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Humminbird® VHF255S / VHF255SW
Operations Manual
531469-1_A
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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. In the unlikely event that your Humminbird® does require repairs, we offer an exclusive Service Policy - free of charge during the first three years after purchase,
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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. For users that require a license, such as commercial users, please contact your nearest FCC fiel
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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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com Maintenance 71 Troubleshooting 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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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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. In technical terms, this is similar to the way that commercial radio
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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. See the Maritime Mobile Se
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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 communi
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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
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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. NOTE: If an existing User MMSI has a
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www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com VHF255S CONTROLS - RADIO BASE STATION FRONT The following drawing shows the Humminbird® VHF255S controls on the front of the radio base station: Built-in Speaker LCD HI/LO/MEM key SQUELCH knob SCAN key 16/9 key WATCH key CH/ENTER knob CANCEL/WX key DISTRESS key OFF/VOL knob DSC/MENU key BAND/SAVE key NOTE: On dual function keys, such as the BAND/SAVE key, a quick press and release will activate the first function on the key (to the left of the slash),
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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. The Setup Menu is
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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. External GPS: Allows you to connect the radio to an optional-purchase GPS receiver to acquire
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www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com VHF255S CONTROLS - MICROPHONE HANDSET The following drawing shows the Humminbird® VHF255S controls located on the microphone handset: PTT HI/LO 16/9 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. Pressing and holding the 16
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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. 10 11 12 2 1 3 4 6 7 5 8 9 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. 4 Indicates that the radio is rec
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www.reelschematic.com www.reelschematic.com e radio base station and microphone handset, to provide access to user functions. The figure shows a 7 Indicates current Watch mode, Dual or Tri Watch. 8 Indicates that Weather Channel mode is active. U.S. and Canada only. 13 9 Indicates that a weather alert is being received. 14 U.S. and Canada only. 15 10 Indicates current channel selected. 16 11 Indicates which of the three available bands are 18 selected: the U.S. band, the International band, or 1
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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. NOTE: You have the option of gimbal bracket mounting, which
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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
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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. In addition to the hardware supplied
