Electronics

New Icom Sat Phone for Worldwide Connections

By Peter Janssen on November 13, 2022 Electronics

The new Icom IC-SAT100 provides worldwide real-time communication at the push of a button. Icom says it’s the world’s first satellite PTT (Press To Talk) mobile radio that uses the Iridium satellite communication network. The new radio provides communication between a group of people at any time, anywhere in the world, including both poles. It uses the 66 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites of the Iridium network. The regular IC-SAT100 can be a fixed mount on a vessel, a vehicle, or in a building. The IC-SAT100M is a mobile device (pictured at top) that can work within 400 feet of…

New SiOnyx Nightwave Night-Vision Camera

By Peter Janssen on November 7, 2022 Cruising Life, Electronics

SiOnyx just introduced its innovative Nightwave night vision camera at the recent Lauderdale show. The new Nightwave is an ultra-low-light camera that adds an extra level of safety and situational awareness if you’re navigating at night or in reduced visibility. The new Nightwave uses SiOnyx’s most advanced sensor, the Black Silicon CMOS. It sees well beyond the possibilities of human eyesight and can detect man-sized objects almost 500 feet away in low-light situations. It also has a 44-degree field of view, offering a fairly wide look at any obstacles ahead – another boat, for example, or a channel marker or…

Navico Fathom: Say Goodbye to Gensets

By Peter Janssen on November 1, 2022 Cruising Life, Electronics

Brunswick’s recently formed Navico Group just launched what it calls “the world’s most advanced power system” that could replace generators on powerboats. Navico’s totally new Fathom e-Power System links lithium-ion batteries with the boat’s charging systems, power conversion, distribution, digital switching, and control and monitoring. It ties all the electrical components together, providing house power for communications, entertainment, lighting, audio, air conditioning, heating, gyro stabilizers and appliances. All that linkage means that the boat no longer needs a generator, which takes up space and requires fuel and maintenance. The Fathom system is silent (certainly an advantage in a mooring field…

Simrad Unveils Most Powerful Radar Yet

By Peter Janssen on October 31, 2022 Cruising Life, Electronics

Simrad just introduced its most powerful radar yet, the HALO 2000 and HALO 3000, with longer ranges and more power and features than previous models. The HALO 2000 has 50 watts of power and 72 nm of visibility; it starts at $6,399. The HALO 3000 has 130 watts of power and 96 nm of visibility. It starts at $8,499. The new high-performance, open-array radars offer Simrad’s best clarity ever. And they access power instantly from standby mode, and in just seconds from a cold start. The features include a Bird+ Mode, a ZoneTrack and Dangerous Target Alerts, all designed to…

New ACR PLB with More Built-in Safety

By Peter Janssen on October 23, 2022 Electronics

The Electronics Tent is always one of the most popular spots at the Fort Lauderdale show. And cruising boat owners usually crowd around the ACR exhibit. This year ACR is showing its new Return Link Service for its most popular ResQLink Personal Locator Beacon that gives cruising boat owners an additional level of safety. The Return Link Service (RLS) provides a clear message confirming that U.S. boaters are connected to the international Cospas-Sarsat satellite system. The confirmation means that the boater’s distress message and GPS location have reached the international network. The ResQLink View RLS ($449.95), pictured at top, confirms…

NMEA Makes Best Electronics Awards

By Peter Janssen on October 10, 2022 Cruising Life, Electronics

The National Marine Manufacturers Association just named the winners of its annual excellence awards at its conference in Anaheim, California. The NMEA presented Products of Excellence Awards in 18 categories. In addition, it gave its Best New Product Award to the Maretron WSO200 Ultrasonic Weather Station, and its Technology Award to Airmar’s SmartBoat System. It also named Actisense as Manufacturer of the Year in the small company category, and Garmin as Manufacturer of the Year in the large company category. The Awards of Excellence were chosen by the NMEA membership, who voted on line before the conference. A panel of…

5 Top Multifunction Displays from NMEA

By co_admin on August 16, 2022 Electronics

Every year, the people at nmeaboater.com (the National Marine Electronics Association) ask manufacturers to name one model in a boating electronics category that they think is their best. It’s not necessarily the most technically advanced or the one with the most bells and whistles, but it is the one that, for a variety of reasons, they put at the top of their line. Here’s the list for multifunction displays: Simrad NSX A new mid-range product in the Simrad line of MFDs, the NSX chartplotter/fishfinder redefines the easy-to-use touchscreen experience, while providing powerful new C-MAP charting and navigation with DISCOVER X and…

Beneteau Installs Garmin Assisted Docking

By Peter Janssen on June 5, 2022 Cruising Life, Electronics

Beneteau has become the first boat builder to incorporate Garmin’s Surround View assisted docking technology on a production boat, its upscale Gran Turismo 45 cruiser. Surround View will be available on all of those models now, and will probably roll out to other Beneteau models as well. The Garmin system has six cameras on the Gran Turismo so the captain can have a view of all angles of the boat, as well as an overhead bird’s-eye view, all appearing on the boat’s MFD at the helm. Both Beneteau and Garmin say the system gives the captain more confidence while docking…

Garmin’s New, Faster, inReach Mini 2

By Peter Janssen on April 27, 2022 Electronics

Garmin has launched its new inReach Mini 2 pocket satellite messenger, with a longer battery life, faster processor and more functions than the previous version. In short, the Mini 2 makes it even easier to stay in touch with everyone back home on your next cruise, whether it’s on the Great Loop, the ICW, the San Juans or along the coast. The new Mini 2 is the same size (roughly 2 inches by 3.9 inches by 1 inch) as the Mini 1, and it also weighs just 3.5 ounces. But the all-important battery life is now 14 days (in a…

Simrad Launches New NSX Line of MFDs

By Peter Janssen on February 10, 2022 Cruising Life, Electronics

Simrad just announced its latest generation of multifunction displays, the Simrad NSX, during a global livestreaming event from Egersund, Norway, introducing new chartplotters and fishfinders for powerboats. The new mid-range NSX line will be available in 7-, 9- and 12-inch displays and is based on an all-new operating system. Simrad will launch the new line at the Miami boat show, starting next Wednesday. NSX has a new interface with a user-friendly touchscreen with clear views. Charts include C-MAP nav capability and are compatible with sonar, radar and autopilot systems. Simrad says its Setup Wizards system will help users through every…

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