Navman TRACKFISH 6500 User manual

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TRACKF I S H 6500
CHARTPLOTTER and FISHFINDER
Installation and
Operation Manual
NAVMAN

FCC Statement
Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B
digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a normal installation. 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. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on,
the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following
measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
Connect the equipment into an output on a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced technician for help.
A shielded cable must be used when connecting a peripheral to the serial ports.
Industry Canada
Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause
interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference, including interference
that may cause undesired operation of the device.

TRACKFISH 6500 Installation and Operation Manual 3
NAVMAN
Contents
1 Introduction .........................................................................................................................................7
1-1 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1-2 Cleaning and maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1-3 Plug-in cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1-4 Removing and replacing the display unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2 Basic Operation .................................................................................................................................... 10
2-1 Using the keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2-2 Turning on and off / auto power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2-3 Backlight and night mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2-4 Man overboard (MOB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2-5 Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2-6 Simulate mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2-7 The main displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3 Navigation: Chart ................................................................................................................................. 18
3-1 Introduction to navigating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
3-2 Chart display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
3-3 Distance and bearing calculator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
3-4 Projected course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
3-5 Tracks and tracking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
4 Navigation: Highway display ................................................................................................................24
5 Navigation: Waypoints .........................................................................................................................25
5-1 Waypoints display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
5-2 Managing waypoints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
6 Navigation: Routes ..............................................................................................................................27
6-1 Routes display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
6-2 Managing routes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
7 Satellites .............................................................................................................................................30
7-1 Satellite display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

TRACKFISH 6500 Installation and Operation Manual4 NAVMAN
8 Sonar fishfinding: Introduction ........................................................................................................... 31
8-1 Using the TRACKFISH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
8-2 Interpreting the display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
8-3 Single and Dual frequency fishfinding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
8-4 Fish detection and display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
8-5 Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
8-6 Gain and threshold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
9 Sonar fishfinding: Displays ..................................................................................................................40
9-1 Sonar history display - no split . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
9-2 Sonar Zoom display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
9-3 Sonar Bottom display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
9-4 Sonar 50/200 display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
9-5 Sonar A-Scope display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
10 Gauges display ...................................................................................................................................44
11 Data display .......................................................................................................................................45
12 Fuel functions and display ..................................................................................................................46
12-1 When you add or remove fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
12-2 Fuel display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
12-3 Fuel consumption curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
13 Tides display ......................................................................................................................................50
14 User card display ................................................................................................................................ 51
15 DSC/Buddy track displays ...................................................................................................................52
15-1 The displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
15-2 Using the displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
16 About display ..................................................................................................................................... 55
17 Setting up the TRACKFISH ................................................................................................................... 55
17-1 Setup > System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
17-2 Setup > Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
17-3 Setup > Sonar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
17-4 Setup > GPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
17-5 Setup > Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

TRACKFISH 6500 Installation and Operation Manual 5
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17-6 Setup > Track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
17-7 Setup > Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
17-8 Setup > Alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
17-9 Setup > Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
17-10 Setup > Comms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
17-11 Setup > Calibrate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
17-12 Setup > Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
17-13 Setup > Favourites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
17-14 Setup > Simulate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
18 Installation .......................................................................................................................................71
18-1 Installation: What comes with the TRACKFISH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
18-2 Installation: Options and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71
18-3 Installation: The display unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
18-4 Installation: Power/data cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
18-5 Installation: GPS antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
18-6 Installation: Sonar transducer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
18-7 Installation: Navman petrol/gasoline sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
18-8 Installation: Navman diesel sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
18-9 Installation: DSC VHF radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
18-10 Installation: SmartCraft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
18-11 Installation: Other NavBus instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
18-12 Installation: Other NMEA instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
18-13 Installation: Setup and test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Appendix A - Specifications .....................................................................................................................79
Appendix B - Troubleshooting .................................................................................................................81
Appendix C - Glossary and navigation data ..............................................................................................85

TRACKFISH 6500 Installation and Operation Manual6 NAVMAN
It is the owner’s sole responsibility to install and use the instrument in a manner that will
not cause accidents, personal injury or property damage. The user of this product is solely
responsible for observing safe boating practices.
Global Positioning System: The Global Positioning System (GPS) is operated by the US
Government which is solely responsible for its operation, accuracy and maintenance. The
GPS system is subject to changes which could affect the accuracy and performance of all GPS
equipment anywhere in the world including the TRACKFISH. Whilst the Navman TRACKFISH is a
precision navigation instrument, it can be misused or misinterpreted, which can result in its use
being unsafe. To reduce the risk of misusing or misinterpreting the TRACKFISH, the user must
read and understand all aspects of this Installation and Operation manual. We also suggest that
the user practice all operations using the built in simulator before using the TRACKFISH at sea.
Electronic Chart: The electronic chart used by the TRACKFISH is an aid to navigation and is
designed to supplement the use of official government charts not replace them. Only official
government charts supplemented by notices to mariners contain the information required for
safe and prudent navigation. Always supplement the information provided by the TRACKFISH
with other plotting sources such as observations, depth soundings, radar and hand compass
bearings. Should the information not agree then the discrepancy must be resolved before
proceeding any further.
Sonar fishfinder: The accuracy of the sonar depth display can be limited by many factors,
including the type of the transducers, the location of the transducers and water conditions. It is
the user’s responsibility to ensure the TRACKFISH transducers are installed and used correctly.
Fuel Computer: Fuel economy can alter drastically depending on the boat loading and sea
conditions. The fuel computer should not be the sole source of information concerning available
fuel onboard and the electronic information should be supplemented by visual or other checks
of the fuel load. This is necessary due to possible operator induced errors such as forgetting
to reset the fuel used when filling the tank, running the engine with the fuel computer not
switched on or other operator controlled actions that may render the device inaccurate. Always
ensure that adequate fuel is carried onboard for the intended trip plus a reserve to allow for
unforeseen circumstances.
NAVMAN NZ LIMITED DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY FOR ANY USE OF THIS PRODUCT IN A WAY THAT
MAY CAUSE ACCIDENTS, DAMAGE OR THAT MAY VIOLATE THE LAW.
Governing Language: This statement, any instruction manuals, user guides and other
information relating to the product (Documentation) may be translated to, or has been
translated from, another language (Translation). In the event of any conflict between any
Translation of the Documentation, the English language version of the Documentation will be
the official version of the Documentation.
This manual represents the TRACKFISH as at the time of printing. Navman NZ Limited reserves the
right to make changes to specifications without notice.
Copyright © 2005 Navman NZ Limited, New Zealand, all rights reserved. Navman is a registered
trademark of Navman NZ Limited.
Important
The TRACKFISH is set up with default units of feet, °F (Fahrenheit), US gallons and knots.
To change the units, see section 17-9.

TRACKFISH 6500 Installation and Operation Manual 7
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Feature Type See Requires
General How to use the keys and displays 2
Troubleshooting Appendix B
Simulate mode 2-6
Glossary of special names Appendix C
Specifications Appendix A
MOB Man overboard key 2-4
Navigation Overview of how to navigate 3-1 GPS fix
Finding the boat’s position on the chart 3-2
Navigate to any point or to a waypoint 3-1
Navigate along a route 3-1
Projected course: An estimate of progress 3-4
Tracks: records of where the boat has been 3-5
GPS receiver status 7
Saving and loading data with a user card 14 User card
Chart data Chart features (built in world chart) 3-2
Chart details 3-2-4 & 5 C-MAP™ chart
Tides at a port 13 C-MAP™ chart
Alarms Built in alarms 2-5
SmartCraft engine alarms 1-1 SmartCraft
Boat data Data at top of main displays 2-7-3
Compass at top of main displays 2-7-4
Dedicated data display 11
Fuel Fuel computer, TRACKFISH petrol/gasoline engine 12 Fuel sensors
Fuel computer, TRACKFISH diesel engine 12 Diesel sensors
Fuel computer, SmartCraft engines 12 SmartCraft
What to do when you add or remove fuel 12-1
Sounder Overview of the depth sounder 8 Sounder
Depth, bottom features, water features 8 Sounder
Fishfinder 8 Sounder
Other boats Track your buddy, polling other boats 15 DSC VHF
Distress calls 15 DSC VHF
1 Introduction
Quick reference to the built-in and optional features:

TRACKFISH 6500 Installation and Operation Manual8 NAVMAN
1-3 Plug-in cards
The TRACKFISH 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
TRACKFISH chart display.
The TRACKFISH 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.
C-MAP™ user cards are used to store
navigation data. Each user card expands
the TRACKFISH memory and allows
the data to be transferred to another
TRACKFISH easily (see section 14).
Note: The older 5 volt user cards are not
supported.
1-2 Cleaning and maintenance
The TRACKFISH 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, 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
TRACKFISH is turned off.
The NAVMAN TRACKFISH 6500 is a compact,
rugged, highly integrated marine chartplotter
and fishfinder. It is easy to use and has an easy
to read colour 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 or diesel fuel sensors 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.
1-1 Overview
DSC/Buddy track functions require a
Navman DSC VHF radio with Buddy track
support to be installed.
The TRACKFISH can send data to other
instruments, such as an autopilot, and
receive data from other instruments.
For information on installing options, see
section 18-2.
This manual describes how to install and
operate the TRACKFISH. 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
Navman products, go to our website, www.
navman.com.

TRACKFISH 6500 Installation and Operation Manual 9
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Changing the plug-in card
Warning: Handle plug-in cards carefully. Keep them in their protective cases when not plugged
into the TRACKFISH.
Warning: Keep the holder in place in the TRACKFISH at all times to prevent moisture from
entering the card compartment.
Turn the TRACKFISH off (see section 2-2).
Pull the card holder out of the TRACKFISH and
pull any card out of holder.
Put the card in its case.
Push new card into holder. Ensure the gold
contacts are on the outer edge and underneath
(see above).
Keep the card’s case.
Push card holder fully into TRACKFISH
1-4 Removing and replacing the display unit
If the display unit is bracket mounted then
the display unit can easily be removed and
replaced for security or protection.
Removing the display unit:
1 Turn the display unit off (see section 2-2)
and put the dust cover on.
2 Loosen the knob on the mounting bracket
and lift the unit off the bracket.
3 Unplug the connectors from the
display unit; turning each locking collar
anticlockwise until you can pull the
plug out.
4 Push the attached dust covers over the
exposed ends of the connectors.
5 Store the display unit in a dry clean place,
such as the optional Navman carry bag.
Replacing the display unit
1 Remove the dust covers from the
connectors. Plug the connectors into the
back of the display unit:
Match the connector’s colour to the
socket colour.
Mounting
bracket
Knob
Insert each connector and turn the
locking collar clockwise until it is finger
tight.
Nothing will be damaged if a cable is
plugged into the wrong socket by mistake.
2 Hold the display unit in place on the
mounting bracket. Adjust the tilt of the
display for best viewing, then hand tighten
the knob on the mounting bracket. Remove
the dust cover.
1 2 4
3
Gold contacts under here
Card
Holder

TRACKFISH 6500 Installation and Operation Manual10 NAVMAN
2 Basic Operation
Overview of the keys
In chart mode, centres chart at boat’s position. Go back to
an earlier menu or display.
Show a menu of the main displays. To go to a display, select
it from the menu (see section 2-7).
Cursor keys, to move the cursor or the selection highlight.
Show a menu of the options for the current display. Press
again to display the Setup menu (see section 17).
Start an action or accept a change.
Chart display: Zoom in or out to display different areas and
detail on the chart.
Sonar display: Change the depth range displayed.
Switch the display to the next in the favourites list
(see section 2-7-2)
Man overboard (MOB, see section 2-4).
Turn TRACKFISH on and off (see section 2-2); adjust the
backlighting (see section 2-3).
2-1 Using the keys
In this manual:
Press means to push the key for less than a
second.
Hold means to hold the key down.
The internal beeper beeps when a key is
pressed (to disable or enable the beep, see
section 17-1).
Using the menus
Operate the TRACKFISH by selecting items from
menus. Items can be submenus, commands
or data.
Selecting a submenu
A after a menu item indicates a submenu, for
example Chart . Press or to move the
highlight to the submenu, then press .
Starting a command
Press or to move the highlight to the
command, for example Goto cursor, then press
.
Changing data
First press or to move the highlight to the
data to change, then:

TRACKFISH 6500 Installation and Operation Manual 11
NAVMAN
a To change a tick box
means On or Yes
means Off or No.
Press or to change the tick box.
b To select an option
1 Press to display the menu of options.
2 Press or to move the highlight to the
option you want, then press .
c To change a name or number:
1 Press to display the name or number:
2 Press or to select a letter or digit to
change. Press or to change the letter
or digit.
Repeat this to change other letters or
numbers.
3 Press to accept the new value. Or
press to ignore the changes.
d To change a slider value
Press to decrease the value or to increase
the value.
2-2 Turning on and off / auto power
Turning on manually
If the TRACKFISH is not wired for auto power,
press to turn the unit on. If necessary, adjust
the display to be easy to read (see section 2-3).
Note: If the TRACKFISH is not wired for auto
power then the TRACKFISH does not record
engine hours and might not record fuel
consumption (see section 18-4).
Turning off manually
If the TRACKFISH is not wired for auto power or
if the ignition switch is off, hold down until
the display turns off.
Auto power
If the TRACKFISH is wired for auto power (see
section 18-4), then:
• The TRACKFISH automatically turns on when
you turn the boat’s ignition switch on.
• You can not turn the TRACKFISH off while
the ignition switch is on.
• If Auto power off (see section 17-1) is , the
TRACKFISH automatically turns off when
you turn the boat’s ignition switch off.
• If Auto power off (see section 17-1) is ,
the TRACKFISH stays on when you turn the
boat’s ignition switch off. You can now turn
the TRACKFISH off manually.

TRACKFISH 6500 Installation and Operation Manual12 NAVMAN
2-3 Backlight and night mode
To go to the Backlight display, press briefly.
Backlight
The display and keys are backlit. To change the
backlight level, hilight select Backlight, then
press to dim or to brighten.
When you have finished, press
Tip: Press twice to give the brightest
screen, with maximum backlight and Night
mode off.
Night mode
Night mode sets the palette for all displays.
Normal palette, for daytime
A palette optimised for night time.
To change mode, hilight Night mode, then
press or . To change only the chart
palette, see section 17-2.
The MOB feature saves the boat’s position and
then navigates back to this point.
Warning: MOB will not work if the
TRACKFISH does not have a GPS fix.
1 Press .
The TRACKFISH stores the boat’s position as
a waypoint called MOB.
2 The TRACKFISH changes to the chart
display, with the MOB waypoint at the
centre of the chart.
The chart zooms in for accurate navigation.
If the chart can not show the required small
scale, the TRACKFISH changes to plotter
mode (a white display with crosshatching
and no chart details, see section 17-2).
3 The TRACKFISH sets the MOB waypoint to
be the destination to navigate to.
If the NMEA output (autopilot) is off
(see section 17-10) use the TRACKFISH to
manually navigate to the destination MOB
waypoint (see sections 3-1-1 and 3-1-2).
If the NMEA output (autopilot) is on, the
TRACKFISH asks if the autopilot is active.
2-4 Man overboard (MOB)
Select:
No: Use the TRACKFISH to manually
navigate to the destination MOB
waypoint (see sections 3-1-1 and 3-1-2).
Yes: The TRACKFISH asks if the boat is to go
to the MOB waypoint.
Select:
Yes: to immediately start navigating to
the MOB waypoint.
Warning: This might result in a
sudden and dangerous turn.
No: disengage the autopilot; then use
the TRACKFISH to manually navigate
to the destination MOB waypoint (see
sections 3-1-1 and 3-1-2).
To cancel MOB or set another MOB
1 Press again to display a menu.
2 Select an option from the menu.
Tip: The MOB waypoint remains on the
chart after the MOB has been cancelled. To
delete the MOB waypoint, see section 5-2-5.

TRACKFISH 6500 Installation and Operation Manual 13
NAVMAN
2-6 Simulate mode
In Simulate mode, the TRACKFISH ignores data
from the GPS antenna and other transducers
and sensors and the TRACKFISH generates this
data itself. Otherwise, the TRACKFISH functions
normally.
There are two simulate modes:
• Normal: Allows a user to become familiar
with the TRACKFISH off the water.
• Demo: Simulates a boat moving along a
route and automatically displays different
TRACKFISH functions.
To start and stop Simulate mode, and for more
information, see section 17-14. In simulate
mode, Simulate or Demo flashes at the bottom
of the display.
Warning: Never have Simulate mode
on when the TRACKFISH is navigating on
the water.
2-5 Alarms
When the TRACKFISH detects an alarm
condition, it displays a warning message on
the display, the internal beeper sounds and any
external beepers or lights operate.
Press to clear the alarm. The alarm
will sound again if the alarm condition occurs
again.
The TRACKFISH has user settable alarms (see
section 17-8).

TRACKFISH 6500 Installation and Operation Manual14 NAVMAN
To go to a display, press , press or
to select the type of display to show, press
or to select the display from the list, then
press .
2-7 The main displays
Chart menu and displays
The available displays depend on the optional
sensors and instruments that are installed (see
section 1-1).
Note
The sonar displays require sonar to be installed.

TRACKFISH 6500 Installation and Operation Manual 15
NAVMAN
Sonar menu and displays
SmartCraft menu and displays
The SmartCraft displays require a SmartCraft
system to be installed. For information on
using SmartCraft, see the SmartCraft Gateway
Installation and Operation Manual.
Note
Press to go from a SmartCraft display
back to your last chart or sonar display.
Note
Press to go from an Other display back to
your last chart or sonar display.
The sonar displays require sonar to be installed.

TRACKFISH 6500 Installation and Operation Manual16 NAVMAN
Other menu and displays
Note
Press to go from an Other display back
to your last chart or sonar display.
The DSC/Buddy track display requires a VHF
radio to be installed.

TRACKFISH 6500 Installation and Operation Manual 17
NAVMAN
2-7-2 Favourite displays
The TRACKFISH has a list of commonly used
displays, called favourite displays. There can be
up to six favourite displays and three can be set
by the user (see section 17-13).
To change the display to the next favourite,
press . For example, with four
favourites:
Chart, first favourite
Press
Sonar, second favourite
Press
Chart + sonar, third favourite
Press
Fourth favourite display
Press
2-7-1 Dual displays
The TRACKFISH can show two displays at
once, for example Chart + Gauges. One of the
displays, called the active display, has a yellow
border and is controlled by the user (Highway
can not be the active display). To change the
active display, press twice. For example:
If Chart is the active display: press
to display the options for Chart;
press twice to make Gauges the
active display.
If Gauges is the active display: press
to display the options for Gauges;
press twice to make Chart the
active display.
Note: Split ratio of chart or sonar and gauges
can not be changed.
To adjust the relative sizes of the two displays:
1 Press and select Split ratio.
2 Press or to adjust the sizes, then
press .
Chart display is
active
Gauges display
is not active
Yellow border
Press
Press
Yellow border
Chart display is
not active
Gauges display is
active

TRACKFISH 6500 Installation and Operation Manual18 NAVMAN
2-7-3 Data header
The chart, sonar and highway displays can
show data at the top of the display.
The data header for each display can be
different. To change the data header for a
display:
1 Go to the display, press and select
Data header.
2 To turn the data header off or on:
i Select Data.
ii Select or .
3 To choose the size of the data:
i Select Size.
ii Select Small, Medium or Large.
2-7-4 Compass
The chart, sonar and highway displays can
show a compass at the top of the display.
The compass always shows the boat’s course
over ground (COG), a red symbol in the middle.
When the boat is navigating to a point, the
compass also shows bearing to the destination
(BRG), a black symbol.
In this example, BRG is [###]° and COG is [###]°.
4 To change the data displayed:
i Select Data setup.
ii Change a data field:
a Press the cursor keys to highlight
the field.
b Press to display a menu of
data items.
c Select a data item that is
available on your system or select
None to leave the field empty.
iii Repeat the above step to set the other
data fields.
Tip: If all fields in a line are None then
the line will not be displayed and the data
header will take less space on the display.
5 Press to return to the display.
To turn the compass off or on:
1 Press and select Data header.
2 Set Compass to or .
3 Navigation: Chart
3-1 Introduction to navigating
The chart display shows the chart, the boat’s position course and navigation data.
The TRACKFISH has two ways of navigating, going straight to a point or following a route.

TRACKFISH 6500 Installation and Operation Manual 19
NAVMAN
3-1-1 Navigating to a point
When the TRACKFISH is navigating to a
point, the chart and highway displays show
navigation data:
A The boat position .
B The destination point marked with a circle.
C The boat’s plotted course to the
destination.
D Two CDI lines, parallel to the boat’s plotted
course, which indicate the maximum
expected deviation from the plotted
course.
For more information, see appendix C.
If the TRACKFISH is connected to an autopilot,
the TRACKFISH will send data to the autopilot
to steer the boat to the destination. Start the
autopilot before starting to navigate to the
point.
If the TRACKFISH has no autopilot, steer the
boat manually:
a use the boat position and destination on
the chart or highway displays
b or use navigation data displayed on the
data header (see section 2-7-3)
c or use COG and BRG on the compass (see
section 2-7-4).
Note:
1 If the XTE alarm is enabled, an alarm will
sound if the boat deviates too much from
its intended course (see section 17-8).
2 If the arrival radius alarm is enabled, then
an alarm will sound to show that the boat
has reached the destination
(see section 17-8).
A waypoint is a position that you can set on the
TRACKFISH chart, for example a fishing spot or
a point on a route (see section 5).
Going to a waypoint from the chart display
1 Go to the chart display.
2 Move the cursor to the waypoint: either
use the cursor keys or use Find (see section
3-2-5).
3 Press and select Goto.
Going to a waypoint from the waypoints
display
1 Go to the waypoints display.
2 Press or to highlight the waypoint to
go to.
3 Press and select Goto.
Going to a point on the chart
1 Switch to a chart display.
3-1-2 Going to a waypoint or to a point on the chart
2 Move the cursor to the destination point:
either use the cursor keys or use Find (see
section 3-2-5).
3 Press and select Goto cursor.
Warning: Make sure the course does not
pass over land or dangerous waters.
Navigating
The TRACKFISH navigates to the point as
described in section 3-1-1.
Cancelling navigating
Go to a Chart display, press and select
Cancel goto.
Tip: Before starting, create waypoints at
points of interest. Create a waypoint at the
start of the trip for you to navigate back to (see
section 5-2-1).
A
B
C

TRACKFISH 6500 Installation and Operation Manual20 NAVMAN
3-1-3 Following a route
Preparing
A route is a list of waypoints that the boat can
follow (see section 6).
To create waypoints before creating the
route, see section 5-2-1.
To create a route, see section 6-2-1.
Starting a route from the chart display:
1 Go to the chart display.
2 Press MENU and select Start Route
3 Press UP or DOWN to highlight the route to
follow. Press ENT.
4 The TRACKFISH asks for the direction to
traverse the route.
Select Forward (the order the route was
created) or Reverse.
5 The TRACKFISH displays the chart with the
route marked and starts navigating from
the start of the route.
Starting a route from the routes display:
1 Go to the routes display.
2 Then follow step 3 as in starting a route
from the chart display above.
Navigating
The TRACKFISH navigates to each waypoint on
the route in turn as described in section 3-1-1.
The TRACKFISH stops navigating to the
waypoint at the end of the current leg and
starts the next leg of the route:
a when the boat comes within 0.025 nm of
the waypoint
b or when the boat passes the waypoint
c or if you skip the waypoint.
Skipping a waypoint
To skip a waypoint, go to a chart display, press
and select Skip. The TRACKFISH starts
navigating straight towards the next waypoint
on the route.
Warning: Skipping a waypoint with the
autopilot on might result in a sudden course
change.
Cancelling a route
When the boat has reached the final waypoint,
or to stop the boat following the route at any
time, cancel the route. Go to a chart display,
press and select Cancel route.