Garmin GPSMAP 8012 MFD Owner's Manual - Page 18

NOTE: Not all models support radar. When you connect your compatible chartplotter to an optional Garmin marine radar, such as a GMR™ 1206 xHD or a GMR 24 HD, you can view more information about your surroundings. The GMR transmits a narrow beam of microwave energy as it rotates to a 360° pattern. When the transmitted energy contacts a target, some of that energy is reflected back to the radar. Radar Display Modes NOTE: Not all modes are available with all radar devices and all chartplotters. Select Radar > Menu > Radar Menu > Change Radar, and select a mode. Cruising Mode: Shows a full-screen image of the gathered radar information. Harbor Mode: Intended for use in inland waters, this mode works best with short-range signals (2 nm or less). Offshore Mode: Intended for use in open waters, this mode works best with long-range signals. Sentry Mode: Allows you to put the radar into timed-transmit mode, in which you can configure a radar transmit and standby cycle to conserve power. You can also enable a guard zone in this mode, which identifies a safe zone around your boat. If you switch from Sentry mode to another mode, the radar switches to full-time transmission and disables all guard zones. Radar Overlay Mode: Shows a full-screen image of the gathered radar information on top of the Navigation chart. The Radar overlay displays data based on the most recently used radar mode. Dual Range Mode: Provides a side-by-side view of both shortrange and long-range radar data. Changing the Radar Mode 1 From a Radar screen, select Menu > Radar Menu > Change Radar. 2 Select a radar mode. Transmitting Radar Signals NOTE: As a safety feature, the radar enters standby mode after it warms up. This gives you an opportunity to verify the area around the radar is clear before beginning radar transmission. 1 With the chartplotter off, connect your radar as described in the radar installation instructions. 2 Turn on the chartplotter. The radar warms up and a countdown alerts you when the radar is ready. 3 Select Radar > Menu > Radar Menu > Change Radar. 4 Select a radar mode. A countdown message appears while the radar is starting up. 5 Select Menu > Transmit Radar. Adjusting the Zoom Scale on the Radar Screen The radar zoom scale, also called the radar signal range, represents the distance from your position (the center) to the outermost ring. From a Radar screen, select or . Each ring represents an even division of the zoom scale. For example, if the zoom scale is set at 3 miles, each ring represents 1 mile from the center out. Tips for Selecting a Radar Zoom Scale The radar zoom scale, or radar signal range, indicates the length of the pulsed signal transmitted and received by the radar. As the range increases, the radar transmits longer pulses in order to reach distant targets. Closer targets, especially rain and waves, also reflect the longer pulses, which can add noise to the Radar screen. Viewing information about longer-range targets can also decrease the amount of space available on the Radar screen for viewing information about shorter-range targets. • Determine what information you need to see on the Radar screen. For example, do you need information about nearby weather conditions or targets and traffic, or are you more concerned about distant weather conditions? • Assess the environmental conditions where the radar is being used. Especially in inclement weather, longer-range radar signals can increase the clutter on the Radar screen and make it more difficult to view information about shorter-range targets. In rain, shorter-range radar signals can enable you to view information about nearby objects more effectively, if the rain clutter setting is configured optimally. • Select the shortest effective range, given your reason for using radar and the present environmental conditions. Marking a Waypoint on the Radar Screen 1 From a Radar screen or the Radar overlay, select a location. 2 Select Create Waypoint. Sentry Mode Sentry mode allows you to put the radar into timed-transmit mode, in which you can configure a radar transmit and standby cycle to conserve power. You can also enable a guard zone in this mode, which identifies a safe zone around your boat and sounds an alarm when a radar object enters the zone. Sentry mode works with all Garmin GMR model radars. Enabling Timed Transmit From the sentry screen, select Menu > Radar Menu > Sentry Setup > Timed Transmit > On. Setting the Standby and Transmit Times Before you can set the standby and transmit times, you must enable timed transmit (page 12). To help conserve power, you can indicate the radar standby time and the transmit time to implement periodic radar signal transmissions at set intervals. 1 From the sentry screen, select Menu > Radar Menu > Sentry Setup. 2 Select Stdby Time. 3 Enter the time interval between radar signal transmissions. 4 Select Transmit Time. 5 Enter the duration of each radar signal transmission. Enabling a Guard Zone From the sentry screen, select Menu > Radar Menu > Sentry Setup > Enable Guard Zone. Defining a Circular Guard Zone Before you can define the boundaries of the guard zone, you must enable a guard zone (page 12). You can define a circular guard zone that completely encompasses your boat. 1 From the sentry screen, select Menu > Radar Menu > Sentry Setup > Adjust Guard Zone > Adjust Guard Zone > Circle. 12 Radar