Here is a selection of new and current products from the electronics tent at the 2016 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, which showcases fish finders, plotters, radars, displays, radios and more.
Raymarine Quantum Radar
Raymarine says its new Quantum CHIRP Marine Radar, featuring CHIRP pulse-compression technology, places up to 10 times more energy on targets while using a fraction of the energy required by conventional units. Quantum uses multiple compressed radar pulses with FLIR’s exclusive ATX target-separation technology to detect targets as close as 18 feet and as far away as 24 nautical miles. The lightweight (12-pound) radome employs Wi-Fi connectivity to display data on Raymarine MFDs and intelligently rejects interference from other radars, reducing noise in congested waterways. Units start at $1,599.99.
Fusion StereoActive
Fusion StereoActive is a portable, IPx7 waterproof, floating, watersports stereo that offers built-in Bluetooth audio streaming, AM/FM radio with weatherband, and USB audio playback. Boaters and kayakers can easily attach the unit anywhere aboard with the Puck-It mount system. Price is $299.99 at West Marine.
ICOM M93D Handheld VHF Marine Radio
The ICOM M93D VHF marine transceiver with GPS and DSC offers 5 watts of output power and up to nine hours of battery life. It features a large LCD display and a redesigned flat keypad. The handheld floats and it comes with dual/tri-watch function and 50-waypoint memory. It weighs 10 1/2 ounces and costs $349.99 at The GPS Store.
Furuno DRS4D-NXT Radar with Doppler Technology
Furuno has introduced a compact solid-state radar that incorporates Doppler technology, an innovation frequently touted by meteorologists for weather tracking. The DRS4D-NXT features Target Analyzer, which uses Doppler to show vessels approaching your boat at 3 knots or faster in red, and those that are stationary or moving away in green. The radar acquires and tracks targets with virtually every sweep, or every few seconds. The NXT also uses pulse compression and is packaged into a 24-inch radome with ranges from 1/16 to 36 miles; it’s compatible with NavNet TZtouch and TZtouch2 displays. NXT costs $2,600.
ACR AISLink Man Overboard Beacon
Designed to facilitate the rescue of someone who falls overboard, the AISLink MOB can be manually or automatically activated. It will transmit within 15 seconds of activation and continue to transmit for more than 24 hours. AISLink MOB can signal the Digital Selective Calling alarm on any nearby vessel’s VHF radio. MSRP $279.
Simrad GO9 XSE
Simrad‘s GO9 XSE offers multitouch controls on a 9-inch screen. The unit is also compatible with Simrad Broadband 3G/4G radar systems, SiriusXM weather and music, and comes with an internal 10 Hz GPS receiver, StructureScan HD and chirp sonar, among other features. Prices start at $1,049 without transducer.
Standard Horizon GX6500 VHF
Standard Horizon has announced its new GX6500 fixed-mount VHF with NMEA 2000 and an integrated Class B AIS transponder. The VHF can not be offered for sale until it is approved by the Federal Communications Commission, but Standard anticipates a February 2017 on-sale date.
Garmin GPSMAP 942xs
Compatible with Garmin‘s new Fantom Doppler/MotionScope radars and featuring chirp and chirp ClearVu (down-scanning) sonar, the 942xs plotter/fish finder offers a 9-inch touchscreen display — one of the most popular sizes for inshore and offshore vessels. It retails for $1,599.
