Introduction; Overview; Cleaning And Maintenance; Plug-In Cards - NorthStar EXPLORER 550 Installation And Operation Manual

1 Introduction

1-1 Overview

The Northstar EXPLORER is a compact, rugged,
highly integrated marine chartplotter. It is easy to
use and has an easy to read color display. Complex
functions can be performed with a few key
presses, taking the hard work out of boating.
This manual covers:
EXPLORER 550
Color display, external GPS antenna.
EXPLORER 550i
Color display, internal GPS antenna.
The available functions, displays and setup
menus depend on the optional sensors and
instruments that are installed:
The Fuel functions require optional
petrol/gasoline or SmartCraft fuel sensors to
be installed and set up.

1-2 Cleaning and maintenance

The EXPLORER 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.

1-3 Plug-in cards

The EXPLORER 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 EXPLORER
chart display.
The EXPLORER can use NT, NT+ and NT-MAX
cards.
Northstar EXPLORER 550/550i Installation and Operation Manual
SmartCraft engine functions require a
SmartCraft system to be installed. For
information on using SmartCraft, see the
SmartCraft Gateway Installation and
Operation Manual.
The EXPLORER can send data to other
instruments, such as an autopilot, and receive
data from other instruments.
For information on installing options, see section
15-2.
This manual describes how to install and operate
the EXPLORER. 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 Northstar products, go to our website,
www.northstarnav.com.
To optimize performance, avoid walking on or
jamming cables and connectors.
Push the dust cover over the display when the
EXPLORER is turned off.
C-MAP™ user cards are used to store
navigation data. Each user card expands the
EXPLORER memory and allows the data to be
transferred to another EXPLORER easily (see
section 14).
Note: The older 5 volt user cards are not
supported.
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