Magellan GPS 300 User manual

GPS 300
GPS 300
User Manual

WARNINGS
A measure of knowledge by the user is required for proper and
safe use of the Magellan GPS 300™. READ THE USER GUIDE &
WARRANTY COMPLETELY.
Use Good Judgment
This product is an excellent navigation aid, but it does not replace
the need for careful orientation and good judgment. Never rely
solely on one device for navigating.
Use Care to Avoid Inaccuracies
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is operated by the U.S.
Government, which is solely responsible for the accuracy and the
maintenance of GPS. Certain conditions can make the system less
accurate.
No part of this User Guide may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying and recording, for any purpose other than the
purchaser’s personal use, without the written permission of
Magellan Corporation.
© Copyright 1999 by Magellan Corporation. All rights reserved.
Magellan™ and GPS 300™ are the trademarks of Magellan
Corporation.
PN: 630283 B

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction....................................................1
Welcome to the Magellan GPS 300 ..................................... 1
GPS 300 Description........................................................... 1
Magellan GPS 300............................................................... 2
Getting Started ................................................3
Installing the Batteries ......................................................... 3
Getting Signals from Satellites ............................................. 3
Initializing the Receiver - EZStart ........................................ 4
Computing a Position.......................................................... 5
Basic Operation...............................................7
Saving a Position Fix ............................................................ 7
Creating a Landmark ........................................................... 8
Viewing the POSITION Screen ........................................... 9
Viewing the NAVIGATION Screens .................................. 10
Creating a GOTO Route ................................................... 13
Summary ........................................................................... 14
Working with Landmarks..............................15
Viewing a Landmark.......................................................... 15
Editing the Landmark Name ............................................. 16
Deleting a Landmark ......................................................... 16

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Working with Routes.....................................17
Creating a Route................................................................ 17
Viewing a Route ................................................................ 19
Activating/Deactivating a Route ........................................ 20
Deleting a Route................................................................ 21
Appending a Leg to a Route............................................... 21
Activating a Leg in a Route ................................................ 22
Editing a Leg in a Route .................................................... 23
Deleting a Leg From a Route ............................................. 24
Additional Features .......................................25
Viewing theTime and Date ............................................... 25
Viewing Elevation.............................................................. 25
Viewing Battery Life .......................................................... 25
Changing Coordinate Systems ........................................... 26
Changing Map Datums ..................................................... 27
Changing Distance Units................................................... 27
ChangingTime Display andTime ..................................... 28
Changing North Reference ................................................ 28
Initializing the Receiver (EZSTART) ................................. 29
Activating the Demo Mode................................................ 30
Setting Display Contrast .................................................... 30
Troubleshooting ............................................31
Commonly Asked Questions ............................................. 32
Icons.................................................................................. 34
Accessories.....................................................36
Glossary.........................................................38
Index .............................................................41

1
Introduction
Welcome to the Magellan GPS 300
Congratulations on your purchase of the Magellan GPS 300
satellite navigator. The GPS 300 is an easy-to-use GPS
receiver designed to get you out in the “Great Outdoors”
rather than spending hours reading a User’s Manual. There
are, however, a few items that you need to be familiar with so
it is suggested that you follow along at least through the
chapter on Basic Operation.
Before you begin, make sure that your package includes the
items listed on the GPS 300 box. If any items are missing or
damaged, contact your Magellan dealer or retailer.
GPS 300 Description
The GPS 300 is a self-contained hand-held GPS receiver
designed for general purpose position locating and navigation.
It has a built-in antenna located at the top of the receiver, a
backlit display, and keypad. Using two AA batteries, inserted
from the battery door found at the back of the receiver, the
GPS 300 will operate continuously for up to 24 hours.

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The ENTER key
confirms data
entries or menu
selections.
The NAV key
accesses the
Position and
Navigation
screens.
The MARK key is
used to create
landmarks and store
the current position.
The LIGHT key turns
the light on and off.
The ARROW pad is used to
enter landmark names, and
scroll through the series of
screens and menu selections.
The MENU key is
used to access the
route, landmark and
setup functions.
The PWR key
turns the receiver
on and off.
The GOTO key is
used to create a
direct route to any
landmark stored in
memory.
GPS Antenna
Magellan GPS 300

3
Getting Started
Installing the Batteries
The GPS 300 uses two AA alkaline batteries that are installed
at the back of the receiver. To remove the battery cover, turn
the ring of the battery door screw counterclockwise until the
battery cover can be removed.
Insert the new batteries as
shown, being sure to respect the
polarities, and replace the
battery cover.
Replace the screw and turn the
ring clockwise until the battery
door is held in place securely.
You should avoid overtightening
the battery door screw.
+
-+-
Getting Signals from Satellites
Since the GPS 300 receives information from satellites
orbiting the earth, the antenna needs to have a relatively
unobstructed view of the sky. Large obstructions such as
buildings, cliffs, and overhangs may interfere with signal
reception causing your GPS 300 to take additional time to
compute your location.

4
The GPS 300 is designed to fit
comfortably in your hand. Hold
the receiver with the antenna
towards the sky.
Initializing the Receiver - EZStart
Before using your GPS 300 for the first time, the receiver
needs to know its approximate location. Using Magellan’s
EZStart procedure, the GPS 300 will prompt you for the
information it requires when you turn it on for the first time.
You do not need to initialize your receiver each time you use
it. Follow these steps to initialize the GPS 300 if this is the
first time you are using it.
1Press
PWR
to turn the GPS 300 on.
2SELECT REGION. Use the ARROW pad to change the
flashing text to select the appropriate region for your
present location. Press
ENTER
.
3SELECT COUNTRY or STATE. Use the ARROW pad
to change the flashing text to select the country or state for
your present location.
Press
ENTER
.

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4ENTER ELEVATION. Use the ARROW pad to enter
the approximate elevation for your position. If unknown,
leave the elevation at 0. Press
ENTER
.
5ENTER TIME. Use the ARROW pad to enter your
present time. Press
ENTER
.
6ENTER DATE. Use the ARROW pad to enter the date.
Press
ENTER
.
The GPS 300 then displays the POSITION screen and
automatically begins searching for satellites that it knows are
in this area for the date and time you entered.
The display shown here may differ
from yours depending upon the
information you selected in steps 2
and 3. As the GPS 300 scans the sky,
the arrow in the circle will swing
around pointing to a satellite and
displays, in the center of the circle,
that satellite’s elevation above the
horizon.
Computing a Position
The GPS 300 will begin to acquire information from the
satellites and use this information to compute your current
position (called a position fix). Whether you have just

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completed the initialization process or have just turned your
GPS 300 on, the GPS 300 will display the following screens
in the order shown.
As the GPS 300 searches for satellites,
some of the small circles around the
large circle will become black indicating
that the GPS 300 is tracking that
satellite and receiving information. The
number at the bottom right of the
screen displays how many satellites are
being tracked.
After the GPS receiver has received
positioning data from at least three
satellites (approximately 2-3 minutes), it
will begin computing a position fix
based upon the information it is
receiving. As soon as a position fix is
computed, the receiver switches to the
navigation screen displaying the moving
compass. The word “TRACKING” is
displayed in the lower right corner indicating that the receiver
is computing position fixes.
Note: If the receiver has not acquired a position fix in
approximately 10 minutes, refer to the troubleshooting
section of this manual.
More information on these screens and the information they
display can be found in the next chapter.