Garmin 3 Plus Manual

1
GETTING STARTED
Unit Features
Antenna
(detachable)
Function Keys
LCD Display
Battery Door
Rocker Keypad
Power/Backlight 
Key (red)
To change the screen 
orientation, press and 
hold the PAGE key. 

2
GETTING STARTED
Keypad Usage /  Display
 (POWER)— Red key turns the unit on and off, and 
controls three levels of screen backlighting intensity.
 ( P A G E )— Scrolls main pages in sequence and returns 
display from a menu/options page to a main page. Press 
and hold this key to change screen orientation.
 (MENU)— Displays a menu of available options for 
the current page. Press twice to display the Main Menu.
 ( G O T O )— Displays the GOTO waypoint window, 
allowing you to select the destination...

GETTING STARTED
Batter y Installation
3
The GPS III+ operates on 4 AA batteries (not included), which are installed at the 
base of the unit. These batteries provide up to 36 hours of continuous use (See page 
87). Rechargeable NiCad or lithium batteries may also be used.  
NOTE: The on-screen battery level indicator is calibrated for alkaline batteries, 
and will not be accurate when using NiCad or lithium batteries (see page 77).
To install the batteries:
            1.  Flip up the metal ring at the...

What is GPS?
GETTING STARTED
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a system of 24 satellites which circle the 
earth  twice  a  day  in  a  very  precise  orbit  and  transmit  information  to  earth.  The  GPS 
III+ must continuously “see” at least three of these satellites to calculate your position 
and track your movement. At times, additional satellites may be needed to determine 
a position. Visit the GARMIN web site for more information on GPS.
By  using  an  almanac  (a  timetable  of  satellite...

Once the GPS III+ has calculated a position fix, you’ll usually have anywhere from 
five  to  twelve  satellites  in  view.  The  receiver  will  then  continuously  select  the  best 
satellites  in  view  to  update  your  position.  If  some  of  the  satellites  in  view  get  blocked 
or  “shaded,”  the  receiver  can  simply  use  an  alternate  satellite  to  maintain  the  position 
fix.  Although  a  GPS  receiver  needs  four  satellites  to  provide  a  three-dimensional 
(3D)  fix,  it  can...

This usually provides a position fix in 1 minute. You’ll know you have a fix when 
the  unit  automatically  transitions  from  the  Satellite  Page  to  the  Map  Page,  unless  you 
have manually changed pages (shown left). Your receiver is now ready to use!
To turn the unit off:
           1.  Press and hold the red power key for 1 second. 
Troubleshooting
If you have trouble initializing or getting a position fix, check the following:
•  Does the receiver have a clear view of the sky?
  If there are...

To turn the GPS III+ back on, press and hold the red power key.
The GPS III+ features six main pages which are linked together in a chain. You can 
quickly scroll through the pages in either direction using the PAGE or QUIT keys. Let’s 
briefly  tour  each  of  these  pages  in  order  to  give  you  some  insight  into  how  they  help 
you navigate. We’ll go over all of them in more detail in the reference section.
Press the PAGE key to move 
through each of the main 
pages in normal fashion.
Press the...

Let’s  start  with  the  Satellite  Status  Page,  which  is  the  page  you’ll  view  while 
your unit is getting a position fix. If you’re not already on this page, press PAGE or 
QUIT  until  it  appears.  The  Satellite  Status  Page  shows  you  status  information  that 
helps  you  understand  what  the  receiver  is  doing  at  any  given  time,  and  it’s  a  page 
that you’ll want to occasionally refer back to as you use your unit. It features a sky 
view  of  available  satellites,...

The  Position  Page  shows  you  where  you  are,  what  direction  you’re  heading,  and 
how  fast  you’re  going—and  it’s  the  page  you’ll  want  to  use  when  you  don’t  have  a 
destination selected.
A  graphic  compass  display  at  the  top  of  the  page  shows  your  direction  of  travel 
(track)  while  you’re  moving,  while  six  user-selectable  data  fields  below  display  your 
current  speed,  average  speed,  trip  odometer,  trip  timer,  and  sunrise/sunset  times  at 
your...

The  Map  Page  shows  your  movement  using  a  real-time  track  log  (an  electronic 
breadcrumb  trail  that  appears  directly  on  the  map  as  you’re  traveling),  and  your 
present  position  as  a  pointer  icon  in  the  center  of  the  map.  The  Map  Page  also 
shows  any  nearby  lakes,  rivers,  highways  and  towns.    Use  the  zoom  keys  (IN  and 
OUT) to adjust the map to the desired scale.
To change the map scale:
           1. Press the IN zoom key to select a smaller scale and...