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www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com THANK YOU! Thank you for choosing Humminbird®, America's #1 name in fishfinders. Humminbird® has built its reputation by designing and manufacturing top-quality, thoroughly reliable marine equipment. Your Humminbird® is designed for trouble-free use in even the harshest marine environment.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com OPERATOR WARNINGS This radio will transmit/receive on channels that are restricted in the U.S. To operate on these channels you must have explicit permission from the proper governmental authority. Refer to the list of U.S. channels in this manual and look under the “Type of Traffic” column to find out whether a particular chosen channel has restricted use.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com TABLE OF CONTENTS VHF255S Introduction 6 How VHF Radio Works 6 Features Overview 7 Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) 9 VHF255S Controls - Radio Base Station Front 11 VHF255S Controls - Radio Base Station Rear 13 VHF255S Controls - Microphone Handset 14 What's On the Display 15 Installation Overview 17 Parts Supplied 17 Connections Overview 20 1. Decide Where to Install the Radio Base Station. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com 10. Accessing Channels Saved to Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 11. Using the Transmit Time-Out Timer (TOT) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 12. Scanning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 13. Using the Watch Monitor Modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com Maintenance Troubleshooting 71 71 VHF255S Doesn't Power Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 No Sound from the Speaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Transmitting is Impossible, or High Power Can’t Be Selected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Low Receiver Sensitivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com VHF255S INTRODUCTION The Humminbird® VHF255S represents state-of-the-art high tech VHF radio engineering, and is skillfully designed and constructed with the finest components. It is constructed to commercial- grade standards to give you clear, reliable communication. HOW VHF RADIO WORKS The most popular method of communicating with other boats is via very high frequency (VHF) radio.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com FEATURES OVERVIEW The Humminbird® VHF255S is a VHF Digital Selective Calling (DSC) Base Station marine band radio with the following features: • Access to all available U.S., International, and Canadian channels (currently allocated). • Allows unlimited memory channels for quick recall and memory scan. • Provides as many as 20 user-programmable names with MMSI, 10 distress calls and 20 individual calls for DSC communications.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com • Firm and reliable gimbal mounting bracket for the radio base station. • Large LCD (2“x 1.5”) is easy to read, with backlit display to allow operation in low light conditions. • Phase Lock Loop (PLL) controlled circuitry provides accurate and stable channel selection. • Memory Channels feature allows you to save channels so that they are easy to retrieve for future use. • SQUELCH Knob allows you to eliminate static and background noises during communications.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com MARITIME MOBILE SERVICE IDENTITY (MMSI) The Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number is the nine-digit number used on marine radios like your VHF255S that are capable of using Digital Selective Calling (DSC). This number is used like a telephone number to call other vessels individually and automatically. NOTE: You must get an MMSI assigned to you before you can perform this procedure, and you will ONLY be allowed to perform this operation once.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com To enter your assigned MMSI into your radio: 1. Press and hold the DSC/MENU key; the Text area on the LCD will display the Setup Menu list. 2. Rotate the CH/ENTER knob to select DSC SETUP from the Setup Menu list, and push the CH/ENTER knob to display the DSC Setup Submenu. 3. Rotate the CH/ENTER knob to select USER MMSI from the DSC Setup Submenu and push the CH/ENTER knob to display the USER MMSI entry screen.
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www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com CANCEL/WX: Use this dual function key to cancel your last selection or change your selection without saving. This allows you to step back one level on the menu mode. Use this key to cancel DSC Distress calls and auto-retransmission of Distress calls. Press and hold this key to enter WX (Weather) mode. DSC/MENU: Use this dual function key to view the DSC Call List or enter the Setup Menu. The DSC Call List is used for making DSC Calls.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com VHF255S CONTROLS - RADIO BASE STATION REAR The following drawing shows the Humminbird® VHF255S connections on the rear of the radio: Power Input External Speaker External GPS Antenna Jack Power Input: Allows you to connect the radio to the boat’s 12 VDC power system. External Speaker: Allows you to connect the radio to an optional-purchase external speaker.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com VHF255S CONTROLS - MICROPHONE HANDSET The following drawing shows the Humminbird® VHF255S controls located on the microphone handset: PTT 16/9 HI/LO Channel Up/Down DSC/MENU Channel Up/Down: Use these keys to change channels, as well as to change values while editing settings. 16/9: Press and release the 16/9 key to select Channel 16 first; further presses of the 16/9 key toggles between Channel 16 and the previous channel.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com WHAT'S ON THE DISPLAY The Humminbird® VHF255S uses an LCD display, together with keys and various control knobs on the typical view you might see on the display at initial power-up. 2 10 11 12 1 3 4 6 7 5 8 9 15 1 Transmission power mode High (HI) 25 W or Low (LO) 1 W. 2 Indicates an incoming DSC call or, if blinking, to notify you of any unread Call Log messages. 3 Indicates that the radio is transmitting a radio signal.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com e radio base station and microphone handset, to provide access to user functions. The figure shows a 13 7 Indicates current Watch mode, Dual or Tri Watch. 8 Indicates that Weather Channel mode is active. U.S. and Canada only. 9 Indicates that a weather alert is being received. U.S. and Canada only. 10 Indicates current channel selected. 11 Indicates which of the three available bands are selected: the U.S.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com INSTALLATION OVERVIEW Following are instructions for the installation of your radio. Before you start installation, we encourage you to read these instructions carefully in order to get the full benefit from your Humminbird® VHF255S radio. To install your VHF255S radio, you will perform the following steps: 1. Decide where to install the radio base station. 2. Install the radio base station.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com Radio Base Station Recessed Mounting Kit: NOTE: Use the recessed mounting bracket instead of the gimbal mounting bracket for recessed mounting applications. • Recessed mounting bracket (2). • Caps (4). • Nuts (4). • M5x10 Screws (2). • M5x32 Screws (4). MICROPHONE HANDSET: • Microphone handset (1). Microphone Handset Mounting Bracket: • Microphone mounting bracket (1). • Self-tapping screws (2). • Flat screws (2). • Plain washers (2). • Spring washers (2).
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com CABLES: • 4.25 ft (1.30 m) power supply cable with fuse holder (1). • 2.0 ft (0.6 m) GPS NMEA connection cable (for optional-purchase GPS Receiver) (1). • 2.65 ft (0.8 m) external speaker connection cable (for optional-purchase external speaker) (1). NOTE: If you find that any items are missing from your installation kit, call our Customer Resource Center at 1-800-633-1468 or visit our website at www.humminbird.com.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com CONNECTIONS OVERVIEW In the following steps, you will be making at least one of the following connections: • Power Supply: Your radio is powered by your boat’s 12 VDC power system. The solid red cable is positive and the black cable with the red stripe is negative. • External Speaker (optional-purchase): If needed, you can connect your radio to an external speaker with the supplied connection cable.
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www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com 2. INSTALL THE RADIO BASE STATION Mount the VHF255S radio base station on your vessel, using the mounting location determined in the previous procedure, and one of the two following procedures, gimbal mounting or recessed mounting. NOTE: You have the option of gimbal bracket mounting, which can either be mounted on the dash or overhead and allows rotation of the radio during operation, or recessed mounting into a dashboard or other appropriate surface.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com Radio Base Station Mounting Screws Gimbal Mounting Knobs Gimbal Mounting Bracket Dash CAUTION: Keep the radio and microphone handset at least 3.3 feet (1 meter) away from any magnetic devices on your boat (such as a compass). To install the base station using the recessed mounting kit: 1. Tape the Recessed Mounting installation template onto the chosen mounting location.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com 5. Working from the rear of the dash, align the ratcheted mounting circles on each side of the radio with the central hole in each mounting bracket. 6. Use the two short M5x10 screws to screw the mounting brackets to the sides of the radio. 7. Slide two M5x32 screws through the screw hole in the mounting bracket, then attach the lock nut and the stopper. If your dash exceeds 1/2" (13 mm) in thickness, you have the option of discarding the stopper nut if necessary.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com 3. ATTACH THE ANTENNA CABLE TO THE RADIO A suitable antenna must be mounted in a safe location and connected to the radio base station before turning on the radio. A very important factor affecting the performance of any radio communication system is the selection of a suitable antenna. Consult your dealer about antennas and ask them to help you select a suitable antenna for your radio. Refer to the following guidelines for best results.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com CAUTION: If you cannot reach behind the mounting surface to attach the nuts to the bolts, use the supplied self-tapping screws to fasten the bracket instead. 2. Set the bracket aside, then drill two mounting holes at the marked locations. If you plan to use the supplied mounting screws, make sure the drill bit you use is slightly smaller than the screw diameter of the mounting screw.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com 5. ATTACH A GPS RECEIVER (OPTIONAL-PURCHASE) It is strongly recommended that you use your Humminbird® VHF255S with an optionalpurchase GPS Receiver. You will not be able to take full advantage of all of the Digital Signal Calling (DSC) features without connecting a GPS Receiver to the radio. Perform the following procedure to connect a GPS Receiver to your radio. To VHF255S DSC Yellow Green Orange Black 1.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com USING YOUR VHF255S Before you use your radio for the first time, you should make sure that you are familiar with the following FCC radio frequency (RF) and licensing requirements. See Before You Use Your Radio: FCC Radio Frequency (RF) Compliance Requirements, Before You Use Your Radio: FCC Licensing Requirements and Before You Use Your Radio: FCC Privacy and Priority Channel Requirements for more information.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com BEFORE YOU USE YOUR RADIO: FCC RADIO FREQUENCY (RF) COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS WARNING: The radio operator and any bystanders should be at least 3.3 feet (1 meter) from the base of the antenna when the radio is transmitting (whenever the PTT key is pressed and held or anytime the TX icon appears on the LCD) in order to avoid excessive radio frequency (RF) exposure (as defined by the FCC). WARNING: Hold the microphone handset no closer than 1 inch (2.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com BEFORE YOU USE YOUR RADIO: FCC PRIVACY AND PRIORITY CHANNEL REQUIREMENTS WARNING: You must monitor Channel 16 (the main priority and distress channel) when you are not using any other channel on the radio. See 8. Accessing the Priority 16/9 Channels for more information. WARNING: Information overheard but not intended for the listener may NOT be used in any way, by law. WARNING: Making a false distress call using your radio is prohibited by law.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com 2. ADJUSTING SQUELCH Squelch is used to eliminate static and background noise between received transmissions. Squelch effectively mutes the radio speaker until it receives a transmission, thus sparing you from having to listen to static. If Squelch is set too high, only the strongest transmissions can be heard, and if it is set too low, intermittent static and noise may be annoying. Squelch is controlled by the SQUELCH knob located on the radio base station.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com 4. SELECTING HIGH/LOW POWER You must press and release the HI/LO key on the microphone handset or the HI/LO/MEM key on the radio base station to toggle the transmit power between High and Low. Select HI (High Power Transmit) for long-range communications, and LO (Low Power Transmit) for shorter-range communications to save battery power. To change the transmit power: 1.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com 7. SELECTING A WEATHER CHANNEL AND TURNING ON WEATHER ALERT The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) broadcasts continuous weather reports and severe weather alerts during severe weather events. Your Humminbird® VHF255S is programmed to receive all NOAA weather channels.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com 8. ACCESSING THE 16/9 PRIORITY CHANNELS Channel 16 is the universal distress and emergency channel and Channel 9 is a secondary distress and emergency channel used by the U.S. Coast Guard. Use Channel 16 to establish initial contact with another station for emergency communications. The FCC requires you to monitor Channel 16 even when you do not actively need to use it, and whenever you are not using another channel on the radio to transmit or receive.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com 10. ACCESSING CHANNELS SAVED TO MEMORY Once channels have been saved, you can easily access them using the following procedure. Once in Memory mode, only the channels saved to memory will be accessible using the Up or Down Channel keys on the microphone handset or the CH/ENTER knob and the SCAN key on the radio base station. To access saved channels: 1. Press and hold the HI/LOW/MEM key for 3 seconds, then release.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com on the receiving channel as long as it is present. If the signal ceases or is lost for five seconds or more, the radio resumes the scanning sequence. You can only enter Normal Scan mode when there are no channels stored in memory. • Memory Scan: In Memory Scan mode, which is the default mode if any channels are stored in memory, only the channels that have been saved in memory are scanned in sequence.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com 13. USING THE WATCH MONITOR MODES The Humminbird® VHF255S is equipped with two types of monitor modes: Dual Watch and Tri Watch. Dual Watch monitors the current working channel and Channel 16 alternately. Tri Watch monitors Channel 16, Channel 9 and the current working channel. Both watch modes also monitor for weather alerts when Weather Alert mode has been enabled. To activate and terminate Dual Watch mode: 1.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com 14. DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING (DSC) DSC (Digital Selective Calling) is a semi-automated method of establishing a radio call that has been designated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as an international standard for establishing VHF, MF and HF radio calls. It has also been designated part of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS).
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com DSC Call Types LAST CALL: Recalls last call regardless of which type of call was received last. NEW CALL: Allows you to make a new call, either by entering an MMSI number or by selecting a number from the Contact List. GROUP: Sends transmissions that are only received by radios that share a common group MMSI number; up to 3 group MMSI numbers can be stored and called.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com To make an All Ships call: 1. From the DSC Call Type List, select ALL SHIPS. The following choices will be displayed: Urgency, Safety, and Routine. 2. Select one of those three choices to see another submenu that gives you the choice to Send or Cancel the All Ships call type. Press the CH/Enter knob again to send the call type selected, or press the 16/9 key to quit. 3.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com 15. MAKING A DISTRESS CALL The DISTRESS key is used to make a Distress call. A Distress call will send out the position and time information from the input NMEA data along with your MMSI number. This digital information lets other ships and shore stations equipped with appropriate DSC equipment know where you are and that you are in a distress situation. WARNING: Unless you need immediate help, NEVER use the DISTRESS key.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com NOTE: If you release the DISTRESS key before 3 seconds have passed, the Distress call will not be sent; if you hold down the DISTRESS key for more than 3 seconds, the Distress call will be sent whether channel 70 is busy or not. When a Distress call is sent, the acoustic alert sounds as a continuous tone until acknowledgement is received or you cancel the Distress call. 5.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com 10. Release the PTT key and listen for a response. If you do not get a response, repeat step 9 until you do. 11. If you must abandon ship without receiving a response, and you have time, go back to step 1, and initiate an automatic distress call that will broadcast the ABANDONING message. 16. MAKING INDIVIDUAL ROUTINE CALLS You can make an individual call, either to a ship or to a coast station. To send an individual, manual call: 1.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com To send an individual call using an MMSI stored in the Contact List: 1. From the DSC Call Type List, select NEW CALL. The NEW CALL submenu will be displayed, and the cursor will point to MANUAL; any MMSI names stored in your Contact List will also appear. If you have no names stored in your Contact List, you will not be able to proceed. (See Setup Menu, Contact List for more information.) 2.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com 4b. If the call is not acknowledged within 16 seconds, the radio will prompt you to resend the call. 5. If you do nothing for 5 minutes, the individual call will be cancelled and the radio will revert to the original channel selected before you started the individual call. NOTE: To save this Call Log entry in your Contact List, select SAVE, then press the CH/ENTER key and enter a screen name to represent how the logged MMSI is displayed on the LCD.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com 2. When position data is included within the signal, it is displayed in the Text area of the LCD. When no position data is included within the signal, the message "99°„99.9999X, 999°„99.9999Y" is displayed in the Text area of the LCD. 3. You must continue to monitor channel 16 as a coast station may require assistance in a rescue attempt. DISTRESS ID0450078964 21’09.1011N 120’20.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com 2. You must continue to monitor the channel in order to receive the voice communication. 3. The call data is stored in the Call Log. ALL SHIPS URGENCY ID0987654322 ALL SHIPS SAFETY ID0987654322 To receive a Group call: 1. When a Group call is received, an alert sounds, and the radio automatically tunes to the designated channel. Press any key to disable the alert. 2. Monitor the designated channel for an announcement from the calling ship. 3.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com To acknowledge a missed call: 1. If you miss a call, the blinking icon will appear on the LCD, and will remain until you go to the Call Log and scroll through all the messages to find the missed calls, which will have icons next to them. Scroll through all the messages with icons in order to acknowledge them. Once you have done this, the blinking icon will disappear from the LCD. 18.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com DISTRESS 23’20.1234 N 100’15.1002 E 08:10PM UTC To request the Lat/Lon position of an MMSI (POS request): This option allows you to request GPS position information from any vessel for which an MMSI number is known. 1. From the DSC Call Type List, select POS REQUEST, then select either LAST RX or CONTACTS. 2a. If you selected LAST RX, pressing the CH/ENTER knob will allow you to send the call. Skip to step 3. or... 2b.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com SETUP MENU The radio’s setup functions are accessed through the Setup Menu. Setup Menu selections are as follows: CONTACTS LOCAL/DIST BACKLIGHT CONTRAST GPS/TIME RADIO SETUP DSC SETUP RESET EXIT CONTACTS: Selects the Contact List Entry routine to enter Names and MMSI numbers for frequently-called DSC stations. Up to 20 Contact Names can be stored.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com To access the Setup Menu: 1. Press and hold the DSC/MENU key for 3 seconds; the Text area on the LCD will display the Setup Menu list. (Setup Menu choices are: CONTACTS, LOCAL/DIST, BACKLIGHT, CONTRAST, GPS/TIME, RADIO SETUP, DSC SETUP, RESET, EXIT.) 2. Rotate the CH/ENTER knob to select an Item within the Setup Menu list. To confirm a selected item, push the CH/ENTER knob.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com 4a. Press the CH/ENTER knob to save the new Contact, which will be displayed at the top of the Contact List. or... 4b. Press the CANCEL key to terminate the process without saving, then go back to the Contact List screen. 5. When the Contact List is full (has 20 entries), you cannot add a new entry until you have deleted an existing entry. To edit an existing Contact List entry: 1. From the Setup Menu, select CONTACTS.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com LOCAL/DISTANT You can set the receiver to LOCAL to eliminate noise, as the LOCAL setting limits radio reception to strong signals only. To set the receiver to Local/Distant: 1. From the Setup Menu, select LOCAL/DIST, then choose LOCAL and press the CH/ENTER knob to set the receiver to Local. The LOCAL icon will appear on the LCD. 2. Select LOCAL/DIST from the Setup Menu list, then choose DISTANT and press the CH/ENTER knob to set the receiver to DISTANT.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com CONTRAST ADJUSTMENT You can adjust the contrast on the LCD to adapt to changing light conditions. To adjust the Contrast: 1. From the Setup Menu, select CONTRAST. There are 8 levels of control for the Contrast. The higher numbers represent a higher-contrast setting, while the lower numbers represent a lower-contrast setting. 2. Rotate the CH/ENTER knob to adjust the setting, Press the CH/ENTER knob to enter the setting and return to the Setup Menu List.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com GPS/TIME SUBMENU The radio automatically detects NMEA strings and decodes the appropriate latitude/longitude position and time. If the GPS navigation receiver is not connected or is not functional, the radio will send an alert every 4 hours to request that you enter manual GPS coordinates and time data. If you do not enter this data manually for 24 consecutive hours, the radio will stop sending the alert and will simply display NO GPS on the LCD.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com GPS/TIME SUBMENU: MANUALLY ENTER GPS DATA If no GPS data is available, the NO GPS icon appears, and POS DATA REQ is displayed with NO GPS. An alert will sound for 5 seconds or until any key is pressed. The manual entry function is valid if and only if no GPS Receiver is connected. CONTACTS LOCAL/DIST BACKLIGHT CONTRAST >GPS/TIME RADIO SETUP DSC SETUP RESET EXIT >MANUAL SETTINGS MANUAL POS __.__.____N ___.__.____E _ _ . _ _ UTC To manually enter GPS Data: 1.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com GPS/TIME SUBMENU: SETTINGS SUBMENU The Settings Submenu under the GPS/TIME Submenu allows you to set the following information: • Whether Position data is displayed. • Whether the Time is displayed. • Whether a Time Zone Offset is used. • How the Time data is formatted. • Whether COG/SOG data is displayed. NOTE: If the TIME DISPLAY is turned on, COG/SOG will be turned off automatically, and vice versa, since they use the same line on the LCD.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com GPS/TIME SETTINGS SUBMENU: TIME DISPLAY ON/OFF You can choose whether or not the time is displayed in Normal mode. 1. From the GPS/Time Submenu, select SETTINGS, then select TIME DISPLAY to turn the Time Display ON or OFF. 2. Select ON to make the LCD display the time, and OFF to suppress the time. In the following example, OFF is selected and the LCD no longer shows the time.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com GPS/TIME SETTINGS SUBMENU: TIME FORMAT You can choose the time display to be in either 12 hour or 24 hour format. 1. From the GPS/Time Submenu, select SETTINGS, then select TIME FORMAT to change the time format. 2. Use the CH/ENTER knob to choose either 12 HR or 24 HR, and press the CH/ENTER knob again to enter the selected time format.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com RADIO SETUP SUBMENU The Radio Setup submenu under the Setup Menu allows you to set the following information: • The name of a channel. • Ring volume for incoming calls. • Beep volume for alerts. • Whether the internal speaker is turned on or off. CONTACTS LOCAL/DIST BACKLIGHT CONTRAST GPS/TIME >RADIO SETUP DSC SETUP RESET EXIT CH NAME RING VOLUME BEEP VOLUME INT SPEAKER To access the Radio Setup Submenu: 1.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com RADIO SETUP: CHANNEL NAME DISPLAY AND EDITING You can associate a text name with a channel, and display the name on the LCD below the channel number, or suppress the display of the name; you can also delete an existing text name. >CH NAME RING VOLUME BEEP VOLUME INT SPEAKER CH NAME >DISPLAY CH INFO DISPLAY >ON OFF To display an existing channel name: 1.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com To delete a name tag from a saved channel: 1. From the Radio Setup Submenu, select CH NAME, then CH INFO, then press the CH/ENTER knob. The screen will display the channel name associated with that channel. 2. Select DELETE and press the CH/ENTER knob to see the YES/NO confirmation message. Choose YES to delete the existing channel name tag.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com RADIO SETUP: BEEP VOLUME ADJUSTMENT This setting allows you to set the key beep tone volume level. 1. From the Radio Setup Submenu, select BEEP VOL to display the beep volume setting choices, and choose either HIGH, LOW or OFF using the CH/ENTER knob.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com DSC SETUP SUBMENU The DSC Setup submenu under the Setup Menu allows you to set the following information for the DSC/ATIS function: • The User MMSI assigned to your radio (can ONLY be set once). • Up to three Group Names and associated MMSIs. • Automatic or manual individual reply. • Whether DSC is enabled or temporarily disabled. • Automatic, manual or off position request reponse.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com DSC SETUP: ENTER YOUR USER MMSI NOTE: You must get an MMSI assigned to you before you can perform this procedure, and you will ONLY be allowed to perform this operation once. You must enter your user MMSI before you can use the DSC functions.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com 4. If the User MMSI is blank, a dashed line will be displayed. Turn the CH/ENTER knob back and forth to enter the User MMSI along the dashed line. Press the CH/ENTER knob to confirm each correct entry and to be advanced automatically to the next digit. NOTE: If your make an error, press the CANCEL/WX key until < appears, then press the CH/ENTER knob to back up and correct the error. 5.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com DSC SETUP: CREATE AND MANAGE GROUP MMSIS You can save up to three Group MMSI numbers and associated Group names. Group MMSI numbers always begin with a zero (0). You will only enter the last 8 digits of the Group MMSI, as the intial “0” is entered automatically. To enter Group MMSIs: 1. From the DSC Setup Submenu, select GROUP MMSI. If existing Group Names and Group MMSIs are stored, they will be displayed.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com To edit an existing Group MMSI entry: 1. From the DSC Setup Submenu, select GROUP MMSI, then select an existing Group Name and press the CH/ENTER knob to see the EDIT and DELETE choices for the selected Group Name and associated MMSI. Select the Group Name or only the desired MMSI. Choose EDIT. 2. When you are finished editing, press the CH/ENTER knob. You will be prompted to save your changes. 3. Press the CH/ENTER knob again to save your edits.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com DSC SETUP: INDIVIDUAL REPLY You can set up your radio to respond to incoming individual calls with either an automatic response or to wait for you to reply manually. 1. From the DSC Setup Submenu, select INDIV REPLY to display the INDIV REPLY MANUAL or AUTOMATIC choices. 2. Select AUTOMATIC for an automatic response, or MANUAL for a manual response using the CH/ENTER knob.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com DSC SETUP: POSITION REPLY You can set the radio to respond to a Position Request in one of three ways: Automatic, Manual, or Off (no response). 1. From the DSC Setup Submenu, select POS REPLY, then choose either AUTOMATIC, MANUAL, and OFF using the CH/ENTER knob.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com MAINTENANCE To keep your Humminbird® VHF255S working properly, perform the following maintenance as needed. If your unit comes into contact with salt spray, simply wipe the affected surfaces with a cloth dampened in fresh water. Do not use a chemical glass cleaner on the lens, as chemicals in the solution may cause cracking in the lens. When cleaning the LCD protective lens, use a chamois and non-abrasive, mild cleaner.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com NO SOUND FROM THE SPEAKER If your VHF255S speaker is not emitting sound, refer to the Installation section, and make sure that: • The volume control is turned up high enough for you to hear. • SQUELCH is set to the threshold point. • The internal speaker is turned on (see Radio Setup: Turning the Internal Speaker On/Off for more information). Correct any problems discovered.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY We warrant the original retail purchaser that products made by Humminbird® have been manufactured free from defects in materials and workmanship. This warranty for the VHF255S radio is effective for three years from the date of original retail purchase. Humminbird® products found to be defective and covered by this warranty will be replaced or repaired free of charge at Humminbird's option and returned to the customer freight prepaid.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com HUMMINBIRD® SERVICE POLICY Even though you'll probably never need to take advantage of our incredible service policy, it's good to know that we back our products this confidently. We do it because you deserve the best. We will make every effort to repair your unit within three business days from the receipt of your unit at our factory. This does not include shipping time to and from our factory.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com RETURNING YOUR UNIT FOR SERVICE Before sending your unit in for repair, please contact the factory, either by phone or by email, to obtain a Repair Authorization Number for your unit. Please have your product model name and serial number available before calling the factory. If you contact the factory by e-mail, please include your product model name and serial number in the e-mail, and use Request for Repair Authorization Number for your e-mail subject header.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com SPECIFICATIONS Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . All U.S., Canadian and International Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . All NOAA Weather Channels Frequency Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phase Lock Loop Frequency Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com MARINE CHANNELS Refer to the following Marine Channels tables, depending on your location. NOAA* Weather Radio Frequencies Channel Frequency (MHz) Use WX0 163.275 NOAA Weather. WX1 162.550 NOAA Weather. WX2 162.400 NOAA Weather. WX3 162.475 NOAA Weather. WX4 162.425 NOAA Weather. WX5 162.450 NOAA Weather. WX6 162.500 NOAA Weather. WX7 162.525 NOAA Weather. WX8 161.650 Canadian Weather. WX9 161.775 Canadian Weather.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com U.S. Marine Channels Channel No. Ship Transmit Ship Receive MHz MHz Use 01A 156.050 156.050 Port Operations and Commercial, VTS*. Available Only in New Orleans / Lower Mississippi area. 05A 156.250 156.250 Port Operations or VTS in the Houston, New Orleans and Seattle areas. 06 156.300 156.300 Intership Safety. 07A 156.350 156.350 Commercial. 08 156.400 156.400 Commercial (Intership Only). 09 156.450 156.450 Boater Calling.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com U.S. Marine Channels Channel No. Ship Transmit Ship Receive MHz MHz Use 27 157.350 161.950 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). 28 157.400 162.000 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). 63A 156.175 156.175 Port Operations and Commercial, VTS. Available Only in New Orleans / Lower Mississippi area. 65A 156.275 156.275 Port Operations. 66A 156.325 156.325 Port Operations. 67 156.375 156.375 Commercial.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com International Marine Channels Channel No. Ship Transmit Ship Receive MHz MHz Use 02 03 04 05 156.050 156.100 156.150 156.200 156.250 160.650 160.700 160.750 160.800 160.850 06 156.300 156.300 Intership Safety. 07 156.350 160.950 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator), Port Operations, Ship Movement. 08 156.400 156.400 Intership. 09 156.450 156.450 Intership, Port Operations, Ship Movement. 10 156.500 156.500 Intership. 11 156.550 156.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com International Marine Channels Channel No. Ship Transmit Ship Receive MHz MHz Use 62 156.125 160.725 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). Port Operations, Ship Movement. 63 156.175 160.775 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). Port Operations, Ship Movement. 64 156.225 160.825 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). Port Operations, Ship Movement. 65 156.275 160.875 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator). Port Operations, Ship Movement.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com Canadian Marine Channels Channel No. Ship Transmit MHz Ship Receive MHz 01 156.050 160.650 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator) 02 156.100 160.700 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator) 03 156.150 160.750 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator) 04A 156.200 156.200 Pacific Coast: Coast Guard, East Coast: Commercial Fishing 05A 156.250 156.250 Port Operation, VTS in Seattle. Use 06 156.300 156.300 Intership Safety 07A 156.350 156.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com Canadian Marine Channels Channel No. Ship Transmit MHz Ship Receive MHz 60 156.025 160.625 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator) 61A 156.075 156.075 Pacific Coast: Coast Guard East Coast: Commercial Fishing Only. 62A 156.125 156.125 Pacific Coast: Coast Guard East Coast: Commercial Fishing Only. 63A 156.175 156.175 Port Operation and Commercial. VTS in Selected Areas. 64A 156.225 156.225 Commercial Fishing 65A 156.275 156.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com MENU TREE The following schematic shows the relationship between the various menu choices that may be displayed on the LCD. DSC CALL TYPE LIST These menu choices appear when you press the DSC/MENU key.
www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com SETUP MENU These menu choices appear when you press and hold the DSC/MENU key.
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www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com Contact Humminbird® Contact the Humminbird® Customer Resource Center in any of the following ways: By Telephone: (Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central Standard Time): 1-800-633-1468 By e-mail: (typically we respond to your e-mail within three business days): custserv@johnsonoutdoors.
