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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 six months after purchase, and available at a reasonable rate after the six month period. For complete details, see the warranty information at the end of this manual. We encourage you to read this operations manual carefully in order to get the full benefit from all the features and applications of your Humminbird® product.
The RF35 SmartCast® product should have:
•One Advanced Remote Sonar Sensor - RSS™
•One Wrist Mounted Display with installed 2450 CR battery
•One extra 2450 CR battery
•This RF35 SmartCast® Operations Manual.
If any of these components are missing, please contact our Customer Resource Center at either 1-800-633-1468 or visit our website at www.humminbird.com.
NOTE: The RF35 also comes in an International version that is CE-compliant.
WARNING! Disassembly and repair of this electronic unit should only be performed by authorized service personnel. Any modification of the serial number or attempt to repair the original equipment or accessories by unauthorized individuals will void the warranty. Handling and/or opening this unit may result in exposure to lead, in the form of solder.
WARNING! This product contains lead, a chemical known to the state of California to cause cancer, birth defects and other reproductive harm.
WARNING! The bottom of the RSS™ should not be handled during sonar operation, as this may cause physical discomfort and may result in personal injury in the form of tissue damage. Handle the RSS™ only by the antenna tower when it has been in the water.
WARNING! The RSS™ (Remote Sonar Sensor) is not intended for use by children younger than 6 years old without adult supervision as the RSS™ may represent a choking hazard to small children.
To scan an area, cast and then reel in at a Using the SmartCast® |
slow, steady rate with your rod tip up. | The SmartCast® is a first- |
|
| of-its-kind wireless fish- |
| finder | that | is incredibly |
| easy | to | use. | Simply |
| attach the Remote Sonar |
| Sensor | (RSS™) | to the |
| end of your fishing line |
| and cast it into the water |
| as you would a normal |
| float or lure. Then power |
on the SmartCast® RF35 and you are ready to fish. The SmartCast® system uses sonar technology to send sound waves from the RSS™ into the water. The returned “echoes” are transmitted with wireless technology to the RF35 and plotted on the display. New information appears on the right. As this information moves to the left a very accurate picture of the underwater world is created, including objects such as the bottom, fish, and structures, as well as the depth of the bottom.
NOTE: The RF35 display is designed to be used with polarized sunglasses only when the user is looking straight at the screen. You may not be able to read the display from other angles when wearing polarized sunglasses.
WARNING! The electronic parts in the Remote Sonar Sensor (RSS™) are made to withstand use when casting into water. Because shock from abrupt contact with rocks can damage your RSS™, we do NOT recommend using your RSS™ in water that is less than one foot (0.3 m) deep.
Operational Modes
The RSS™ can be used in two distinct ways:
Sonar Graph: The RSS™ can be used to create a sonar graph of the bottom. Cast the RSS™into the water beyond an area of interest, then reel in the RSS™ at a slow and steady rate. The digital display will provide precise information for bottom contour, depth and structure below the RSS™. Fish and bait fish will be displayed when detected.
Stationary Float: The RSS™ can be used as a float in a stationary location to monitor the area below, giving you a live update as fish approach your bait.
Activating the Wrist Mounted Display Battery
When you first use the RF35 SmartCast® Wrist Mounted Display you will need to activate the display battery. Use a coin to remove the battery door on the back of the Wrist Mounted Display, then remove the plastic strip located in the battery compartment.
Make sure that the O-ring in the battery compartment is present, positioned correctly in the grooves, and free of debris before re-installing the battery door.
NOTE: Replace the Wrist Mounted Display battery only with a 2450 CR-type battery. These batteries can be purchased from most electronics retailers.
NOTE: Under normal use you should expect the life of the display battery to last up to 40 hours of
operation. Operation in cold weather will significantly reduce the life of the battery.
NOTE: Your RF35 will start up in Watch mode after the battery is installed initially. See Powering the Display ON and OFF and Watch Mode for more information.
Attaching the RSS™
The line coming from your reel can be tied off to the front hole in the Remote Sonar Sensor (RSS™). If you also wish to use the RSS™ as a conventional float, use the second hole to attach your hook using a lighter weight line. A snag will break the lighter line if you have to break free. Slip line techniques are not recommended because of the higher risk of losing the RSS™. If you do use the slip line method, use a lighter weight line after the lower stop, enabling retrieval of the RSS™ if the lower line with hook breaks away.
Handle the RSSTM by the antenna tower when it has been in water.
Use a heavy test line, standard knots, and tackle such as a swivel.
The second leader hole is for using the RSSTM as a float. Connect a lighter weight hook line to this hole. Do not over-weight the hook line as this will submerge the RSSTM, causing signal loss.
CAUTION: You will increase the possibility of breaking your line if you use light test pound line on your reel. The RSS™ is positively buoyant (is buoyant under its own weight plus 0.2 ounces or 5.7 g of bait and lead weight.) The maximum amount of weight for
any attachment to the RSS™ is approximately ¹² to ¹³ ounces (5.3 g to 5.8 g), and includes the combined weight of any hook, line, weight, swivel/snap swivel and bait that is attached to the RSS™. The RSS™ itself weighs 1 ounce (28 g), and therefore light test line might break.
NOTE: Store the RSS™ in a dry, non-metallic container, such as a tackle box, in a separate compartment, and isolated from any metallic devices.
RSS Power
The Remote Sonar Sensor (RSS™) has a separate, non- replaceable lithium battery that has a shelf life of three years and will last for approximately 500 hours of in-water use (when the nighttime LED is turned off). Discard the used RSS in compliance with local laws as you would any electronic component or battery.
The RSS™ will turn on its Sonar Transmitter/Receiver automatically when it is immersed in the water. Once immersed, the RSS™ will begin transmitting the sonar information via radio frequency (RF) to the Wrist Mounted Display. The RSS™ automatically stops using power a few seconds after being pulled out of the water.
WARNING! Do not place the RSS™ in a wet area when not in use as this will turn on the RSS™ and shorten its usable life. Store the RSS™ in a dry area when not in use to conserve power. Never place the RSS™ in a wet area of a boat or on a metal surface that could accidentally power it on.
NOTE: If the RSS™ was used in salt water, rinse it with fresh water before storing it.
| | | | | | What’s On the | |
Present | | | | | | Display | | | |
Depth | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | The | SmartCast® displays |
Temp | | | Fish | | |
| | | | | | underwater information in an |
Bottom | | | | Icon | | |
| | | | | | easy-to-understand format. |
| | | | | | |
| | | Depth | | | The | top | of | the | display |
| | | | | corresponds | to the | water |
| | | Range | | |
| | | | | | | surface, and the bottom of |
| | | | | | | the | display | corresponds to |
| | | | | | |
the selected Depth Range (see Depth Range). The display varies as the area under the RSS™ changes.
Underwater conditions vary greatly, so some experience and interpretation is needed to realize all the benefits of the SmartCast®– use the diagram as a guide to the most common conditions and practice using the SmartCast® over known bottom types.
The SmartCast® can also display the time and date. Press the RIGHT Cursor button to momentarily view the time and date.
| | | | Powering the |
Cursor | | Cursor | | | Display ON and |
LEFT | | RIGHT | | | |
Button | | Button | | | OFF |
| | | | | |
| | | | | NOTE: If you have just |
| | Display | | | taken the RF35 out of |
| | | | the box, see Activating |
| POWER- | |
| | the Wrist Mounted |
| MENU Button | |
| | | | | Display Battery. |
Your RF35 has three power states:
•Off - Display is turned off
•Normal Fishing Mode - used for fishing
•Watch Mode - low-power, continuous time display.
To turn the RF35 on, press the POWER-MENU button; the Start-Up screen will appear, then automatically change to Normal Fishing mode if you take no further action. To turn the RF35 off, press the POWER-MENU button until you hear a beep (indicating that you are in Watch mode), then press the RIGHT Cursor button to shut down the display.
NOTE: If you leave the RF35 in Normal Fishing mode for more than 10 minutes while it is waiting for a signal, the unit will timeout automatically and enter Watch mode in order to save power.
| | Watch Mode | |
| | Watch mode provides a |
| | continuous time display. |
| | To enter power-saving |
Time | | Watch mode, start from |
| Date | Normal | Fishing | mode, |
| press | and hold the |
| |
| | POWER-MENU | button |
| | until you hear a | beep, |
| |
then release. The time and date will be continuously displayed, indicating that the RF35 is in Watch mode. You can press the POWER-MENU button again to return to Normal Fishing mode.
Start-Up in Normal Fishing
Mode
After pressing the POWER-MENU button to turn on the Wrist Mounted Display, you will see the Start-Up screen. The Start-Up screen will
disappear automatically after two seconds have passed, without further action from you. In Normal Fishing mode, the screen will either display sonar information or the RF35 SmartCast® screen will appear, indicating that no sonar information is currently available.
When you have powered on the Wrist Mounted Display and have cast the RSS™ into the water, returned sonar data will start to be displayed. A vertical line will appear first, followed by a bottom depiction and possible fish locations if fish are sensed.
Start-Up in Simulator
Mode
To enter Simulator mode, press the POWER-MENU button to turn on the RF35, wait until you see the Start-up screen, then quickly press the RIGHT
Cursor Button. Once you are in Simulator mode, the display will show the word Simulate, and then, after two seconds, will show simulated data. To exit Simulator mode, you must power down the RF35.
Start-Up in Setup Mode
Use Setup to set the Time and Date. To enter Setup mode, press the POWER- MENU button to turn on the RF35, wait until you see the Start-Up Screen, then quickly press the RIGHT Cursor Button twice. Once you are in Setup mode,
the display will briefly flash the word Setup, then show the Time and Date.
Changing the Time and Date
To change the Time and Date, enter Setup Mode (see Start-Up in Setup Mode). When you see the Time and Date display, the Hour digit will flash first, indicating that you can change the hour. Once you change the hour, you must perform all of the following steps to get to the end of Setup mode.
NOTE: The flashing numeral or digit is the one that can be edited.
1.When you first enter Setup mode, press the RIGHT or LEFT Cursor buttons repeatedly to change the hour. Make sure that you have selected the correct hour for the time of day (AM or PM). When the desired hour is displayed, press the POWER-MENU button to begin editing the minutes.
2.Press the RIGHT or LEFT Cursor buttons repeatedly to change the Minutes. When the desired minutes are displayed, press the POWER-MENU button to begin editing the month.
3.Press the RIGHT or LEFT Cursor buttons repeatedly to change the month. When the desired month is displayed, press the POWER-MENU button to begin editing the day.
4.Press the RIGHT or LEFT Cursor buttons repeatedly to change the day. When the desired day is displayed, press the POWER-MENU button to begin editing the year.
5.Press the RIGHT or LEFT Cursor buttons repeatedly to change the year. When the desired year is displayed, press the POWER-MENU button to exit Setup Mode.
Activating the Backlight
Use the backlight for night fishing or low light conditions.
NOTE: The display contrast may require adjustment for optimal viewing in low light conditions when the backlight is activated.
Press the LEFT Cursor Button to activate the backlight. The backlight will automatically turn off after approximately 3 seconds.
NOTE: The backlight can only be activated if the LEFT Cursor Button is not currently being used (i.e. being used to alter a menu setting).
Viewing the Time
Pressing the RIGHT Cursor Button will display the Time and Date. If the RF35 is currently scrolling sonar information, the Time and Date will be displayed, and then the unit will automatically switch back to Sonar mode. If the RF35 is waiting for sonar information, the Time and Date will be displayed when the RIGHT cursor button is pressed, and then the unit will automatically switch back to waiting for sonar information.
Menu Features
A simple menu system accesses the adjustable features of the SmartCast® RF35. To activate the menu system, press the POWER-MENU button; the first time you do this after power up, the Sensitivity menu choice will appear. Once the RF35 has been powered on, pressing the POWER- MENU button will display the last menu choice viewed. Press the POWER-MENU button repeatedly to access other SmartCast® menu choices, one at a time. When a menu choice is on the display, use the RIGHT and LEFT Cursor buttons to adjust the menu settings. Menus are automatically removed from the display after several seconds.
Sensitivity
Press the POWER-MENU button
until SENSITIVITY appears. Select a higher number to show weaker sonar returns on the display, or a lower number to remove clutter from the display. Adjusting Sensitivity also affects how sonar returns are identified as Fish ID Symbols
-more fish will be detected at the highest setting of 10, fewer at the lowest setting of 0. (1 - 10, Default = 5)
Depth Range
Press the POWER-MENU button
until DEPTH RANGE appears. Auto is the default setting. When in automatic, the lower range will be adjusted by the unit to follow the bottom. Selecting a manual depth range locks it to the setting you select. (Auto, 10, 15, 20, 30, 60 or 120 feet [3, 5, 6, 10, 20, or 40 meters], Default = Auto)
NOTE: In manual operation, if the water depth is greater than the depth range setting, the bottom will not be visible on the display. Select Auto to return to automatic operation.
Depth scale changes or signal loss will cause lines with missing detail and/or abrupt changes in the graphed bottom. When the Depth Range is set to Auto, the depth is set to keep the bottom in the lower third of the screen. The screen image jump shown here is due to an
automatic change in depth. New returns graphed at a different scale will not match up with the historic data already graphed at a higher or lower scale. Vertical lines can also occur as the radio signal from the RSS™ is lost and then regained in rough water conditions.
Fish Alarm
Press the POWER-MENU button
until FISH ALARM appears. Select Off for no fish alarm, or On for fish alarm. Fish ID must be set to On for Fish Alarm to work. (Off,On, Default = Off)
Fish ID
Press the POWER-MENU button 
until FISH ID appears. Select 
either Off to view “raw” sonar 
returns, or On to view fish 
symbols. Fish ID uses advanced signal processing to interpret sonar returns and will display a Fish Symbol when very selective requirements are met. Fish Alarm does not sound if Fish ID is turned off. (On, Off, Default = On)
Channel
Press the POWER-MENU
button until CHANNEL appears. Select either A or B to match your RSS™. See Channel A and B RSS™ Units. (A, B, Default = A)
Contrast
Press the POWER-MENU button
until CONTRAST appears. Select a setting from 1 through 10. (1 to 10, Default = 5)
Channel A and B RSS Units
Your SmartCast® unit comes with an Advanced RSS. This Advanced RSS may be programmed to either Channel A or Channel B. This A/B Channel option gives you the flexibility to switch to a different channel if another angler is using a SmartCast® unit within 150 feet of your RSS to reduce possible interference. See Changing the Channel on the Advanced RSS for details on selecting either Channel A or Channel B.
NOTE: RSS units, regardless of channel, may generate erratic depth readings as a result of sonar interference when used in close proximity (closer than 40 feet) to each other or to other sonar devices.
Understanding the Advanced RSS
The Advanced RSS provides the following functionality:
•Water Surface Temperature
•Blinking Light for nighttime use
•A/B Channel Select.
Water temperature will be displayed automatically on the screen.
You must manually program the Advanced RSS in order to turn the light on or off or to change the RSS channel setting to A or B.
Default settings on new products are Light = OFF and Channel = A.
RSS Programming Mode
You may change the light setting or the channel type on the Advanced RSS using a programming mode that is accessed by touching the wet switch contacts on the bottom of the RSS.
NOTE: Please read this and the next section BEFORE you try to program the Advanced RSS using the wet switch contacts. Specific step-by-step procedures to turn on the light and to change the channel follow this section. You will find it easier to perform these steps once you have grasped the way the programming mode works.
The programming mode allows you to:
•turn on the blinking light
•switch the Advanced RSS Channel from A to B.
The SmartCast® Control Head temperature readout provides user feedback to help you make the correct selections. The temperature readout will change on the Control Head to 40°F (4°C), 45°F (7°C), 50°F (9°C) or 55°F (12°C) to signify the following settings.
NOTE: If the temperature readout is set for degrees Celsius then the temperature readout will change on the Control Head to
4,7,9 or 12 to signify the following settings.:
Light setting: | |
Temp changes to… | Means that… |
40°F (4°C) | Blinking light is OFF (factory default) |
45°F (7°C) | Blinking light is ON (but only blinks |
| when the Advanced RSS is in the |
| water) |
Channel setting: | |
Temp changes to… | Means that… |
50°F (9°C) | RSS is set to CHANNEL A (factory |
| default) |
55°F (12°C) | RSS is set to CHANNEL B |
IMPORTANT: The SmartCast® Control Head must be turned on and the CHANNEL SELECT SetUp menu on the Control Head must be set to Channel A (even if the RSS is set to Channel B) before you can see the feedback on the Control Head temperature readout.
NOTE: The Advanced RSS programming mode will time out after 20 seconds of no user activity, display the Start-Up screen, and return the RSS to normal operation.
NOTE: If the temperature display returns to a normal reading, or the Start-Up screen appears on the display, you are no longer in programming mode.
How the Wet Switch™ Works
In the following sections, you will use the wet switch contacts on the bottom of the Advanced RSS to enter programming mode and to change the Light and Channel settings. Before you try these procedures for the first time, please read through this section to familiarize yourself with the way the Wet Switch™ works.
Your finger should be moist, but not dripping, before you touch the Wet Switch™. You can achieve the correct dampness by dipping your finger in water, then dabbing your finger twice on a towel.
A “touch” means touching both wet switch contacts at the same time with your moistened finger, using medium pressure. The time between touches needs to be one second or less.
NOTE: Your finger must make contact with both of the wet switch pins simultaneously in order to tap them successfully.
See the procedures that follow for specific instructions on turning the light on or off or changing the channel from A to B.
Turning on the Advanced RSS
Blinking Light
To turn on the blinking nighttime fishing light:
1.Wet your finger and tap the wet switch on the Advanced RSS three times (the time between touches needs to be one second or less) to enter the Light programming mode. The temperature reading on the Control Head will change to show a temperature reading of 40°F (4°C) (blinking light OFF).
