Archive for November 2009

« Previous Entries
• 29 November 2009
  BMEA Annual Conference 2009 Sponsored by Victron Energy bv
  

  The Conference was opened by Paul Holland as BMEA Chairman, thanking our headline sponsor Victron Energy bv for their support. Paul also referred to our close relationship with NMEA, welcoming the president, David Hayden, Technical Director Steve Spitzer and his assistant Technical Director, Dave Morschhauser. Paul emphasised the continuing and increasing importance of training and the changes to the BMET certification, following a meeting with NMEA at METS last November. We would be hearing about NMEA as a whole as well as seeing a demonstration of NMEA 2000 during the afternoon.

  For more details about the conference, please download the BMEA Conference Overview PDF (230K)

• 29 November 2009
  Developments in Small Craft Radar – Martin Quaintance FRIN
  

  Radar systems on small marine craft have come a long way in the past few years. In part, this has been related to the developments in networking and display systems, applicable to all the instrumentation on board, but some changes are specific to the radar systems alone.

  One of the biggest advances came with the inclusion of signal processing within the scanner, so that cabling to the display was carrying digital data, rather than RF signals. This in itself opened up great flexibility of displays and controls, fitting with the general trend to offer integrated instrument systems.

  The combination of chart plotters and radar offered easier interpretation, especially when most of the limitations suffered by the early attempts at overlaying radar images onto charts were solved. Where overlays were not available or desired, split-screen display could offer chart and radar pictures side-by-side.

  Another major step was the inclusion of MARPA in the majority of small craft radars. This technology, which is standard and indeed mandatory on large ships, was first introduced as a premium feature on the top-end small-craft sets, but quickly spread down the price range.

  Early versions of automatic setup controls were far from perfect, making necessary the manual adjustment of gain, tuning and clutter, except in ideal conditions. This circuitry has advanced rapidly to make manual adjustment a relative rarity, though it is still an important skill for all operators.

  Marketing departments love to catch onto buzz-words and apply them to their products, so it should come as no surprise to see the latest radar systems described with the current TV cliché of “High Definition” and the internet’s “Broadband”. Fine words, but how do they differ and what do they actually offer to the user?

  The essential difference between the HD tag applied to Raymarine and Garmin radar systems, and Simrad’s Broadband Radar, is that the former use conventional magnetron pulsed beams with advanced processing of the returned signals. Simrad on the other hand, use Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) transmissions in place of the pulse technology.  (See video of this antenna at www.navigationuk.com/downloads/fmcw/fmcw.html

  As you will be aware, a pulsed radar antenna emits a series of pulses of microwave energy, with a long enough interval between each for the pulse to travel out to the furthest targets in the chosen range and return to the scanner before the next pulse is generated. The time taken for the echo of a pulse to return is directly proportional to the round-trip distance to a particular target and can be used to draw a contact on the display at the right range. Pulse radars require circuitry which can switch the antenna between transmit and receive modes, in sync with the pulse timing.

  The latest pulsed systems offer a higher scanning speed (48 r.p.m.), which helps keep the display updated fast enough for today’s high-speed craft, or can use a more conventional scan speed (24 r.p.m), while operating on two different transmission frequencies. Careful processing of these dual frequencies produces sharper images with less noise and clutter.

  Continuous Wave radars by contrast, do not transmit pulses, but a continuous wave as the name suggests. There are normally two antennae, one to transmit and one to receive, mounted together, in one housing. Plain CW radar techniques are used in systems such as police radar guns, which are not concerned with range, but only the velocity of the target.

  The returns from a static target will be at exactly the same frequency as the transmission, but any moving target will change the returned frequency in relation to its velocity. We are familiar with this frequency change – known as Doppler Shift – from hearing the change in pitch of the sounds from a car, motor bike or train as it passes us. As they approach, they “catch-up” with the sound waves already emitted, shortening the wavelength and increasing the pitch. Similarly, as they move away, the wavelength is “stretched”, resulting in a lower pitch.

  The Doppler shift is proportional to the velocity towards or away from the observer. It should be noted that this is the Relative velocity. If the observer is moving, their movement can affect the frequency as well. I say “can affect”, since there will be no frequency shift if both observer and target are moving on parallel courses at the same speed. The transmitted frequency is subtracted from the returned frequency, and the result is proportional to the relative speed.

  CW radar is fine if we wish to know speed rather than range, but in our normal marine radar situation, the range is the most important measurement. Enter FMCW. In this type of radar, the continuous wave is not at a fixed frequency. Instead, the carrier frequency is modulated (changed) by a lower-frequency “sawtooth” waveform as shown. The actual frequency of the transmission therefore “sweeps” across a range of frequencies, then returns rapidly to the initial frequency and starts the sweep again. 

  

  How does this enable the measurement of range? Look at the diagram showing both transmitted and returned waves. It will be seen that if we measure the time interval between the moment that one particular frequency was emitted, and when that exact same frequency is received, the delay is proportional to the round-trip distance to the target. We have our range measurement!

  The strength of an echo is related to the energy transmitted and, when short pulses are used, they must be of high power to carry sufficient energy for a good return. Think of a garden hosepipe filling a paddling pool, compared to filling it from buckets. The longer the interval between bucket-loads, the bigger the buckets must be to match the hosepipe fill-rate. FMCW radar does not require such high transmission power as conventional radar, as its transmission is continuous, like the steady flow of the hosepipe.

  Reports from journalists who have observed the demonstrations of FMCW confirm that this technology can give excellent results at relatively short ranges. The advantage is not so clear on longer ranges and we can see some reason for this is we return to the diagrams. What happens if the echo takes longer to return than the duration of one sweep of the modulating sawtooth wave? We would not know whether an exact frequency we receive came from the latest sweep past that frequency in the transmission, or from the equivalent point on a previous transmission. Either we need some extra trick in processing to tell the difference, or we must slow down the sweep rate so that the slowest echo for our chosen range is received before the sweep repeats. A slower sweep will give less precise timing.

  For the purposes of this illustration only, suppose the combined limits of accuracy in frequency-stability of the transmission and frequency-measurement of the return add up to 50Hz. Suppose the change of transmission frequency at a fast sweep rate is 2000 Hz per microsecond. The limit of accuracy in timing would be 0.025 microsecond which is equivalent to a limit of range accuracy of 12 feet. If a slower sweep rate changed the transmission frequency by only 500 Hz per microsecond, our 50Hz limit of accuracy would now be 0.1 microsecond or 48 feet.

  So FMCW radar appears to offer better resolution at short ranges, but cannot offer that advantage at longer ranges. Both “Broadband” and “HD” radar are new techniques and we are sure to see further refinements in the next few years. All these advances in radar are wasted if the skipper and crew do not know how to set up and correctly interpret the display, so it is crucial that customers are made aware of the importance of training.

  The “Simulator” built into most radar sets can only offer a very limited amount of practice, as nothing actually moves. It is fine for learning where the manufacturer has hidden the controls for each function, but cannot offer assistance in learning collision avoidance or coastal navigation. One day radar operation courses are readily available, generally using PC-based simulators to give this vital hands-on experience. Simulated radar sets and vessel controls interact with a virtual world to provide unlimited experience in a wide range of scenarios and weather conditions.

  Anyone can learn and practice all the essential skills of small-craft radar operation, using a simulator on their own PC. A single-user version of the Simulators used in most of these courses is available for home study from www.lightmaster.co.uk and is ideal to maintain a dealer’s knowledge, or as an add-on to the sale of any radar system. LightMaster’s Radar TutorPlus CD combines the Simulator with a step-by-step Tutor program to build confidence and explain the essential controls and techniques.

  M. Quaintance,  F.R.I.N. – Lightmaster Software -  www.lightmaster.co.uk

• 29 November 2009
  Sail into the 2010 Tullett Prebon London International Boat Show
  

  Kicking off on Friday 8 January, the Tullett Prebon London International Boat Show at London’s ExCeL is set to be 10 of the busiest days in the capital’s boating calendar. The Show is London’s leading and most established annual event showcasing boating, marine products and lifestyle.

  Running from 8-17 January, the Show will feature hundreds of boats and with over 400 exhibitors showcasing power and sail boats, dinghies, engines, electronics, deck equipment, charter holidays, sailing courses and more, theres no better way to discover the thrills of getting on the water.

  As well as a great day out the Show is the perfect venue for visitors who are considering a summer sailing holiday or looking for inspiration, planning to invest in or upgrade their boat or just fancy browsing the thousands of products on display.

  Getting to the Show could not be easier, with ExCeL just 25 minutes from London Waterloo and Liverpool Street stations.  And with over 2,500 car parking spaces on site, those visitors coming by car will be comfortably accommodated.

  Show Stage powered by Fairline
  Located in the North Hall of ExCeL, the Show Stage powered by Fairline has undergone a redesign and will be packed with non-stop entertainment throughout the 10 days of the Show.  Each day the dance explosion ‘Rock the Boat’ will showcase fashion as never seen before at the Show, as graduates of the Brian Rogers Dance School perform a series of dance spectaculars incorporating jazz and tap moves to entertain and thrill the audience. Also new to the Stage this year are Show presenters Giles Vickers-Jones, host of ITV at the Movies for ITV1 and regular columnist in Reveal magazine and Torie Campbell, host of the Honda Formula 4 stroke offshore powerboat series for ITV4.

  Visitors can hear inspirational stories from Boating Heroes such as Geoff Holt and Hilary Lister, record breaking rower Sarah Outen, youngest ever round-the-world sailor Mike Perham and P1 Powerboat Champion Shelley Jory. Huge screens across the Stage will also enable visitors to catch up with the thrills, spills, winners and losers from 2009 with The Best Bits, a round up of the boating action from the last year as well as hearing real life accounts with the Extra Mile.

  After the launch at the PSP Southampton Boat Show back in September, the two winners of the annual Design a Sail Competition will be announced on Saturday 9th January at 11am on the Show Stage.  The lucky winners will each have their design made into a full size sail for a Topper Topaz boat as well as 500 worth of gift vouchers courtesy of Rockley Watersports.  

  Show Favourites
  In association with Classic Boat magazine, International Paint and Old Pulteney, the Classic Boat attraction has been a star of the Show since 2004.  With the atmosphere of a friendly working boat yard, approachable and engaging craftsmen will be on hand to offer hints and tips when it comes to traditional skills and workmanship on these much cherished boats.  For those keen to get involved in the action there is the chance to master the intricacies of the gaff rig or learn how to climb into a proper ship hammock.  Renowned marine artists will be painting the two majestic slipper launches and a little trailer-sailing cutter which will be on display.

  Located in the Boulevard is the Owners Association area where boat owners from various associations, for example, the Moody Owners Association can meet up, swap hints and tips and discuss their boats with like-minded sailors.  For those looking to purchase a boat, or to upgrade, this sales free area is also a great place to meet owners, who are passionate about their choice of boat and are very willing to discuss the options available to any boat buyer.
  Pay a visit to the Yachtworld.com Brokers Village to browse through comprehensive used boat listings. The Boat Retailers and Brokers Association** (BRBA) and the Association of Brokers and Yacht Agents (ABYA) will be at hand on the stand to provide best practice advice for visitors looking to buy a boat.

  For those wishing to enjoy a pint of the black stuff, the ever busy Black and White Bar is back by popular demand and bigger and better than ever.  Or head to the Clubs and Associations Bar and enjoy a drink whilst overlooking the Classic Boat attraction, in association with Classic Boat magazine, International Paint and Old Pulteney, next door. For those looking for more glamour and sophistication, the Sunseeker Champagne Bar is sure to be the place to be seen at the Show.

  For those visitors who have been following the Boating on a Budget diary pages of the Shows website, the 36 year old Hunter 19 Barangoola will be on display.  Raising funds for RNLI Burnham-on-Crouch through a 5 per ticket raffle to win her; the Barangoola demonstrates just how affordable boating can be as she will be transformed into a shiny good-as-new cruiser by loving volunteers in the run up to the Show for just 5,000.

  Get Interactive!
  Show visitors can also test their marine skills against friends and family in the ever-popular interactive Deck Games zone.  The centre-piece is a 25m long 1m-deep indoor pool. The indoor pool will feature on-water model yacht racing, which can become incredibly competitive and vocal if past years are anything to go by.

  On at the weekends, younger visitors can experience kayaking on the pool with Pelican Kayaks in a safe and warm environment.  Conducted under the watchful eye of the Lee Valley Canoe Cycle coaching team and with all the latest equipment provided by Avoncraft, visitors are strongly encouraged to book early on the day to avoid disappointment.

  Specifically set aside for a much younger audience is the colouring area with International Paints.
  The Deck Games zone has an educational element as well as a fun interactive side.  Sailors can learn how to be more environmentally friendly with the BMF and RYA initiative The Green Blue, as well as speak to one of the rowing experts from Concept 2 to find out how to get involved in one of the oldest and most diverse sports in the world.

  Out on the Royal Victoria Dock
  Outside, the marina will showcase the boats that are simply too big to fit through the doors to Londons biggest exhibition centre.  Some of the largest boats in production from luxury names such as Sunseeker and Princess will be on display, having sailed up the Thames from Poole and Plymouth respectively just after the New Year celebrations.
  Over the weekends, the Royal Victoria Dock outside the South Hall of ExCeL will play host to exciting on-water activity.  The Dinghy weekend, 16-17 January 2010, starts at 12pm on Saturday 16 with the Ovington Skiff Grand Prix running for two hours.  Sunday 17 will see British Sailing: Battle of the Classes Pursuits Race take over the dock from 2pm with prize giving for both events taking place on the Show Stage powered by Fairline at 5pm.

  Tickets and Show information
  For all the latest information on the Show itself, including opening times, ticket prices and sales, news, feature information and exhibitors, log on and check out the Shows website at http://www.londonboatshow.com/.  Visitors purchasing tickets in advance will enjoy a discounted rate, which is available through the Shows website, or by calling the ticket hotline on 0844 209 0333.

  The Show is excellent value for money when it comes to a great day out in the capital as kids aged 15 and under go free, with each ticket admitting one adult and two children.

  For those looking to spoil themselves and really make a day out of the Show is the all new London Platinum Experience.  For 85, Platinum Experience ticket holders get a free parking space, delicious buffet lunch, VIP area to enjoy the Show Stage powered by Fairline, use of the exclusive Tullett Prebon Platinum Lounge providing a sanctuary with the Show and a free Showguide.

• 29 November 2009
  Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS) 2009 – a Garmin overview
  

  Based on the foundations of innovation, performance, convenience and value, Garmin has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a two-man workforce in 1989. Now employing over 9,000 people and serving some of the largest marine OEMs worldwide, Garmin is a household name in sectors from marine electronics to aviation, fitness to automotive.

  Sean Biddlecombe, General Manager for Garmin Europe said: “In terms of International markets, METS has always provided a platform for companies such as Garmin to meet new business prospects, strengthen relationships and showcase its product range.”

  Garmin broke new ground when it introduced the flagship GPSMAP 5000 series at METS in 2007, the industry’s first fully touchscreen chartplotter with Auto Guidance caused excitement, suspicion and a large crowd to gather at the Garmin stand.

  Reviews from “brilliant” to “unlikely to catch on” followed from the world’s press, and now three years later, the touchscreen format is here to stay with competitors large and small beginning to emulate this popular technology. Meanwhile Garmin has evolved Auto Guidance to become auto routing, bringing unprecedented integration between the pilot and chartplotter.

  Nigel Craine, Marine Product Manager for Garmin said: “METS is the key event to make contact with international, professional and serious tradespeople.

  “A lot of important meetings take place at METS and I would say it is the busiest consecutive three days in the marine industry calendar.”

  METS 2009 saw Garmin launch a brand new range of Multifunction Display Chartplotters, the GPSMAP 6000 and 7000 series, yet again breaking new ground; these innovative MFDs harness the power of dual-processors to provide the fastest and smoothest navigation experience on the market – they really have to be seen to be believed!

  The GPSMAP 6000 series offers incredibly fast, pan, zoom and redraw abilities, with the added benefit of 3D views and satellite imagery – all on a button controlled platform. The GPSMAP 7000 series also offers those fantastic features with a touchscreen interface.

  Garmin also launched the AIS 600 – the company’s first AIS transponder with a unique active VHF antenna splitter and Cleartrack™ technology for uninterrupted AIS signal reception even when conducting a DSC call from the VHF.

  The company also introduced a selection of Analogue to NMEA 2000 adapters which take simple resistive analogue data and convert it to NMEA 2000 protocol. The adapters include fluid level sensors, engine tilt, rudder angle sensor, trim tab, speed and more.

  Nigel said: “The reaction to our new range of marine products was incredibly positive, we had a large number of visitors to stand, which makes us excited about prospects for 2010.

  “The atmosphere at this year’s METS was definitely buoyant and upbeat – it goes to prove that despite the tough economic climate we have found ourselves in, the marine industry is still going strong.

  “I believe that there is still a great passion for boats and whilst that remains, there will always be a marine equipment market to service it. 1200 stands at this year’s METS only highlights this fact.”

  Lori Rosset – Press Officer Garmin (Europe) Ltd

  www.garmin.co.uk

  Check out the latest Twitterings at http://twitter.com/GarminGirlUK

• 29 November 2009
  Raymarine’s new products make Tullet Prebon London International Boat Show debut
  

  Raymarine will be showcasing its new range of products at the 2010 Tullet Prebon London International Boat Show on Stand N028J. 

  The E Series Widescreen which was previewed during the Autumn international boat shows has received a huge response from dealers and customers. The E Series Widescreen will make its Tullet Prebon London International Boat Show debut in January and will be available for purchase at the show.  The new E Series Widescreen is the first multifunction display to offer Raymarine’s HybridTouch™ technology, giving users the choice of touch screen or UniControl™ buttons to operate the multifunction display.

  Also making its Tullet Prebon London International Boat Show debut will be the Raymarine HD Digital Radome.  Radar target detection has undergone massive changes in the last year, thanks to the introduction of High Definition Digital technology.  Now the superior benefits of these new systems are available to even more boaters, with the launch of Raymarine’s new HD Digital Radomes.  Compact domes are the most popular radar antennae for the majority of power and sail boats throughout the world, and now these boat owners can benefit from the latest radar technology with Raymarine’s new 18″ and 24″ HD Digital Radomes.

  For larger boats the Raymarine Glass Bridge Monitors will be available at the Tullet Prebon London International Boat Show. Combining the latest advanced technology in an ultra-stylish, black, edge-to-edge glass screen, Raymarine’s new Glass Bridge Monitors are aimed at highly demanding operational and interior design requirements for vessels over 40 feet. 

  Available in two sizes – the GB150 (15”) and GB170 (17”) these large, ultra-bright, sunlight-viewable colour displays offer multiple display combinations for every navigational scenario.  LED technology ensures the best visibility in all light conditions.  The ultra-sophisticated styling will please even the most discerning owner or captain.

• 29 November 2009
  Contributors Sought For Future Editions of BMEA Direct
  

  BMEA Direct is an email newsletter distributed quarterly to all members of the BMEA, including dealers, retailers, manufacturers, distributors and others involved in the design, manufacturing, sales, installation and service of marine electronics for recreational boating and the commercial maritime marketplace.

  If you are interested in submitting an industry related or marine technology article please contact Ian Lockyer (BMEA Marketing) at  marketing@bmea.org.

  Each article will be credited and can be accompanied by images and hyperlinks back to your own website.

  Ian Lockyer
  BMEA Marketing
  marketing@bmea.org
  http://www.bmea.org

• 29 November 2009
  Follow the latest BMEA News on Twitter!
  

  Customers and members of the British Marine Electronic Association (BMEA) can now keep up to date with the association’s activities on the social networking phenomenon, Twitter!  News stories from the Association’s members, industry developments as well as development from the BMEA itself will be posted.

  Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read other users’ updates known as tweets. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length which are displayed on the user’s profile page and delivered to other users who have subscribed to them (known as followers).

  Visit http://www.twitter.com for more information on how Twitter works and to sign up.

  Find the BMEA’s twitter at:

  http://www.twitter.com/bmea_uk

• 29 November 2009
  SES is Appointed by Seaview
  

  Ships Electronics Services (SES)  has been appointed by SeaView Europe as the exclusive UK distributor of its Radar and Communications mounting brackets.

  SeaView is the largest manufacturer of mounting brackets in the world. The company provides a full range of mounts for all types and brands of antennas, domes and night vision cameras, which in turn supply the heart of a ships communication and navigation systems.

  Commenting on the appointment, SES Managing Director, Stephen Roper said, “One of the most critical systems on a ship or yacht has to be navigation and communications and without the associated antennas, domes and cameras being secure, none of this will function. We have therefore looked long and hard at the various options available to ensure when we fit a system for a customer, they can rest assured that this area is totally secure whatever the weather and sea will throw at it. SeaView is one of the longest established and most respected companies in the business so we are delighted to be able to offer this exclusive distributorship to our customers.”

  Over the past years SES has gained an enviable reputation for its exceptional customer service in the supply, installation and service of the most trustworthy and tested brands in marina electronics.

  www.ses-marine.com

• 29 November 2009
  Lowrance Introduces Elite Fishfinder/Chartplotter and Fishfinder Series
  

  Lowrance introudces its new Elite series of colour fishfinder and GPS-chartplotter units. Comprised of three models and scheduled for March 2010 availability, the Elite-5x fishfinder, Elite-5m chartplotter and Elite-5  fishfinder/chartplotter deliver a new standard of feature-rich, high-performance, easy-to-use electronics with affordable pricing.

  All models are designed with a true 5-inch, 480×480-pixel SolarMAX™ 256-color display with best-in-class brightness for superior viewing of chart detail and sonar graphs – even in the brightest sunlight conditions and from wider viewing angles.

  Offering greater coverage for a variety of fishing and boating conditions, the Elite series of dual frequency fishfinders provide the Lowrance standard for superior clarity, performance and target separation, while the chartplotters provide out-of-the-box, plug-and-play navigational functionality.

  The Elite-5x and Elite-5 fishfinder models feature a transom-mount 83/200 KHz Skimmer® transducer with up to 120-degrees of fishfinding coverage, as well as built-in temperature sensor. The Elite-5x and Elite-5 reach depths as great as 1,000 feet with 500 watts RMS power/4,000 watts of peak-to-peak power.

  To help anglers avoid missing a productive area of fish-holding structure, both Elite fishfinder models feature a unique TrackBack™ function that allows the user to scroll back and review multiple pages of fishfinder display history.

  For ease of installation, the Elite-5 and Elite-5m chartplotter models feature a built-in 16-channel GPS+WAAS precision antenna, along with an external antenna option. The built-in U.S. basemap provides more than 3,000 enhanced lake maps with detailed shorelines and depth contours as well as coastal depth soundings and contours as great as 1,000 feet.

  Ensuring boaters have the maximum flexibility to use their choice of charts, the Elite-5 and Elite-5m also house a waterproof micro SD memory card slot for multiple mapcard options, including Lowrance LakeMaster® ProMaps, Fishing Hot Spots® PRO, and Navionics® Gold (scheduled for February 2010 availability on micro SD card format). In addition, owners can store up to 3,000 waypoints, 100 routes with 100 waypoints per route, 100 retraceable plot trails and up to 10,000 points per trail.

  ”The Elite series was designed to provide stunning chartplotter and fishfinder options for the cost-conscious fisherman and boater,” said Louis Chemi, chief operating officer for Navico Americas. “Our best-in-class 5-inch colour displays combined with our award-winning GPS and fishfinder technology mark a fresh, high-quality option to a wider range of boaters and anglers.”

  Additional features include a new mounting design with an easy-to-install, quick-release, tilt and-swivel bracket that offers convenient removal for storage and remounting. The backlit, enhanced keypad is configured for simplified single-thumb control of easy-to-use menus and an Advanced User Mode for expanded feature selections. The Elite-5x, Elite-5m, and Elite-5 are fully waterproof to IPx7 standards and are protected by a 2 year limited warranty.

  The Lowrance Elite-5x fishfinder, Elite-5m chartplotter and Elite-5 Combo chartplotter/fishfinder units have suggested retail prices of £366.00 RRP ex VAT, £393.00 and £433.00, respectively, and can be purchased from authorised Lowrance dealers and distributors throughout the UK & Ireland.

  For more information on the Lowrance Elite series, or to learn more about Lowrance and its entire product line, please visit www.lowrance.co.uk

• 29 November 2009
  Lowrance Debuts Mark Series Fishfinders
  

  Lowrance, introduces its new Mark series of single- and dual frequency fishfinders, the Mark-5x and Mark-5x Portable. Delivering the high-quality sonar performance anglers expect from Lowrance, Mark series fishfinders also feature a full 5-inch, bright-white, 480×480-pixel, SuperTwist™ LED display for easy viewing in all lighting conditions, plus 16 level gray scale definition that delivers maximum target detail and separation.

  The Mark-5x & Mark-5x portable operates at 200 kHz only, for depths to 800 feet (244 meters), while providing up to 60 degrees of fish- and structure finding coverage. Both Mark-5x and Mark-5x Pro models are packed with the transom-mounted Skimmer® transducer with built-in temperature sensor.

  To help anglers avoid missing a productive area of fish-holding structure, both Mark-5x and
  Mark-5x Portable fishfinder models features a unique TrackBack™ function that allows the user to scroll back and review multiple pages of sonar history.

  ”The Mark-5x and Mark-5x Portable offer solid-performing, reliable fishfinder options at affordable prices,” said Louis Chemi, chief operating officer, Navico Americas. “The combination of our proven sonar capabilities that provide real value to anglers and boaters, crisp, easy-to-see displays and straight-forward user interface makes the Mark series a clear winner in mid-range fishfinder solutions.”

  The new simplified user interface is enhanced with a backlit keypad design that allows single thumb control, so anglers and boaters can quickly access menu features and enter Advanced User modes for expanded feature selections.

  Additional features include a new mounting design with an easy-to-install, quick-release, tilt and-swivel bracket that offers convenient removal for storage and remounting. The Mark-5x and Mark-5x Portable are also fully waterproof to IPx7 standards and are protected by a 2 year limited warranty.

  Lowrance Mark-5x and Mark-5x Portable fishfinders have a suggested retail price of £161.00 RRP ex VAT and £204.00 RRP ex VAT, respectively and can be purchased from authorised Lowrance dealers and distributors throughout the UK & Ireland after release in March 2010.

  For more information on the Lowrance Mark series of fishfinders, or to learn more about Lowrance and its entire product line, please visit www.lowrance.co.uk

« Previous Entries

You are here: News » Archive for November 2009