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Explorer 721US / 721EU
VHF Marine Radio
Operation and Installation Manual
www.northstarnav.com
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IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION Please read carefully before installation and use. This is the safety alert symbol. It is used to alert you to potential personal injury hazards, Obey all safety messages that follow this symbol to avoid possible injury or death. WARNING indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in death or serious injury CAUTION indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in minor or moderate injury. CAUTI
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Contents Section 1 - General Information ............................................................................................................... 6 1-1 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 1-2 Customize your Northstar VHF Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 1-3 How to Display and Navigate Menus . . . . . . .
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4-7 Response Type to LL Polling Calls (LL REPLY) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 4-8 Mute the Notification Ring Tone (LL RING) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Section 5 - Send and Receive DSC Calls ..................................................................................................... 30 5-1 What is DSC? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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7-7 Install the Microphone Bulkhead Mount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 7-8 Connect the Radio Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 7-9 Set Up the Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 7-10 Enter Your User MMSID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Section 1 - General Information 1-1 Features Congratulations on your purchase of a Northstar VHF Explorer 721US or 721EU marine band radio. Both of these models provide the following useful features: • Prominent channel display and rotary channel selector knob with PRESS TO ENTER function • Local/Distance mode to eliminate noise in high traffic areas • Adjustable contrast settings for the LCD • Adjustable keypad backlighting for easy night-time use • Waterproof and submersible to comply w
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2. Only four menu items can be displayed at any one time on the LCD. Press CH + or CH - to scroll up and down the menu until the cursor is positioned at the desired option. Press ENT or push the rotary knob to display that option. 3. Make any entries or changes as explained in the following section. 4. Press ENT or push the rotary knob to confirm changes. Otherwise, press ESC to keep the original entry. 5. Press ESC to backup one screen or exit. Any changes are active as soon as you exit
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These symbols may not appear at all or may be shown in a different location on the optional handset. Symbol Meaning TX Transmitting. HI LO Transmission power. High (HI) 25 W or Low (LO) 1 W. WX Weather channel. WX ALT Weather Alert. Alarm beeps will sound. 721US only. BUSY Receiver busy with an incoming signal. PRI Priority channel is selected. D Duplex operation. Otherwise, blank for Simplex operation. LOCAL Local calling is selected. Otherwise, blank for distance calling. DSC DSC capability
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Baro Graph. A histogram of barometric pressure readings over the past 24 hours. The high-resolution histogram centers automatically if the range goes off scale. Readouts are taken even when the engine and radio have been powered down (with typically less than 3mA of current drain). A typical operational display on base unit LCD: A transmission on Channel 16 is being made at high power using the International channel bank. Channel 16 is set as the Priority channel. There is an in
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1-7 Basic Operation and Key Functions All possible keys on the base unit, the microphone, and the optional handset are listed and their functions are explained. NOTE: Some keys or functions may not be available on your particular model of base unit, microphone, or optional handset. This example shows the 721US base unit. Explorer 721 Key Function VOL PWR Volume and Power. Turn clockwise to power on. Continue to turn until a comfortable volume is reached. VOL/PWR will also adjust the settings
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To add a favorite channel for the fi rst time, select that channel then hold 3CH to store it in the CH1 location. Repeat the procedure to store two more favorite channels in the CH2 and CH3 locations respectively. If you try and add another favorite channel it will overwrite the existing CH3. CH1 and CH2 remain unless you delete them. To delete a favorite channel, select that channel then hold down 3CH until the CH1, CH2 or CH3 symbol disappears off the LCD. SCAN Scan. Scanning is not allo
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info Information. Press on the base MIKE to toggle through the INFO display to show the barometric historgram, the barometric readout and temperature, or the Signal- to-Noise Ratio (SNR). H/L Transmission Power. High (HI) 25 W or Low (LO) 1 W. Press to toggle between high or low transmission power for the entire channel bank. The HI or LO selection is shown on the LCD. Some channels allow only low power transmissions. Error beeps will sound if the power transmission setting is incorrect.
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Section 2 - The Radio Menu (MENU) Hold down CALL/MENU to show the radio menu options. Sections 1-3 and 1-4 explain how to navigate around the menu and enter, save and change data. 2-1 The Radio Menu Options (MENU) Show weather, SNR or Happy Fish information on the handset. See Section 2-2. INFO DATA (Handset only y y) Maintain your buddy list. Set radio sensitivity. BUDDY LIST LOCAL/DIST See Section 2-3. See Section 2-4. BACKLIGHT Set backlight level. Set contrast level. CONTRAST See Secti
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2-2 Show Weather, SNR or Happy Fish on Handset (INFO DATA) If you have the optional handset installed, you can use INFO DATA to show the local weather forecast (e.g. SUNNY) and a digital readout of the current barometric pressure (mb or in-Hg) and the channel name on the handset LCD. MENU SELECT INFO DATA DISTRESS >INFO DATA >ON A BIT CLOUDY OFF BUDDY LIST 78.4°F LOCAL/DIST 29.99in-Hg After INFO DATA is selected ON, the following screen appears on the handset with Line #3 able to
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2-3 Maintain Your Buddy List (BUDDY LIST) Use the Buddy List to store the names and associated MMSIDs of 20 favorite people. MENU SELECT Names are stored in the order of entry, with the most recent entry shown fi rst. >BUDDY LIST The following sections show to use BUDDY LIST to add, edit, and delete entries in LOCAL/DIST your buddy list. BACKLIGHT Section 3 explains how to call a buddy. 2-3-1 Add an Entry BUDDY LIST ENTER NAME ENTER NAME BOB > MANUAL NEW –––––––––––– BOB 123456789 A
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2-3-3 Delete an Entry BUDDY LIST BUDDY LIST TOM DELETE BUDDY > MANUAL NEW > MANUAL NEW > EDIT TOM ALEX ALEX DELETE > YES TOM TOM NO 1. Select BUDDY LIST. Press ENT or push the rotary knob to display the list of entries. 2. Scroll down (if required) to the entry you want to delete and press ENT. 3. Select DELETE then select YES. 4. The entry is deleted immediately and the buddy list is displayed again. 2-4 Local or Distance Sensitivity (LOCAL/DIST) Use LOCAL/DIST to improve the
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2-5-1 Set the Backlighting Level 1. Select BACKLIGHT. BACKLIGHT 2. Use CH + or CH - to select a comfortable backlight level. LO HI 3. Press ENT or push the rotary knob to confi rm the new level and return to the PRESS ENT menu. 2-5-2 Set the Contrast Level 1. Select CONTRAST. 2. Use CH + or CH - to select a comfortable contrast level. CONTRAST 3. Press ENT or push the rotary knob to confi rm the new level and return to the LO HI menu. PRESS ENT 2-6 GPS Data and Time (
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International Date Line International Date Line 2-6-2 Local Time (TIME OFFSET) The local time can be set by entering the time off set between UTC and local time as follows. GPS/DATA GPS/DATA TIME OFFSET MANUAL > TIME OFFSET >+01:30 >SETTING TIME FORMAT TIME DISPLY 02:30PM LOC 1. Select GPS/DATA, then SETTING. 2. Select TIME OFFSET to enter the diff erence between UTC and local time. Half hour increments can be used with a maximum off set of ±13 hours. In this example, a diff erence of +1.
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2-6-3 Time Format Options (TIME FORMAT) Time can be shown in 12 or 24 hour format. GPS/DATA SETTING TIME FORMAT MANUAL TIME OFFSET > 12 Hr > SETTING > TIME FORMAT 24 Hr TIME DISPLAY 07:15AM LOC 1. Select GPS/DATA, then SETTING. 2. Select TIME FORMAT. 3. Select 12 Hr or 24 Hr as desired. In this example, 12 hour format has been selected so the LCD shows the AM or PM suffix. 2-6-4 Time Display Options (TIME DISPLAY) If you’ve entered the time manually as described in the previous s
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2-6-7 GPS Alert Options (ALERT) The GPS alert is usually set to ON so that if the GPS navigation receiver is disconnected, the alarm sounds. 1. Select GPS/DATA, then SETTING. GPS/DATA GPS ALERT 2. Select GPS ALERT. LL DISPLY > ON 3. Select ON or OFF as desired. COG/SOG OFF > GPS ALERT 2-7 GPS Simulator (GPS SIM) The GPS Simulator is set to OFF whenever the radio is turned ON or whenever real GPS data is available through the COM port. However, if you want to test the GPS Simulator, t
