MLR FX312 User manual

FX312 & FX412 VERSION 2.0
MLR ELECTRONIQUE
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Dear Customer,
Thank you for choosing the MLR FX312 GPS or the MLR FX412 DGPS Navigator. We are
confident it will give you many years of excellent service and you will enjoy exploring the
numerous functions available from this state of the art GPS or DGPS.
For further information or technical help, please do not hesitate to contact your local dealer or
MLR Electronique in Vallet, who will be pleased to help you.
If you have chosen the FX312, you will be able to upgrade its accuracy by connecting it to the
MLR DF300 Differential Beacon Receiver, or by modifying it into a FX412. For more
information, contact your local dealer.
Yours sincerely,
Jean Pierre MAQUAIRE
C.E.O

FX312 & FX412 VERSION 2.0
MLR ELECTRONIQUE
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FX312 & FX412 VERSION 2.0
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ATTENTION: IMPORTANT NOTES
The United States of America Department of Defence is responsible for the operation and
management of the GPS System. The accuracy is by “Selective Availability” which is
equivalent to plus or minus 100 metres.
The MLR FX312 high accuracy GPS or the MLR FX412 high accuracy DGPS is an AID TO
NAVIGATION ONLY and should not be used as a substitute for more traditional methods
of navigation.
When connecting your GPS or DGPS to other manufacturers equipment i.e. autopilots,
video plotters etc., you must still ensure a permanent watch is always kept as all
electronic instruments are designed to be an AID TO NAVIGATION ONLY.
MLR Electronique and their network of Distributors do not accept any responsibility for
any consequential losses resulting from the use of this dev ice.

FX312 & FX412 VERSION 2.0
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FX312 & FX412 VERSION 2.0
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COM -NO- FX312 & FX412 - 02
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CONTENTS
A – PRESENTATION ................................................................................................................................................................ . 7
B – USING YOUR GPS .............................................................................................................................................................. 7
1 – POSITION DISPLAY .......................................................................................................................................................... 7
2 – NAVIGATION DISPLAY: SPEED AN D COURSE OVER THE GROUND ..................................................................... 9
3 – GO TO WAYPOINT DISPLAYS ........................................................................................................................................ 9
3.1. – ACTIVATE THE GOTO WAYPOINT FUNCTION ..................................................................................................... 9
3.2. – DEACTIVATE THE GOTO WAYPOINT FUNCTION ..............................................................................................12
3.3. – DISPLAY MODE SELECTION: DATA, COMPASS, 3D ROAD OR RADAR ...........................................................12
3.4. – CHANGING THE DESTINATION WAYPOINT ........................................................................................................14
3.5. – CREATING A NEW WAYPOINT ...............................................................................................................................14
3.6. – WAYPOINT ENTRY BY RANGE AND BEARING ..................................................................................................... 15
3.7. – KEEPING YOUR WAYPOINT PERMANENTLY ACTIVE ........................................................................................16
3.8. – MODIFY A WAYPOINT ............................................................................................................................................17
3.9. – DELETE A WAYPOINT OR ALL OF THE WAYPOINTS ..........................................................................................18
3.10. – DISPLAY RANGE AND BEARING BETWEEN 2 WAYPOINTS .............................................................................19
3.11. – WAYPOINT MEMORY ALLOCATION: USED AND FREE MEMORY .................................................................. 20
4 – GOTO ROUTE DISPLAY: FOLLOWING A ROUTE ......................................................................................................20
4.1. – ACTIVATE THE GOTO ROUTE FUNCTION ..........................................................................................................21
4.2. – DEACTIVATE THE GOTO ROUTE FUNCTION ..................................................................................................... 22
4.3. – DISPLAY MODE SELECTION: DATA, COMPASS, 3D ROAD OR RADAR ...........................................................22
4.4. – CHANGING THE ROUTE IN USE ...........................................................................................................................23
4.5. – ENTER A NEW ROUTE ............................................................................................................................................23
4.6. – MODIFY A ROUTE ...................................................................................................................................................24
4.7. – DELETE A ROUTE OR ALL OF THE ROUTES .......................................................................................................25
4.8. – ADVANCE TO THE NEXT WAYPOINT IN AN ACTIVE ROUTE ............................................................................25
4.9. – DISPLAY THE ROUTE DETAILS .............................................................................................................................25
4.10. – ROUTE MEMORY : USED AND FREE MEMORY ................................................................................................26
5 – PLOT TER DISPLAY: VIEW YOUR TRACK AND CURRENT POSITION RELATIVE TO SURROUNDINGS ........27
5.1. – ACTIVATE THE HOME FUNCTION ........................................................................................................................27
5.2. – SELECT THE FULL SCREEN OR WINDOW MODE ...............................................................................................28
5.3 . – SELECTION OF WAYPOINT NAMES ON PLOTTER DISPLAY .............................................................................28
5.4. – SELECTION OF THE TYPE OF INFORMATION DISPLAYED ..............................................................................29
5.5. – DISPLAY THE CHART OUTLINE ............................................................................................................................ 30
5.6. – ENTER A CHAR T OUTLINE ..................................................................................................................................... 30
5.7. – DELETE THE TRACK OR THE CHART OUTLINE ................................................................................................ . 32
5.8. – COPY THE TRACK OR THE CHART OUTLINE ..................................................................................................... 33
5.9. – SELECT TRACKING INTERVAL BY DISTANCE ..................................................................................................... 33
5.10. – TRACK AND CHART MEMORY: USED AND FREE MEMORY ...........................................................................34
5.11. – CHANGE THE ZOOM SCALE ON THE PLOTTER SCREEN ................................................................................34
5.12. – CURSOR MODE ......................................................................................................................................................35
5.13. – CENTER THE PLOTTER SCREEN ON A WAYPOINT ..........................................................................................35
6 – MAN OVER BOARD (MOB) AND MARK FUNCTIONS ..............................................................................................36
6.1. – MOB ACTIVATION ...................................................................................................................................................36
6.2. – MARK (EVENT / WAYPOINT) ACTIVATION ...........................................................................................................37
7 – SIMULATOR FUNCTION ...............................................................................................................................................38
8 – SATELLITES .................................................................................................................................................................... 39
9 – TO USE THE FX312 OR THE FX412 IN DIFFERENTIAL MODE .................................................................................39
9.1. – USING THE FX312 WITH THE MLR DF300 DIFF ERENTIAL BEACON RECEIVER ...........................................39
9.2. – USING THE FX312 WITH OTHER MANUFACTURERS DGPS RECEIVERS ........................................................41
9.3. – USING THE FX412 IN DIFFERENTIAL MODE ......................................................................................................41

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10 – USE OF DIGIPOINT TO ENTER WAYPOINTS, ROUTES AND CHART OUTLINE .................................................44
11 – DGPS RECEPTION MESSAGES ................................................................................................................................... 44
12 – SOFTWARE VERSION AND GPS YEAR OF YOUR RECEIVER ...............................................................................45
C – BEGINNERS GUIDE .........................................................................................................................................................46
1 – POWER ON/OFF ...............................................................................................................................................................46
2 – SATELLITES .................................................................................................................................................................... 47
3 – CONTRAST AND BACKLIGHT ADJUSTMENT ...........................................................................................................48
4 – GENERAL PROCEDURES USING THE KEYBOARD .................................................................................................. 49
5 – USE OF 'ARROWS' KEYS AND ENTER .........................................................................................................................51
6 – ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS ...............................................................................................................................52
6.1. – ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS ON THE SCREEN ............................................................................................52
6.2. – MEASUREMENT ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................................................53
7 – INITIALISATION AND CONFIGURATION OF YOUR GPS ........................................................................................53
7.1. – SYSTEM MENU .........................................................................................................................................................54
7.2. – NAVIGATION MENU ................................................................................................................................................60
D – DESCRIPTION OF THE EQUIPMENT AND S PECIFICATIONS .............................................................................67
1 – CONTENTS OF FX312 .....................................................................................................................................................67
2 – CONTENTS OF FX412 .....................................................................................................................................................67
3 – COMMUN SPECIFICATIONS OF THE FX312 & FX412 ................................................................................................67
4 – PARTICULAR SPECI FICATIONS OF THE FX412 .......................................................................................................69
E – INSTALLATION INSTRU CTIONS ................................................................................................................................ . 70
1 – RECEIVER CASE .............................................................................................................................................................70
2 – SITING THE ANTENNA ..................................................................................................................................................71
2.1. - FX312 ANTENNA ........................................................................................................................................................72
2.2. - FX412 ANTENNA ........................................................................................................................................................72
3 – PROCEDURE FOR ELIMINATION OF INTERFERENCE (ONLY FOR FX412) ..........................................................74
3.1. – VERIFICATION OF DIFFERENTIAL SIGNAL RECEPTION ..................................................................................74
3.2. – DETECTION OF THE INTERFERENCE PRESENT ................................................................................................74
3.3. – DETECTION OF THE NATURE OF INTERFERENCE ...........................................................................................74
3.4. – SOLUTION TO INTERFERENCE ON THE POWER SUPPLY. ...............................................................................75
3.5. – SO LUTION OF INTERFERENCE BY RADIATION ................................................................................................ . 75
3.6. – SOLUTION TO MECHANICAL INTERFERENCE ................................................................................................... 75
MLR Electronique, 30 September 1999.

FX312 & FX412 VERSION 2.0
MLR ELECTRONIQUE
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YOUR USER’S MANUAL FX312 & FX412
This user manual applies to both units FX312 and FX412. For the FX412, you will find specific
instructions to install the receiver and its antenna as well as for its use in differential mode.
A – PRESENTATION
The MLR FX312 GPS is a radio–positioning receiver using signals from the NAVSTAR GPS
(Global Positioning System) satellite constellation. The MLR FX412 works with the GPS signals
and the signals from the DGPS radio-beacons. They offer simultaneously : high accuracy,
continuous coverage and world- wide availability.
The FX312 and the FX412 display 5 function screens and 5 MENUS linked to these functions.
You have easy access to these screens with the new direct access concept (DIRECT
ACCESS™).
B – USING YOUR GPS
1 – POSITION DISPLAY
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR FIRST TIME USERS : WE SUGGEST YOU BROWSE THROUGH
CHAPTER C, BEGINNERS GUIDE, AND CHAPTER E, ADVICE ON INSTALLATION.
Press the Pos key to display the POSITION function. The geographical position of the vessel is
displayed in the centre of the screen in degrees, minutes, tenths, hundredths and thousandths
of minutes. The position can also be displayed in other types of co-ordinates (Lambert, Swiss
Grid, English Grid, Irish Grid etc.) which you may select from the SYSTEM MENU. The position
is updated every second when the symbol representing a satellite is displayed at the top left of
the screen.
You will find at the top of the screen:
-The symbol representing a satellite when the FX312 or FX412 calculates and
validates the displayed position.
-The letter D when the FX312 or FX412 calculates and validates the position in
differential mode.
- The letter M when a message has been received from the Differential Station. To read
this message go to paragraph 11.

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-The date and the time. To display the local time, enter the time difference between
local time and UTC in the SYSTEM MENU. In UK the time difference is +1 hour in
summer and 0 in winter.
-Your altitude, your accuracy (ACC) or no data, depending on your choice in the
SYSTEM MENU.
Your speed and course over ground are displ ayed at the bottom of the screen.
When working in differential mode, the D letter is displayed in the top left of the screen.
Note 1: The accuracy displayed is also called ECP (Error Circular Probability), it is the radius of
the circle that contains 50% of the positions calculated by your GPS. The accuracy
automatically integrates working in differential mode.
Note 2: From the Navigation Menu you may select 2D, 3D or Auto mode. The altitude
measurement unit (i.e. metres or feet) can be selected from the NAVIGATION MENU.
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2 – NAVIGATION DISPLAY: SPEED AND COURSE OVER THE GROUND
Press the Nav key to display the NAVIGATION function. The central part of the screen shows :
Speed Over the Ground SOG (in knots, kilometre/hours or in mile/hours) and Course Over the
Ground COG (in degrees) on the lower line.
Note: When the speed is zero, the course cannot be calculated and dashes are displayed.
Information displayed in the top part of this screen is identical to the POSITION screen.
Two logs, L1 and L2 display the distances travelled (in the unit selected i.e. km, miles etc. from
the NAVIGATION MENU) in the lower part of the screen.
Note: From the NAVIGATION MENU you can reset to zero each log individually and con figure
the following parameters: unit of distance, unit of altitude, 2D/3D/Auto mode, speed filter,
compass variation and alarms.
_____________________
3 – GO TO WAYPOINT DISPLAYS
3.1. – ACTIVATE THE GOTO WAYPOINT FUNCTION
Press the GoTo key. The GOTO options are displayed unless a waypoint or a route has already
been selected; in which case you get the Data, Compass, 3D Road or Radar displays.
You now have the option of choosing a WAYPOINT FROM THE LIST, NEW WAYPOINT,
ROUTE FROM THE LIST or NEW ROUTE.

FX312 & FX412 VERSION 2.0
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To select a waypoint from the list, press the 0key (or select 0-WAYPOINT FROM THE LIST
and press Enter ). Use the arrow keys to move the cursor in the list and press Enter when
you have selected the desired waypoint.
Of course you can Enter a new waypoint when the list of waypoints is empty (refer to paragraph
3.5 CREATE A NEW WAYPOINT)
You also have the option to activate a route from the list or to create a new route (see Chapter
4- GOTO ROUTE).
Ti p: For quick access to the required waypoint, use the alphanumeric keys. For example to
search for a waypoint starting with the letter R, push repeatedly on the 7 PRS key to bring the
cursor on to the first waypoint starting with a R, then use the arrow keys to select the
waypoint required.
Tip: The GOTO WAYPOINT function can also be activated from the WAYPOINT MENU by
pressing 0 - ACTIVATE.
In the COMPASS, 3D ROAD or RADAR mode in the GOTO WPT function you will see on the
left hand side seven lines of information, and on the right hand side a display which can be
either COMPASS, 3D ROAD or RADAR (see chapter B.3.3). At the bottom left of the screen,
the date and time are displayed and on the right, the name of the active destination waypoint. In
the DATA mode, you will have the navigation information in large character as well as the cross
track error represented by a bargraph.