. 99
Setting Up the Sonar ........................................................... 100
Calibrating the Water Speed ....................................................... 101
Setting up the Sonar Display ...................................................... 102
Understanding Sonar .......................................................... 103
Understanding the Sonar Display ............................................... 103
Transducer Coverage .................................................................. 104
Whiteline .................................................................................... 105
Thermoclines .............................................................................. 105
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Appendix ..........................................................................106
Specifications ...................................................................... 106
Physical ....................................................................................... 106
Power .......................................................................................... 106
Performance ................................................................................ 106
Accuracy ............................................................................... 106
Care Information ................................................................. 107
Cleaning the Unit ........................................................................ 107
Storing the 276C Plus ................................................................. 107
Immersing the Unit in Water ...................................................... 107
Optional Accessories .......................................................... 108
Installation Information ....................................................... 109
Connecting the Power/Data Cable .............................................. 109
Connecting Your 276C Plus to a Computer ................................ 110
Information about USB Drivers ............................................ 110
Using xImage for Customized Waypoint Icons .......................... 111
Installing and Removing Data Cards .......................................... 111
Interfacing ................................................................................... 112
Removing the Antenna ............................................................... 112
Learning about GPS ............................................................ 113
Common GPS Terms .................................................................. 113
What is Differential GPS (DGPS)? ............................................ 113
Differential Field ........................................................................ 113
What is WAAS? .......................................................................... 114
LORAN TD Setup ................................................................. 115
LORAN TD Feature ................................................................... 115
Using the LORAN TD Format ................................................... 115
Map Datums and Location Formats .................................. 117
What are a Map Datum and which should I use? ....................... 117
What is a Location Format and which should I use? .................. 117
Digital Selective Calling (DSC) ........................................... 118
What is a Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number? . 118
How are MMSI assignments obtained? ...................................... 119
Non-Federal Users in the United States ............................... 119
Federal Users in the United States ....................................... 119
Users Outside the United States ............................................ 119
Users In Canada .................................................................... 119
How can Garmin help you with DSC? ....................................... 119
Data Field Options ............................................................... 120
Messages ............................................................................. 122
Safety and Product Information ......................................... 123
Software License Agreement ...................................................... 123
Product Registration ................................................................... 123
Contact Garmin ........................................................................... 123
Limited Warranty ........................................................................ 124
FCC Compliance ........................................................................ 125
Safety Information ...................................................................... 125
Index .................................................................................127
vi 276C Plus Owner’s Manual
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GETTING STARTED
Unit Overview
The 276C Plus is an all-in-one, versatile color chartplotter and automobile navigator—perfect for land or water. This portable GPS navigator
features a 256-color TFT display that is easy to read in bright sunlight, a built-in basemap, and auto routing to provide you with automatically
generated turn-by-turn directions.
External power
connector under
weather cap
USB connector
under weather cap Slot for optional data card
Battery pack. Press tab down to
remove battery pack for replacement,
if necessary. See the “Safety
Information” on page 125 for more
information about the lithium-ion
battery pack.
Backlit keypad for easy nighttime operation
Antenna
256-Color TFT display
with backlighting
Detachable antenna
collapses for storage.
Be sure the antenna is
up (as shown here)
to receive satellite
signals. Refer to
the Appendix,
page 112, for
instructions on
removing the
antenna.
Serial number
276C Plus Owner’s Manual 1
GETTING STARTED > UNIT OVERVIEW
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Charging the 276C Plus
Before using the unit, you may need to charge the battery in the
276C Plus. Simply plug the unit into an external power source to
charge. You can use the unit while it is charging.
To charge the unit’s battery:
1. Lift the rubber weather cap to expose the power connector
on the back of the unit. Refer to the image on page 1 for
connector location.
2. Align the notches and push the plug into the connector until
fully seated.
3. Plug the 12 Volt adapter into an available AC outlet, or
cigarette lighter receptacle if you have a Cigarette Lighter
Adapter. Use care when routing the cable; be certain that it
does not interfere with vehicle operation.
The unit begins charging as soon as external power is applied.
Placing the unit in Charge mode, as discussed below, charges the
unit more quickly than when the unit is turned on and reduces draw
on the vessel/vehicle battery.
Information about Charge Mode
Applying external power to the 276C Plus automatically turns on
the unit for full operation. If the battery is present and needs to be
charged, the external power source charges the battery while the unit
is in use.
If you do not want to use the unit, but you would like to charge the
battery, you can put the unit into Charge mode. Connect the unit
to an external power supply. Press and hold the red POWER key.
Instead of completely turning off, the unit now goes into Charge
mode, as shown below.
Charge Mode
NOTE: While in Charge mode, the unit draws a small amount of
current from the vessel/vehicle battery. To avoid discharging the
vehicle’s battery, disconnect the external power cable from the
276C Plus when not in use for several days.
After using the unit extensively, you may notice that the lithium-
ion battery is not holding a charge any more. This is common for
lithium-ion batteries. Contact Garmin or your Garmin Dealer to
order a Battery Pack replacement if you are experiencing charging
issues with your battery.
2 276C Plus Owner’s Manual
GETTING STARTED > CHARGING THE 276C PLUS
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Turning On the 276C Plus
The first time you turn on your new 276C Plus, the receiver
must collect satellite data and establish its present position. To
ensure proper initialization, the 276C Plus is shipped from the
factory in AutoLocate mode, which allows the receiver to “find
itself” anywhere in the world. Before you turn on the unit to start
initialization, be sure that the antenna is rotated up as shown on page
1, and that it has a clear and unobstructed view of the sky to receive
satellite signals.
To turn on and off the 276C Plus:
1. Press and hold the red POWER key. When the unit powers
on, a tone sounds and the Warning page displays.
Warning Page
2. Read and be sure you understand the warning. If you have
external devices connected, they are listed here. Press
ENTER to continue.
To turn off the unit, press and hold the red POWER key again.
Adjusting the Backlight and Volume
You may want to adjust the backlight to see the display better. If
you are using the optional External Speaker with 12/24-Volt Adapter
Cable with the 276C Plus, you may want to adjust the volume level
of the speaker.
To adjust the backlight level or volume:
1. Press and quickly release the POWER key.
2. Press the Rocker key Up to increase the brightness or Down
to decrease. Press Right to raise the volume or Left to lower.
3. Press ENTER or QUIT to close the Backlight/Volume
adjustment window. Press MENU to view the options menu.
Backlight
Adjustment Slider
Volume
Adjustment Slider
Battery Time Remaining and Power Source Indicator
276C Plus Owner’s Manual 3
GETTING STARTED > TURNING ON THE 276C PLUS
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Getting Satellite Signals
After you turn on the 276C Plus, the unit automatically begins
searching for satellites. The GPS page is displayed while the unit
is gathering satellite signals and acquiring a fix, which should take
only a few minutes. While the 276C Plus is gathering satellite
signals, the GPS page displays the status as “Acquiring Satellites.”
It may take a few minutes to acquire satellites and display your
current location on the map. Be patient as the unit acquires satellite
data. To get signals more quickly, be sure the antenna is raised to the
up position shown in the image on page 1.
GPS Page
NOTE: While acquiring satellites, the Map page may display the
wrong location, such as China. This does not mean your unit has
the wrong data loaded; it simply means you need to wait a few
more minutes to acquire satellites and find your current location.
Viewing GPS Status with the GPS page
The GPS page provides a visual reference of satellite acquisition,
receiver status, accuracy, as well as other system information.
The sky view and signal strength bars give an indication of what
satellites are visible to the receiver and whether they are being
tracked.
As the receiver locks onto satellites, a signal strength bar appears
for each satellite in view, with the appropriate satellite number
underneath each bar. The numbers displayed below each bar
represent the particular satellite that is being received. Numbers
above 33 indicate WAAS satellites.
The sky view shows a birds-eye view of the position of each satellite
relative to the receiver’s last known position. The outer circle
represents the horizon (north up), the inner circle represents 45º
above the horizon, and the center point represents a position directly
overhead. You can also set the sky view to a Track Up configuration,
causing the top of the sky view to align along your current track
heading. Press MENU to change the configuration of the sky view.
A power source indicator shows the unit is operating off battery
power ( ), that the unit is charging ( ), or that an
external power source is in use ( ).
4 276C Plus Owner’s Manual
GETTING STARTED > GETTING SATELLITE SIGNALS
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GPS Page
Receiver
Status
Field
Sky view
Signal
Strength
Bars
Power
Source
Indicator
The progress of satellite acquisition is shown in three stages:
• No signal strength bars—the receiver is looking for the
satellites indicated.
• White signal strength bars—the receiver has found the
satellite and is collecting data.
• Green signal strength bars—the receiver has collected the
necessary data from this satellite.
As soon as the 276C Plus has collected the necessary data from the
best satellites in view to calculate a fix, the status field indicates the
status of the receiver. The unit then updates the position, date and
time.
Receiver Status
The Receiver Status field displays one of the following conditions:
• Searching the Sky—the receiver is looking for satellites.
• AutoLocate—the receiver is looking for any satellite whose
almanac has been collected, which can take up to 5 minutes.
• Acquiring Satellites—the receiver is looking for and
collecting data from satellites visible at its last known or
initialized position, but has not acquired a fix.
• 2D GPS Location: At least three satellites have been
acquired, and a two-dimensional position fix has been
calculated. “2D Differential” appears when you are receiving
DGPS corrections in 2D mode, and a “D” appears on the
strength bar of satellites being corrected.
• 3D GPS Location: At least four satellites have been
acquired, and a three-dimensional fix has been calculated.
“3D Differential” appears when you are receiving DGPS
corrections in 3D mode, and a “D” appears on the strength bar
of satellites being corrected.
• Lost Satellite Reception—the receiver is no longer tracking
enough satellites for a 2D or 3D fix.
• Receiver Not Usable—the receiver is unusable, possibly due
to interference or abnormal satellite conditions. Turn the unit
off and back on to reset.
• Simulating GPS—the receiver is in simulator mode.
• GPS Off—the GPS receiver is turned off.
276C Plus Owner’s Manual 5
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GPS Options
Press MENU two times to open the Main Menu. Use the Rocker
key to highlight GPS. Press MENU to open the options menu.
GPS Page Options Menu
Start/Stop Simulator—activates and deactivates simulator mode,
which is particularly helpful when learning how to use your unit.
WAAS On—enables WAAS capability. Refer to page 114 of the
“Appendix” for more information about WAAS.
Track/North Up—orients the sky view display on the GPS page to
north up or track up.
New Altitude—allows you to manually enter your altitude.
New Location—allows you to enter a new location automatically or
using the map.
GPS Tips
While the receiver is gathering information, your location on
the map may display as different from where you actually are
located. Be patient. As soon as the receiver gathers enough satellite
information, your proper location is displayed on the map.
Any time you have traveled more than 600 miles with the GPS
receiver turned off, the receiver may take longer than normal to
initialize and find your location.
The GPS receiver can lose satellite signals due to interference from
such items as buildings, tunnels, and heavy tree cover. Monitoring
the GPS status is recommended.
To learn about GPS, refer to “Learning about GPS” on page 113.
6 276C Plus Owner’s Manual
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Learning about the Keypad
Press the IN key to adjust the map scale to show a smaller
area with more detail (zoom in).
Press the OUT key to adjust the map scale to show a larger
area with less detail (zoom out).
Press the PAGE/MODE key to cycle through the main
pages in sequence and exit a submenu page. Press and hold
to switch between the usage modes.
Press QUIT to cycle the unit through the main pages in
reverse sequence, revert to the previous value in a data
entry fi eld, or cancel an unintended function.
Press ENTER to select a highlighted option. When
entering data, it allows you to initiate entry and to accept
the selected value. Press and hold for more than one
second to mark your current location as a waypoint.
Press MENU to display a menu of available options for
the current page. Press MENU twice to display the Main
Menu.
Press the NAV/ MOB ( Navigate/Man OverBoard) key
to display the Navigation Menu. While in the sea modes,
press and hold for more than one second to activate the
Man Overboard (MOB) function.
While navigating to a destination in a land mode, press
and hold to display the Next Turn page and announce the
next turn when using the external speaker. If you are not
navigating to a destination but are in a land mode, press
and hold NAV/MOB to announce the GPS status over the
external speaker.
Press the FIND key to quickly search for and access user
waypoints, cities, points of interest, services, and other
items used for navigation.
Press and hold the POWER key for more than one second
to turn the unit on and off. Briefl y press and release to
adjust the backlighting and external speaker volume.
Use the Rocker key to highlight options and to enter
data. Also use to pan the arrow on the Map page.
276C Plus Owner’s Manual 7
GETTING STARTED > LEARNING ABOUT THE KEYPAD
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Using the 276C Plus
This section explains how to enter and select information with the
276C Plus.
Understanding Features
The 276C Plus advanced keypad system is designed to allow quick,
convenient selection of navigation options and data entry. As you
progress through this Owner’s Manual, you will be directed to
press a specific key or highlight a field on the screen. When you
are directed to press a key, you should press and quickly release the
key. If the key needs to be held down for a period of time to activate
a secondary function, the instructions will tell you to do so. When
a field is selected on the screen, it is highlighted in yellow. The
position of the highlight is controlled by the Rocker key.
The following terms are used throughout this manual:
Highlight—move the highlighted area on the screen Up, Down,
Left, or Right with the Rocker key to select individual fields.
Moving the highlight to a given location allows you to make a
selection, begin data entry, or scroll through a list.
Field—the location on a page where data or an option may be
entered and displayed. Select (highlight) a field using the Rocker
key to begin entering data or selecting options.
On-Screen Button—similar to “field.” Use the Rocker key to
highlight a button and press ENTER to select the button.
Scroll Bar—when viewing a list of items too long to display on
the screen, a scroll bar appears along the right side of the list.
The position of the scroll bar indicates which portion of the list is
currently displayed. To scroll through a list, press Up or Down on
the Rocker key.
Default—the factory setting saved in the unit’s memory. You can
change the settings as you like, but you can also revert to the factory
(default) settings when you select Restore Defaults.
Highlighted Field
Field
On-screen buttons
8 276C Plus Owner’s Manual
GETTING STARTED > USING THE 276C PLUS
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Selecting Options and Entering Data
To enter data and select options, use the Rocker key to highlight,
select, or choose an item in a list or a field on the screen. Use the
ENTER key and the Rocker key to select options, enter names and
numbers in data fields, and activate your selections.
To select and activate an option:
1. With any page displayed, press MENU. An options menu
appears with a list of optional features for that page.
2. Use the Rocker key to move the highlight Up, Down, Right,
or Left on the menu to your desired selection.
3. Press ENTER to activate the feature. Another window may
then appear with more options. If so, select the desired
option and press ENTER again.
Selecting an option from an options menu
To exit a menu or return to the previous setting:
Press QUIT. The QUIT key moves backwards through your
steps. Press QUIT repeatedly to return to the starting page.
To select and activate an on-screen button:
1. On a page with on-screen buttons, use the Rocker key to
highlight the desired on-screen button.
2. Press ENTER.
On-Screen Button
To practice entering data, try marking a waypoint and customizing
one of the waypoint properties, such as the waypoint name.
To mark your current location as a waypoint, press and hold
ENTER/MARK until the New Waypoint page appears.
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To enter data in a data field:
1. Use the Rocker key to highlight the desired data field and
press ENTER to activate the field.
2. Press Up or Down on the Rocker key to select characters.
Press Right to move to the next character or press Left to
move back to the previous character. If there are two lines of
data, keep pressing Right to drop to the next line.
3. After entering the desired data, press ENTER.
Entering data
TIP: To clear the entire data field, highlight the left-most
character field and press Left once more on the Rocker key.
Not all fields are programmable. When you are on a page with fields
that are not selectable, the highlight skips over them.
Using the Databases
Optional Garmin Data Cards and MapSource CD-ROMs enhance
the versatility of your 276C Plus. With optional MapSource City
Select data, you can view listings of nearby restaurants, lodging,
shopping centers, attractions and entertainment, and even retrieve
addresses and phone numbers for any listed location.
The included USB Interface Cable or an optional PC Interface Cable
(with a serial connector) is used to transfer MapSource CD-ROM
data to the optional Data Card.
Refer to the Garmin Web site at http://www.garmin.com/
cartography/ for compatible MapSource products.
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Simulated Basic Navigation
To help you get to know your 276C Plus, you can use the unit in
Simulator mode. Simulator mode is also helpful for practicing
with the unit indoors or when no satellite signals are available. All
waypoints and routes created in Simulator mode are retained in
memory for future use. The following section describes how to use
simulator mode and walks you through some basic navigation using
the simulator.
Activating Simulator Mode
You can activate Simulator mode from the GPS page.
To put activate Simulator mode using the GPS page:
1. Press PAGE or QUIT to display the GPS page.
2. Press MENU to open the GPS page options menu.
3. Highlight Start Simulator and press ENTER.
NOTE: Do not attempt to navigate using Simulator mode. When
the unit is set to Simulator mode, the GPS receiver is turned off.
Any Satellite Signal Strength Bars displayed are only simulations
and do not represent the strength of actual satellite signals.
Highlight Start Simulator and press ENTER.
Entering a New Location
From the GPS options menu you can also enter a New Location to
simulate from.
To enter a New Location using the map:
1. Press PAGE or QUIT to display the GPS page.
2. Press MENU to open the GPS page options menu.
3. Highlight New Location and press ENTER.
4. Highlight Use Map and press ENTER.
5. Use the Rocker key to move the panning arrow to the
desired location on the map and press ENTER.
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Simulating Navigation
The main purpose of using a GPS receiver is for navigating to a
known position. To get a feel for navigating with the 276C Plus, it
is a good idea to practice navigation in Simulator mode. For this
simulation we have set our location to the San Diego coast.
To find a marine destination:
1. Be sure the 276C Plus is set to Simulator mode (see
“Activating Simulator Mode” on the previous page).
2. Press the FIND key.
3. Highlight Tide Stations and press ENTER.
4. Use the Rocker key to select a nearby Tide Station and
press ENTER. For our example, we selected Point Loma.
5. With Go To highlighted on the Tide Station Information Page,
press ENTER.
To simulate navigation to the marine destination:
1. Follow the previous steps to find a destination. The 276C
Plus switches to the Map page. A magenta line shows the
direct route from your current location to your destination. If
desired, press IN or OUT to adjust the zoom level.
2. Press the PAGE key twice to display the Compass page.
3. Press Up on the Rocker key to increase the speed to 40 kt.
(which is the desired speed setting). Press the Rocker key
Right or Left to simulate steering.
4. Press QUIT twice to return to the Map Page. Press IN to
adjust the zoom level. Observe the movement of the position
marker (triangle) as the unit simulates navigation.
5. If desired, press PAGE or QUIT to view the simulated
navigation on the other main pages.
Simulated navigation displayed on the Map Page
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