Fishfinder 250/250C high-resolution sonar owner’s manual (Fishfinder 250C shown)
© Copyright 2005 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries 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 9DL, U.K. Tel. 44/0870.8501241 Fax 44/0870.8501251 Garmin Corporation No. 68, Jangshu 2nd Road Shijr, Taipei County, Taiwan Tel. 886/2.2642.9199 Fax 886/2.2642.9099 All rights reserved.
INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION Thank you for choosing the Garmin® Fishfinder 250/250C. This product is designed for easy operation and to provide years of reliable service. Operations for the Fishfinder 250 and Fishfinder 250C are the same unless othewise noted. To ensure that you get the most from the Fishfinder 250/250C, take time to read this Owner’s Manual and learn how to operate your new unit. This manual breaks down into three main sections.
TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction.........................................................................iii Product Support .............................................................................iii Product Registration ......................................................................iii Getting Started.....................................................................1 Packing List ............................................................................. 1 Transducers .
GETTING STARTED > PACKING LIST GETTING STARTED Packing List Before installing and using your Fishfinder 250/250C, check to see that your package includes the following items. The package part number can be found on the outside of the box. If any parts are missing, contact your Garmin dealer immediately.
GETTING STARTED > TRANSDUCERS Transducers The transducer acts as the eyes and ears of your sonar, transmitting sound waves toward the bottom in a cone shape. Proper transducer selection and installation are important to the operation of your unit. Select a transducer that suits the depth of the water that you are on. A wide cone angle transducer works best in shallower water, providing a large coverage or viewing area, but at a decreased bottom resolution.
GETTING STARTED > INSTALLATION Installation The Fishfinder 250/250C must be properly installed according to the following instructions to get the best possible performance. To complete the installation, you need the appropriate fasteners and tools. Verify that all cables can reach the unit mounting location, and take time to read through these instructions prior to installation. Be sure to always wear safety goggles and a dust mask when drilling, cutting, or sanding.
GETTING STARTED > INSTALLATION To install the swivel-mount bracket: 1. 2. 3. 4. Tools (not included)—Drill, screwdriver (Phillips or standard), and either of the following: • Three #8 (4mm) pan head machine bolts with matching nuts and washers and a 5/32” (5mm) drill bit. • Three #8 pan head self-tapping screws and an appropriately-sized drill bit for drilling starter holes.
GETTING STARTED > INSTALLATION To install the unit on the bracket 1. Align the slot on the back of the unit with the long mounting knob, and slide the unit into place. You may need to adjust the long mounting knob to spread the bracket arms apart. (Turn counter-clockwise to widen the bracket arms, clockwise to tighten.) 2. Adjust the unit angle and tighten the long mounting knob until snug. 3. To tilt the unit, loosen the long mounting knob on the right side of the bracket assembly. 4.
GETTING STARTED > INSTALLATION Flush Mounting the Fishfinder 250/250C Unit The Fishfinder 250/250C can be flush mounted on a flat panel. When flush mounting the Fishfinder 250/250C, choose an appropriately sized location for the unit. Use the Flush Mount Template provided in the box to determine a location. Check that all cables reach the unit mounting location before beginning installation. Always wear safety goggles and a dust mask when drilling, cutting, or sanding.
GETTING STARTED > INSTALLATION Connecting the Power/Data Cable The power/data cable connects the Fishfinder 250/250C to a 10-35 Volt DC system and provides interface capabilities for connecting external devices. The color code in the diagram (page 9) indicates the appropriate harness connections. If it is necessary to extend the power/data wires, use a wire of comparable size and keep your extension as short as possible. Fishfinder 250/250C Owner’s Manual Boat ground Red wire 1.
GETTING STARTED > INSTALLATION The Fishfinder 250/250C can be connected to another piece of NMEA compatible electronic equipment, such as a Garmin GPS (Global Positioning System). If equipped with a capable transducer, the Fishfinder 250/250C can send depth, temperature, and speed information to the NMEA device. It can also mark a location (page 20) that could be displayed on another device and can accept GPS navigational data (page 23), such as position, time, course, distance, etc.
GETTING STARTED > INSTALLATION To Transducer (TX COM 2) (Red) + 10-35 VDC DC Positive (RX COM 2) (Black) - Ground (Power/Data) (TX COM 1) (RX COM 1) During a typical installation, only the Red and Black wires are used. The other wires do not have to be connected for normal operation of the unit.
GETTING STARTED > INSTALLATION Installing the Transducer 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 your Garmin dealer. Coil and secure any excess cable. 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 non-Garmin) transducer cables.
GETTING STARTED > INSTALLATION Shoot-Thru-Hull Installation To avoid drilling a hole to mount a thru-hull transducer, a transducer may be secured with epoxy inside a boat (“shoot-thru-hull” installation). This type of installation can reduce noise and allow you to use a higher gain setting. For a transducer to be mounted inside the hull (shoot-thru, not thru-hull), the boat must be fiberglass, with no core. If you are unsure of your boat type, contact the manufacturer.
GETTING STARTED > INSTALLATION To permanently install the transducer: 1. Lightly sand the surface of the hull and face of the transducer with 400-grit wet or dry sandpaper. 2. Build a dam using strip caulk about 1/4” (6mm) tall. Pour about 1/8” (3mm) of two part, slow cure epoxy in the dam. 3. Place the transducer in the epoxy, turning the transducer to work out any air bubbles. 4. Weight the transducer in place and allow to cure for 24 hours.
BASIC OPERATION > USING THE KEYPAD BASIC OPERATION NOTE: Press and release a key to activate its primary function. Pressing and holding a key activates its secondary function (if available). Using the Keypad The keypad contains the following keys: ARROW Keys—press to select (highlight) menu options and enter data. Press to control movement of the cursor when paused in Pointer mode. Allows direct control of Sonar page adjustments. ENTER Key—press to select a highlighted menu option.
BASIC OPERATION > USING THE SONAR PAGE Using the Sonar Page The Sonar page is where your Fishfinder 250/250C becomes a powerful fishfinder/flasher. If the unit does not detect a transducer, a “Sonar Turned Off” message is displayed on the Sonar page. If in Simulator mode, a “Running Simulator” message appears. You can adjust the unit’s backlight and contrast settings to improve screen readability. To change the backlight/contrast settings: 1.
BASIC OPERATION > USING THE SONAR PAGE The display may also be set to show a split screen view of a zoomed portion of the sonar, bottom lock (display scaled from the bottom up), or a combination of these options (pages 17-18). For example, you may choose to show dual frequency at a 2x zoom (Dual 2x) on one half of the screen, with normal range dual frequency (Dual) on the other half. The current display mode is shown at the bottom of each sonar display.
BASIC OPERATION > USING THE ADJUSTMENT MENU Using the Adjustment Menu The Adjustment Menu allows direct access to the settings and features most commonly used on the Sonar page. There are 10 main adjustment options available: Range, Zoom, View, Gain, Target Level, Whiteline, Frequency, Depth Line, Noise Reject, and Scroll. All adjustments may be made by using the ARROW keys and ENTER key.
BASIC OPERATION > USING THE ADJUSTMENT MENU Adjustment Options Adjustment Menu The following adjustments can be made from the Adjustment Menu: • Range—sets the display depth range used for viewing. The unit can be set to automatically track the bottom or set to a user-specified depth range (see “Custom Range” on page 22). • Zoom—quickly selects a display zoom scale or to split the display. When a scale other than No Zoom is selected, the View or Span options are activated in the Adjustment Menu.
BASIC OPERATION > USING THE ADJUSTMENT MENU Btm (Bottom) Split––shows two reduced pictures, the right at the original depth scale and the left showing only sonar returns close to the bottom. The bottom is displayed as a flat line across the bottom of the screen, and returns are shown at their distance from the bottom. You can adjust the scale of the Bottom Split display by changing the Span setting (see below).
BASIC OPERATION > USING THE ADJUSTMENT MENU • • • • 250C and black on the Fishfinder 250. When set at Normal or 1-100%, this option can be used to better determine bottom hardness. See page 34 for more information on this feature. Frequency—allows you to choose a sonar operation frequency. The frequency is the “pitch” of the sound that the transducer sends and receives. You may choose 200kHz, 50kHz, or Dual frequency (when using a dual frequency transducer).
BASIC OPERATION > USING THE ADJUSTMENT MENU Pausing the Sonar Page You may pause the Sonar page to stop it from scrolling. The paused screen allows you to take a better look at sonar returns. When in this mode, the word “Paused” is displayed at the bottom of the screen and a Pointer cursor appears. You may move the Pointer around on the paused sonar graph in order to reference sonar items and mark waypoints for that location (if attached to a Garmin GPS or compatible NMEA navigation device; see page 8).
BASIC OPERATION > USING THE MAIN MENU Using the Main Menu The Main Menu contains the unit settings that usually do not require frequent change. The Main Menu is divided into eight tabs: Graph, Tools, Temp, Alarms, System, Units, Sonar, and Time. Each tab is described in more detail in this section. Graph Tab The Graph tab allows you to determine the appearance of the scrolling graph display and contains unit settings that usually do not require frequent change.
BASIC OPERATION > USING THE MAIN MENU The following settings are available: • Scale—controls the presentation of the depth scale displayed • Fish Symbols—controls how the graph shows underwater targets and background information. If the symbols are Off, the unit displays all of the available information about the underwater environment. If the symbols are On, the graph displays only the information related to those symbols. Fish Symbols Off—All available information is displayed.
BASIC OPERATION > USING THE MAIN MENU Tools Tab The Tools tab controls the display of useful sonar tools. Main Menu—Tools tab The following settings are available: • Flasher—this option activates a graphic flasher representation, displayed on the right side of the graph. The 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 (pages 15, 22).
BASIC OPERATION > USING THE MAIN MENU The following selections require the proper NMEA data (pages 8-9) in order to display information in a data field: Bearing, Compass, Course, Distance to Next, Off Course, Pointer, Position, Speed, Time of Day, Track, Turn, and VMG. NMEA Input/Output must also be enabled to receive this data (page 27). To toggle the data field display: 1. Use the ARROW keys to highlight Advanced Data Fields and press ENTER. 2. Select On or Off and press ENTER.
BASIC OPERATION > USING THE MAIN MENU Temp (Temperature) Tab The Temp tab displays the water temperature log (if equipped with a temperature transducer/sensor). The graph reads from right to left, so the most recent temperature measured is displayed on the far right side of the graph. The dotted lines within the graph indicate intervals in the temperature scale and the duration of time. • Reset (Scale)—resets the scale range for the temperature graph (and displays if Log and Graph Scale is set to Auto).
BASIC OPERATION > USING THE MAIN MENU Sonar alarms: • Fish—sets an alarm/icon to sound/display when the unit detects a fish of the specified symbol size. • Shallow Water/Deep Water—sets alarms to sound for when you enter areas of specified depth that are too shallow or too deep. • Drift—sets an alarm to sound when you’ve exceeded a specified drift depth range. For example, if the value is set to 5 ft. and the current depth is 20 ft., the alarm will sound if the unit detects a depth greater than 25 ft.
BASIC OPERATION > USING THE MAIN MENU System Tab The System tab controls various system and interface settings. • Simulator—lets you simulate unit operation using a Depth • Main Menu—System tab The following settings are available: • Beeper—controls audible beep. Select from Off, Alarms Only (sounds for alarms/messages), or Key and Alarm (sounds for key presses and alarms/messages).
BASIC OPERATION > USING THE MAIN MENU Units Tab The Units tab defines units of measure. Main Menu—Units tab The following settings are available: minute (hddd°mm.mmm’). The following additional formats are available: latitude/longitude in decimal degrees (hddd. ddddd°) and latitude/longitude in degrees, minutes, and seconds (hddd°mm’ss.s”). • Heading—select the reference used in calculating heading information for the the following advanced data fields: Bearing, Compass, Course, and Track (pages 23-24).
BASIC OPERATION > USING THE MAIN MENU The following settings are available: • Water Type—allows you to select either Fresh or Salt to ensure accurate readings on the unit. Sound waves travel at different rates through each type. • Depth Number—controls the efficiency of the digital depth update rate. Fast Sonar Update updates quicker and is recommended for low-noise, deeper water (>50 ft.).
BASIC OPERATION > USING THE MAIN MENU To calibrate the water speed: 1. Use the ARROW keys to highlight Calibrate Water Speed and press ENTER. 2. Bring the boat to a cruising speed. Both the top GPS ground speed and uncalibrated water speed will be shown at the bottom of the calibration window. Note your top speed, then stop the boat and press ENTER. 3. By default, the top speed will automatically show in the What was your top water speed? field.
BASIC OPERATION > UNDERSTANDING SONAR Understanding Sonar If you are unfamiliar with basic sonar or need help determining what appears on the graph, this section may benefit you. This section is intended to teach the novice user how the Fishfinder 250/250C operates and how it can help improve fishing productivity. To understand what the unit is displaying, it is important to have a general knowledge of how the unit works and how it determines what to display.
BASIC OPERATION > UNDERSTANDING SONAR Transducer Coverage The area covered by the transmitted sound waves is determined by the cone angle of the transducer and the water depth. Cone angles may vary among different types of transducers. For example, a 50kHz frequency may provide a wide 40° cone angle with a coverage width that is approximately 2/3 of the water depth.
BASIC OPERATION > UNDERSTANDING SONAR Understanding the Graph It is important to understand that the unit does not display a 3-D representation of the underwater environment. The unit can display multiple items at the same time and determine when they were received but not where they originated. Examples 1 and 2 provide a look at the underwater world from a top view and illustrate how these views would be displayed on the graph.
BASIC OPERATION > UNDERSTANDING SONAR Whiteline The Fishfinder 250/250C 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 returns a stronger signal than a soft bottom. A thin whiteline indicates a softer bottom while a thick whiteline indicates a harder bottom. Normally, the Fishfinder 250 uses a black line and the Fishfinder 250C uses a red line to show the point where water meets the bottom.
BASIC OPERATION > UNDERSTANDING SONAR Thermoclines One feature unique to Garmin is See-Thru® technology. See-Thru technology allows the Fishfinder 250/250C to “see” through thermoclines and locate fish where they live—and fish love thermoclines. A rough definition of a thermocline is a break in the water where the temperature changes faster than in the water above it. Thermoclines give weak returns and are shown as the weakest colors/shades (page 15).
APPENDIX > PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS, CLEANING AND STORAGE APPENDIX Physical Specifications Size: 6.1" W x 4.9" H x 2.9" D (15.5 cm x 12.5 cm x 7.4 cm) Weight: 1.1 lbs. (0.5 kg) Display: (Fishfinder 250) 4.5" diagonal (11.4 cm), 3.2” W x 32” H (8.1 cm x 8.1 cm) high-contrast 10-level grayscale FSTN display with adjustable brightness (320 x 320 pixels) (Fishfinder 250C) 4.5" diagonal (11.4 cm), 3.2” W x 3.2” H (8.1 cm x 8.
APPENDIX > MESSAGES AND ALARMS Messages and Alarms The Fishfinder 250/250C uses an on-screen alert message system. Press the ENTER key to acknowledge a message. Fish Alarm—A fish is detected. The unit displays an icon and beeps (if enabled). (This alarm does not display a message banner.) Battery Alarm—The battery’s voltage has fallen below the value entered in the Battery Alarm setup. Running Simulator—The unit is in Simulator mode. This message reappears after 2 minutes of inactivity.
APPENDIX > SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT, LIMITED WARRANTY Software License Agreement BY USING THE FISHFINDER 250/250C, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE FOLLOWING SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT. PLEASE READ THIS AGREEMENT CAREFULLY. Garmin grants you a limited license to use the software embedded in this device (the “Software”) in binary executable form in the normal operation of the product.
APPENDIX > LIMITED WARRANTY number. The unit should be securely packed with the tracking number clearly written on the outside of the package. The unit should then be sent, freight charges prepaid, to any Garmin warranty service station. A copy of the original sales receipt is required as the proof of purchase for warranty repairs. Garmin International, Inc. 1200 E 151st Street Olathe, Kansas 66062 U.S.A. Tel. 913/397.8200 Fax. 913/397.8282 States, Canada, or Taiwan for service.
INDEX INDEX Accessories 2 Adjustment Menu 16 Advanced Data Fields 23 Alarms 25 Alarms Tab 25 ARROW Keys 13 Automatic Scroll Speed 29 Date 30 Daylight Saving Time 30 Deep Water Alarm 26 Defaults 19, 27 Depth 14, 17, 20, 22, 28 Depth Line 19 Depth Number 22, 29 Depth Units 28 Display Mode 27 Distance Units 28 Drift Alarm 26 B E A Background Color 22 Backlight 13 Basic display 23 Battery Alarm 26 Beeper 27 Bottom Lock 18 Bottom Split 18 C Calibrate Water Speed 29, 30 Cleaning 36 Color, Background 22 Co
INDEX Reset Odometer 27 Reset Scale 25 S Scale 22 Scroll 19, 20 Scroll Speed 29 Setting an Alarm 26 Set Up Tab 33 Shallow Water Alarm 26 Simulator 27 Size Split 19 Software Version 27 Sonar, Understanding 31, 32, 34 Sonar Page 14 Span 18 Specifications 36 Speed Units 28 Split Screen 17, 19 Storage 36 System Tab 27 T Target Level 18 Temperature 22 Temperature Graph 23 Temperature Tab 25 Temperature Units 28 Testing the Installation 12 Time 30 Fishfinder 250/250C Owner’s Manual Timer 26 Time Duration 25 Ti
For the latest free software updates (excluding map data) throughout the life of your Garmin products, visit the Garmin Web site at www.garmin.com. © Copyright 2005 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries 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 9DL, U.K. Garmin Corporation No. 68, Jangshu 2nd Road, Shijr, Taipei County, Taiwan www.garmin.com Part Number 190-00328-00 Rev.
