Fishfinder 160 Blue owner’s manual FF 160 Blue covers.
© 2001 GARMIN Corporation GARMIN International, Inc. 1200 East 151st Street, Olathe, Kansas 66062, U.S.A. Tel. 913/397.8200 or 800/800.1020 Fax 913/397.8282 GARMIN (Europe) Ltd. Unit 5, The Quadrangle, Abbey Park Industrial Estate, Romsey, SO51 9AQ, U.K. Tel. 44/1794.519944 Fax 44/1794.519222 GARMIN Corporation No. 68, Jangshu 2nd Road, Shijr, Taipei County, Taiwan Tel. 886/2.2642.9199 Fax 886/2.2642.9099 All rights reserved.
Thank you for choosing the GARMIN Fishfinder 160 Blue™. This product is designed for easy operation and to provide years of reliable service. Please take the time to read this Owner’s Manual, and learn the operation of your new unit. This will help ensure that you get the most from the Fishfinder 160 Blue. If you encounter a problem, or just have a question, contact our Product Support Department at 913-397-8200 or 800-800-1020, Monday — Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time.
GARMIN Corporation warrants this product to be free from defects in materials and manufacture for one year from the date of purchase. GARMIN will, at its sole option, repair or replace any components that fail in normal use. Such repairs or replacement will be made at no charge to the customer for parts or labor. The customer is, however, responsible for any transportation costs. This warranty does not cover failures due to abuse, misuse, accident or unauthorized alteration or repairs.
The Fishfinder 160 Blue Standard Package Includes: • • • • • • Fishfinder 160 Blue Protective Front Cover Surface Mount Bracket with Knobs Power/Data Cable Owner’s Manual and Quick Reference Guide Label Dual Frequency Transom Mount Transducer (with depth/temp)* and separate Speed Sensor* Introduction Packaging and Accessories Optional Dual Frequency Transducers and Accessories: Plastic Transom Mount (with depth/temp)* Bronze Thru-Hull (depth only) Plastic Thru-Hull (depth only) Speed Sensor* Temperature Se
Unit Operation...................................................10-29 Keypad Functions ................................................................. 10 Backlight ................................................................................ 10 Display Information ............................................................... 11 Introduction Using the Adjustment Bar: Table of Contents Introduction.......................................................... i-vi Customer Service .....................
Alarms Tab Fish Alarm ............................................................................23 Shallow Water ........................................................................24 Deep Water ............................................................................24 Battery Voltage .......................................................................25 System Tab Contrast .................................................................................25 Beeper ...............................
The Fishfinder 160 Blue is capable of displaying a variety of useful information about the underwater environment. Below are a few things the unit will help you see. Introduction Water Depth What can the Fishfinder 160 Blue Display? The unit displays water depth and can provide a warning for shallow or deep-water conditions. Battery Voltage The unit can display the battery voltage that is available to the unit.
Transducers The transducer acts as the eyes and ears of your new sonar. Proper transducer selection and installation are critical to the operation of your unit. Installation Included in the Optional Package is a 200/50kHz frequency (10°/40° cone angle), depth and temperature sensing, transom mount transducer. This transducer provides good all-around performance. Other optional dual frequency transducers are available from your local dealer or GARMIN.
Proper transducer installation is key to getting the best performance from your new unit. If the transducer lead is too short, extension cables are available from you GARMIN dealer. DO NOT cut the transducer lead or any part of the transducer cable, as this will void your warranty. The cable cannot be spliced and connected to any existing (GARMIN or nonGARMIN) transducer cables.
In-Hull Installation To avoid drilling a hole to mount a thru-hull transducer, a transom mount transducer may be used with epoxy inside a boat (also called “shootthru-hull” installation). For a transducer to be mounted inside the hull (shoot-thru, not thru-hull), the boat must be fiberglass, no core (contact your boat manufacturer if you are unsure).
In-Hull Installation (continued) Installing the Transducer: Installation 1. Lightly sand the surface of the hull and face of the transducer with 400 grit wet or dry sandpaper. Mounting the Transducer/ Speed Sensor 2. Build a dam using strip caulk about 1/4” tall. Pour about 1/8” of 2-part, slow cure epoxy in the dam. Place the transducer in the epoxy, turning the transducer to work out any air bubbles. 3. Weight the transducer in place and allow to cure for 24 hours.
Wiring Harness Installation The Fishfinder 160 Blue comes with a wiring harness that connects the unit to power and the transducer with one easy-to-remove connection. Make sure the wiring harness will reach the unit before beginning installation. If it is necessary to extend the power/data wires, use a wire of comparable size and keep your extension as short as possible. If the transducer lead is too short, DO NOT cut the transducer lead to lengthen the cable. This will void the warranty.
Wiring Harness Installation (continued) If your boat does not have a fuse block, the unit can be wired directly to the battery. Make sure the 2-Amp in-line fuse supplied with the unit is installed. Installation Installing the Wiring Harness The Fishfinder 160 Blue can be connected to another piece of NMEAcompatible electronic equipment. If equipped with a capable transducer and speed sensor, the Fishfinder 160 Blue sends depth, temperature and speed information that could be displayed on another device.
Display Installation (Surface Mount) The Fishfinder 160 Blue can be mounted to a flat surface using the supplied Surface Mount Bracket. Installation Surface Mounting the Display: 1. Position the Surface Mount Bracket in the desired location. Leave approximately 2” behind the unit for cable clearance. 2. Mark the location of the four mounting holes with a pencil. Installing the Display Mounting Bracket 3. Drill pilot holes for the mounting fasteners (not included in kit). 4.
Display Installation (Flush Mount) The Fishfinder 160 Blue can be mounted flush against a dash or electronics rack that is no more than 1/4” thick. Installation Flush Mounting the Display: Installing the Display 1. Remove the Mounting Bracket from the back of the unit by removing its four screws. 2 Using the Mounting Bracket as a template, mark the location of the four mounting holes and the center relief hole. 3. Drill the mounting holes using a 6mm or 15/64” drill. 4.
Testing the Installation While it is possible to perform some checks with the boat trailered, the boat should be in the water to properly test the installation. Press the POWER button and the Fishfinder 160 Blue should power on. If the unit fails to power on, verify that the wiring adapter is seated properly in the back of the unit, the Red and Black wires are connected to the correct polarity, and the 2-Amp fuse is installed and not blown.
Arrow Keys Unit Operation The ARROW keys are used to select items on the Adjustment Bar and Setup Menu and to change field data. Keypad Functions Enter Key The ENTER key is used to activate/deactivate the Adjustment Bar and Setup Menu data fields for review or change. Setup Key The SETUP key is used to activate/deactivate the Setup Menu. Power and Backlight Key The POWER key is used to turn the unit on/off and to activate the display backlight. Press and hold to turn the unit on or off.
At the top left of the display you will find the Adjustment Bar and a variety of user-selectable information including Depth, Battery Voltage, Water Temperature, and Speed Over Water. To provide data on Speed Over Water, the Fishfinder 160 Blue requires an additional speed sensor. Unit Operation The Depth Scale and the Flasher are displayed from top to bottom along the right side of the display. Messages and Alarm Icons are displayed along the bottom.
Using the Adjustment Bar The Adjustment Bar allows direct access to the most commonly changed settings. These include the Depth Range, Zoom setting, and the Gain (sensitivity) of the unit. Unit Operation Place the highlight (white bar) over the desired selection using the RIGHT or LEFT Arrow key, and the current setting will be displayed in the highlight. To immediately change the setting, press the UP or DOWN Arrow key.
Zoom The Zoom Adjustment is used to quickly select a display zoom scale. Unit Operation To change the Zoom Scale: 1. Highlight ‘Zoom’ on the Adjustment Bar. 2. Using the UP or DOWN Arrow, select the desired display zoom level. When a scale other than ‘No Zoom’ is selected, the Adjustment Bar will display a new selection labeled ‘View.’ The Adjustment Bar View The View Adjustment is available only when a Zoom Scale other than ‘No Zoom’ is selected.
Gain The Gain Adjustment allows the user to control the sensitivity of the unit’s receiver. This provides some flexibility in what is seen on the display. To see more detail, increase the receiver sensitivity by selecting a higher gain (+). If there is too much detail or if the screen is cluttered, lowering the sensitivity (-) may increase the clarity of the display. Unit Operation The Adjustment Bar To change the Gain: 1. Highlight ‘Gain’ on the Adjustment Bar. 2.
SETUP MENU The Setup Menu contains the unit settings that should not require frequent change. The Setup Menu is divided into eight tabs: Chart, Tools, Numbers, Alarms, System, Calibrations, Units, and Memory. Each tab will be described in more detail in this section. To enter and exit the Setup Menu, press the SETUP button on the face of the unit. The first time that the SETUP button is pressed, the Setup Menu will be displayed with the ‘Chart’ tab highlighted in black.
Frequency (continued) The wide cone angles associated with low frequencies (40° for 50kHz) provide a large coverage area for finding fish. However, this also means that wide cone angles produce less bottom detail and resolution. The narrow cone angles associated with high frequencies (10° for 200kHz) provide better bottom resolution and crisper detail, but therefore cannot show a large coverage area for finding fish.
F NOTE: When the frequency is set to ‘Dual,’ the appearance of the fish symbols will change. Fish returns from the center of the beam will be black, but the fish returns from the edges of the beam will be clear. Unit Operation Setup Menu: Chart Tab Whiteline ‘Whiteline’ controls how the unit displays information about the bottom type (hard or soft). With the Whiteline ‘OFF’, the bottom return will display as black and contain no information on bottom hardness.
Scale The depth ‘Scale’ is displayed vertically along the right side of the chart. The depth ‘Scale’ can be configured to display in four different modes: as an ‘Overlay,’ in the ‘Corners,’ as a ‘Basic’ Scale, or with ‘No Scale.’ Unit Operation Setup Menu: Chart/Tools Tabs To change the Scale Setting: 1. Highlight the ‘Chart’ tab on the Setup Menu. 2. Highlight the ‘Scale’ selection field and press ENTER. 3. Choose ‘Overlay,’ ‘Corners,’ ‘Basic’ or ‘No Scale,’ then press ENTER to accept the selection.
To change the Depth Line Setting: 1. Place the highlight over the ‘Depth Line’ selection on the Adjustment Bar. 2. Use the UP or DOWN Arrow to change the setting, press ENTER to accept the change. Flasher With the ‘Flasher’ tool active, a graphic Flasher representation will be displayed on the far right side of the chart. This graphic Flasher displays structure and bottom returns much the same as a true Flasher. You may find this feature particularly useful when using ‘Fish Symbols.
Noise Reject (continued) To change the Noise Reject Setting: Unit Operation 1. Highlight the ‘Tools’ tab on the Setup Menu. 2. Highlight the ‘Noise Reject’ selection field and press ENTER. Setup Menu: Tools/Numbers Tabs 3. Choose ‘Off,’ ‘Auto,’ or ‘Manual’ and press ENTER. To manually adjust the Noise Reject Setting: 1. Select ‘Manual’ in the ‘Noise Reject’ field of the ‘Tools’ tab, then press ENTER. A slider will appear below the ‘Noise Reject’ selection field. 2.
Battery Voltage The Fishfinder 160 Blue can display the current battery voltage on the chart. Unit Operation To show or hide the Battery Voltage display field: 1. Highlight the ‘Numbrs’ tab on the Setup Menu. Setup Menu: Numbers Tab 2. Highlight the ‘Battery Voltage’ selection field and press ENTER. 3. Choose ‘Show’ or ‘Hide’ and press ENTER to accept the selection. Temperature The Fishfinder 160 Blue can display the water temperature when equipped with a temperature-sensing transducer.
Speed Unit Operation Setup Menu: Numbers Tab The Fishfinder 160 Blue can display the boat’s ‘Speed’ Over Water when equipped with a speed sensor. When set to ‘Auto,’ the unit will automatically sense when a capable sensor is connected and display the boat’s speed. To set the Speed display field: 1. Highlight the ‘Numbrs’ tab on the Setup Menu. 2. Highlight the ‘Speed’ selection field and press ENTER. 3. Choose ‘Auto,’ ‘Show’ or ‘Hide,’ then press ENTER to accept the selection.
To change the Depth Number Setting: 1. Highlight the ‘Numbrs’ tab on the Setup Menu. 2. Highlight the ‘Depth Number’ selection field and press ENTER. 3. Choose ’Auto’ or ‘From Chart,’ then press ENTER to accept the selection. Unit Operation Setup Menu: Alarms Tab Alarms Tab The ‘Alarms’ tab allows you to activate and configure the four alarms available in the Fishfinder 160 Blue. To access the ‘Alarms’ tab, place the highlight over it using the arrow keys. See page 37 for alarm icons and messages.
Shallow Water The ‘Shallow Water’ Alarm can be set to sound a warning at a depth determined by the user. The alarm must be activated before the unit will sound a warning. Unit Operation To activate/deactivate the Shallow Water Alarm: Setup Menu: Alarms Tab 1. Highlight the ‘Alarms’ tab on the Setup Menu. 2. Highlight the ‘Shallow Water’ checkbox. 3. Pressing ENTER will insert or remove a check mark in the checkbox. To set the Shallow Water Alarm depth: 1.
Battery Voltage When activated, the ‘Battery Voltage’ Alarm will warn you when the battery voltage reaches a user determined state of discharge. Unit Operation To activate/deactivate the Battery Voltage Alarm: 1. Highlight the ‘Alarm’ tab on the Setup Menu. Setup Menu: Alarms/System Tabs 2. Highlight the ‘Battery Voltage’ checkbox. 3. Pressing ENTER will insert or remove a check mark in the checkbox. To set the Battery Voltage Alarm: 1. Highlight the ‘Battery Voltage’ field and press ENTER. 2.
Beeper The ‘Beeper’ field contains three settings: ‘Off,’ ‘Alarms Only,’ and ‘Key & Alarm.’ Unit Operation To change the Beeper Setting: 1. Highlight the ‘System’ tab on the Setup Menu. Setup Menu: System Tab 2. Highlight the ‘Beeper’ field and press ENTER. 3. Choose ‘Off,’ ‘Alarms Only,’ or ‘Key & Alarm,’ then press ENTER to accept the setting. NMEA Output The Fishfinder 160 Blue has the ability to output information about Depth, Speed, and Water Temp for display on another NMEA-compatible device.
Calibrations Tab The ‘Calibrt’ tab contains the ‘Keel Offset’ and ‘Water Type’ setups, and a ‘Calibrate Speed’ function for use when a speed sensor is installed. Unit Operation Keel Offset The ‘Keel Offset’ field allows the user to offset the depth reading for a keel or for the draw on a larger vessel. This setting should not need to be changed on smaller recreational boats. Setup Menu: Calibrations Tab To set a Keel Offset: 1. Highlight the ‘Calibrt’ tab on the Setup Menu. 2.
Units Tab The ‘Units’ tab contains settings for ‘Depth,’ ‘Temperature’ and ‘Speed.’ To access the ‘Units’ tab, use the arrow keys to highlight it. Unit Operation Depth The ‘Depth’ field can be configured to display in Feet (ft), Meters (m) or Fathoms (fa). Setup Menu: Units Tab To select a Depth Unit: 1. Highlight the ‘Units’ tab on the Setup Menu. 2. Highlight the ‘Depth’ field and press ENTER. 3. Select ‘Feet,’ ‘Meters’ or ‘Fathoms,’ then press ENTER to accept the new setting.
Memory Tab The ‘Memory’ tab contains the settings for unit memory and allows you to reset the unit to the factory settings and review the software version. To access the ‘Memory’ tab, use the arrow keys to highlight it. Remember The Fishfinder 160 Blue can be set to remember its settings each time you power it on. You can set it to remember the settings in the Setup Menu (‘Setup Only’) or the unit’s settings in both the Setup Menu and the Adjustment Bar (‘All’).
On the Water Unit Operation and the Chart 1 2 3 1 2 3 This fish is currently in a Dead Zone and is not detected by the sonar. The fish is in the coverage area of the transducer, but remember the first strong return sets the bottom level. The fish will never be detected since the bottom level will never be set below the fish. The fish on the right side of the display (shown in light grey) will be detected and displayed when the transducer cone passes over the fish.
Transducer Coverage The area covered by the transmitted sound waves is determined by the cone angle of the transducer and the water depth. The 50kHz frequency provides a 40° cone angle, with a coverage width that is approximately 2/3 of the water depth. As shown in the sidebar, the 40° cone angle (50kHz frequency) approximately covers the area of a 20 foot diameter circle at a 30 foot depth. The 200kHz frequency provides a 10° cone angle, with a coverage width that is approximately 2/10 of the water depth.
Understanding the Chart It is important to understand that the unit does not display a 3-D representation of the underwater environment. The unit can display multiple things at the same time, but cannot determine from where the return originated. It can only determine when the return was received. On the Water Understanding the Chart Remember that the Fishfinder displays a 2-D picture of the underwater environment.
Whiteline The Fishfinder 160 Blue can help you to determine if the bottom is hard or soft. When the sonar soundwaves are reflected back by the bottom, a hard bottom will return a stronger signal than a soft bottom. The stronger the bottom return, the wider the bottom layer is displayed. The unit uses the Whiteline function to make this bottom layer information easier to distinguish. When viewing the display without Whiteline active, the bottom return is black.
Thermoclines A rough definition of a thermocline is a break in water where the water temperature changes at a faster rate than the water above it. The thermocline is usually displayed as a gray level, as shown below. On the Water Understanding the Chart One of the unique features offered by GARMIN is See-Thru technology. A benefit of See-Thru technology is that it allows the Fishfinder 160 Blue to see fish inside thermoclines. Thermocline 34 FF 160 B Rev B.
Simulator Mode The Fishfinder 160 Blue comes with a built-in simulator. While in simulator mode, the unit will display a random bottom scene, and the Fishfinder 160 Blue can be controlled just as if it were on the water. Using simulator mode allows the user to practice and learn the operation of the unit without having to be on the water. On the Water Simulator Mode If the Fishfinder 160 Blue is turned on without a transducer connected, the unit will start in simulator mode.
Physical Case: Fully gasketed, high-impact plastic alloy On Appendix the Water A Display: 3.3” x 3.3” (8.3 x 8.3 cm), 4.6” diagonal (11.7 cm), 160 H x 160 W pixels, FSTN LCD with incandescent backlighting Size: 4.93” H x 6.3” W x 3.0” D (12.5 x 16 x 7.6 cm) Specifications Weight: 22 oz. Temperature Range: +5° to 158°F (-15°C to 70°C) Waterproof: IEC 529, level IPX-7 (submerged to 1 meter for 30 minutes) Power Input: 10 to 18 VDC with High Voltage Protection Usage: 12 watts maximum Nominal: 12 VDC @ 0.
Alarm Messages and Icons The Fishfinder 160 Blue displays a message when an alarm is tripped. To clear the message, press the ENTER key. If the ENTER key is not pressed, the unit will automatically remove most messages after 10 seconds and display a reminder icon in the lower left corner of the chart until the alarm is no longer valid.
D Deep Water Alarm............................................................................. 24 Depth Line ...................................................................................18-19 Depth Number .............................................................................22-23 Depth Range...................................................................................... 12 Depth Scale ....................................................................................... 18 Depth Units..
K Keel Offset.........................................................................................27 Keypad..............................................................................................10 On Appendix the Water C L Language...........................................................................................26 Limited Warranty ................................................................................ii M Memory Tab ............................................................
On Appendix the Water C Index T Tools Tab.....................................................................................18-20 Transducers.................................................................................. 1, 31 Transom Mount Installation ............................................................... 2 U Understanding Sonar........................................................................ 30 Understanding the Chart.............................................................
FF 160 Blue covers.
© 2001 GARMIN Corporation GARMIN International, Inc. 1200 East 151st Street, Olathe, Kansas 66062, U.S.A. GARMIN (Europe) Ltd. Unit 5, The Quadrangle, Abbey Park Industrial Estate, Romsey, SO51 9AQ, U.K. GARMIN Corporation No. 68, Jangshu 2nd Road, Shijr, Taipei County, Taiwan www.garmin.com Part Number 190-00199-00 Rev. B FF 160 Blue covers.
