Wakeboarding - April 01, 2018

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ELECTRONICS

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94 | BOATINGMAG.COM | APRIL 2018

SIMRAD NSO EVO3

MULTIFUNCTION

DISPLAYS

The next generation of high-defi nition touchscreens

PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) COURTESY SIMRAD, CRAIG HASHIMOTO, COURTESY WINEGARD COMPANY

Simrad’s new NSO evo3

navigation system is engi-

neered to deliver this kind of

integrated display solution

for cruisers and sport-fishing

boats, particularly those that

require more than one on-

board MFD. With screen sizes

ranging from 16 to 24 inches,

Gauge clusters and switch panels are vanishing

as boat helms increasingly rely on touchscreen

multifunction displays for networked system

monitoring and control.  at calls for MFDs with

greater screen space and processing power.

the NSO evo3 MFDs offer

bright, high-definition

(1920 x 1080) touchscreens

that can be viewed from any

angle, even when wearing

polarized sunglasses. Each

display will support up to a

six-panel, split-screen layout,

allowing you to keep tabs on

and control a wide range of

integrated systems.

The displays are powered by

an iMX6 quad-core processor

for quick refresh rates. The

NSO evo3 MFDs are compati-

ble with Simrad systems such

as Halo pulse compression ra-

dar, the S5100 CHIRP sounder

module, ForwardScan

forward-imaging sonar and

StructureScan 3D imaging.

The new MFDs can also

connect to smartphones,

tablets and internet hotspots

with integrated wireless con-

nectivity. The systems include

HDMI input/output, OP50

support, and NMEA 2000 and

J1939 network compatibility.

The NSO evo3 screen fea-

tures low-profile glass-bridge

styling. The new MFDs are

available in kits that in-

clude a GPS antenna, chart

card reader, NMEA 2000

starter kit and OP50 remote

controller, which provides

keypad control of up to six

separate displays.

MSRPs for kits range from

$7,699 for the 16-inch display

to $11,699 for the 24-inch

model. Stand-alone MFDs

range from $6,999 for the

16-incher to $10,999 for

the 24-inch display. Visit

simrad-yachting.com to

learn more.

By Jim Hendricks

IS THERE A WAY

I CAN INCREASE

MY RADAR’S

RANGE AND

PERFORMANCE?

ASK KEN ONLINE

For more exclusive

electronics content, visit

boatingmag.com/askken.

When it comes to marine electronics, one of the most common goals among

boaters today focuses on staying connected to the internet while afl oat, says

Boating’s long-standing electronics expert, Ken Englert.

The Winegard Company makes its living keeping vagabond types connected.

Until recently, it focused largely on the RV market, but is now jumping into the

marine market with the ConnecT.

This is a simple and robust internet and 4GLTE extender system for boat-

ers. ConnecT includes a signal amplifi er with an integrated high-performance

external antenna that captures and rebroadcasts Wi-Fi and 4GLTE signals for

a secure, fast connection.

With ConnecT, you can surf the Web, get some work done, video chat, or

stream your favorite entertainment while in the marina or relaxing after a

tournament. With nationwide 4GLTE coverage and pay-as-you-go data service,

Winegard’s ConnecT provides a consistent in-motion connection for a host of

onboard mobile devices. $479; winegard.com

Here are a few suggestions.

The radar-offset feature

in many radars allows you

to move the center of your

radar’s picture toward

the bottom of the screen,

enabling you to see farther

in the forward direction.

Some sets have the added

ability to offset the radar

picture to the left or right

side of the screen to provide

more range to port or star-

board. This is helpful if there

is a land mass to one side or

the other, because you really

don’t care what lies inland

from the shoreline.

For a better view and

understanding of your

surroundings, you can also

overlay your radar returns

on your chart-plotter screen.

That will turn your display

into a living navigational map.

This will show you actual

vessel traffic superimposed

right on your chart plotter.

To overlay radar returns on

a compatible chart-plotter

screen, network an elec-

tronic digital compass or

heading sensor to your radar/

chart-plotter system. NMEA

2000 networking cables and

connectors make this a plug-

and-play affair. Often you

can use the heading sensor

that is part of most modern

autopilots as long as it is one

that has a 10 Hz data-output

rating. —Ken Englert

WINEGARD

CONNECT

EXTENDER