Lowrance electronic Lowrance iWAY 500C - Manual (Page 8)

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How Lowrance GPS and the GPS System Work
You'll navigate a little easier if you understand the basics of how the
iWAY 500 scans the sky to tell you where you are and where you're
going. (If you already understand GPS receivers and the GPS system,
skip on ahead to Section 1, Installation & Accessories on page 3.)
First, think of your unit as a small, highly automated computer. The iWAY
500 includes a keypad and a touch screen with menus so you can tell it
what to do. The screen also lets the unit show your location on a moving
map, as well as point the way to your destination. A speaker lets you hear
verbal turn-by-turn driving instructions, as well as MP3 music files.
An internal antenna tunes in to a couple of dozen GPS and WAAS sat-
ellites circling the earth. Your unit listens to signals from as many sat-
ellites as it can "see" above the horizon, then computes its location in
relation to those satellites. The iWAY 500 plots that position on the
moving map shown on the screen.
A hard drive contains highly detailed road and highway mapping data
for Hawaii, the 48 contiguous United States and most of Canada. You
can’t change or erase the map. Another partition of the hard drive is
available for you to store MP3 music files. The iWAY's memory also
records GPS data you create, such as address book contacts.
GPS stands for Global Positioning System, a navigational system that
can accurately locate your position anywhere on the Earth. This tech-
nology is available to everyone, everywhere, 24 hours a day, in all
weather conditions. GPS uses 24 satellites orbiting 10,900 miles above
the Earth to transmit position data back to Earth. A GPS receiver proc-
esses that data to tell you where you are.
For the system to work, the unit must have a clear view of the satellites
in order to receive their signals. Unlike radio or television signals, GPS
works at very high frequencies. These signals can be easily blocked by
trees, buildings, an automobile roof, even your body.
If you would like to know more about GPS and its companion system
WAAS, visit our web site and check out the GPS Product Guide section
(www.lowrance.com/Support/gps.asp). It includes a GPS tutorial, fre-
quently asked questions and a glossary.
NOTE:
The iWAY is controlled using five keys along the right side of the
case, and a pressure-sensitive touch screen. In this manual, the
keypad and touch screen "keystrokes" appear as boldface type. So, if
you're in a real hurry when you're looking up instructions (or if you
just need a reminder), you can skim the instructions and pick out
what menu command to use by finding the boldface command text.