ComNav Commander P2 - Operating the System; Operating Modes - Overview; Mode Menus

ComNav Commander P2 & P2VS Installation & Operation Basic Operations
Document PN 29010074 V4.1 - 112 -
Operating the System
Operating Modes – Overview
Your P Series autopilot system has four basic operating modes, known as STANDBY ,
POWER STEER , AUTO , and NAV mode.
• A fifth operating mode, known as WORK , is a sub-mode of AUTO & NAV modes; this
mode is not available when Vessel Type is set to Sail.
• An alternative fifth mode, known as WIND, and a variation known as WIND-Points ,
are sub-modes of AUTO mode; they are available only on when Vessel Type is Sail.
Note: P2VS systems only support WORK mode, and only when an RFU is fitted.
Changing modes is done by pressing & holding the button on the Control Head which is
associated with the mode you want to enter:
• for STANDBY mode

the
S
S
T
T
A
A
N
N
D
D
B
B
Y
Y button
• for POWER STEER mode

the
P
P
O
O
W
W
E
E
R
R
S
S
T
T
E
E
E
E
R
R button
• for AUTO mode

the
A
A
U
U
T
T
O
O button
• for NAV mode

the
N
N
A
A
V
V button
• for WORK or WIND & WIND-Points sub-modes

the
F
F
n
n button
 You must press & hold the new mode’s button down for ~1 second. While
you’re holding it down, the current mode’s indicator letter (in the upper-left
corner of the screen) will flash.
After the time delay, the mode change occurs, and the previous mode’s letter is
replaced by the new mode’s letter (not flashing).
This time delay is deliberately designed, as a safety feature, into the system’s
response to the mode-change (& some other buttons), to prevent accidental
activation of those buttons’ functions.
Descriptions of the operating modes (& associated menus) can be found as follows:
• STANDBY , POWER STEER , AUTO , and NAV modes are in this chapter.
• WORK, WIND & WIND-Points modes are in the Advanced Operations chapter.
Mode Menus
Each of the operating modes has its own set of parameters that you can adjust, to configure
and fine-tune how your autopilot system behaves in the respective mode. These parameters
are stored in the system’s non-volatile memory; you can view & change them with the Control
Head, via sets of menus that appear on the LCD screen.
Note: there is an additional menu – Dockside Setup – for parameters unique to the
boat (e.g., compass type). It is described in the Setting Up chapter.
The menus of the four main operating modes ( STANDBY , POWER STEER , AUTO , and
NAV ) are accessed by using the respective mode buttons: the
S
S
T
T
A
A
N
N
D
D
B
B
Y
Y button, the
P
P
O
O
W
W
E
E
R
R
S
S
T
T
E
E
E
E
R
R button, the
A
A
U
U
T
T
O
O button, and the
N
N
A
A
V
V button. The
F
F
n
n button is used to access the
WORK or WIND & WIND-Points modes’ menus.
• To access a particular operating mode menu, double-press the button associated
with that mode (e.g., the
N
N
A
A
V
V button for the NAV mode’s menu).
• To exit a particular operating mode menu, double-press the associated button again,
or wait about 10 seconds. The display will then revert to the active display of
whatever mode the autopilot is operating in.
• You can access any mode’s menu whether of not the autopilot is currently operating
in that mode.