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Courtesy of the Manufacturer

Raymarine's C-Wide multifunction display

But the "theaterlike" wideness of Raymarine's new C-Wide multifunction display series frankly didn't impress me until I saw both how well the company's split windows—which allow you to simultaneously display two info sources, such as a chart and radar—fit into a vertical helm space formerly limited to smaller screens and how well they looked in C-Wide's extra-high resolution. The three new C's—ranging in size from 9 inches to 14 inches and starting at $2,700—also boast built-in charts and SeaTalkHS Ethernet networking to a second station and to various sensors, such as Raymarine's new Digital Radomes, which I also hope to include in my upcoming testing.
While it was wonderful, I thought, to see AIS B transponders available in Miami from many vendors, even West Marine, Raymarine's new AIS500 distinguishes itself by including a VHF antenna splitter, an NMEA 0183 multiplexer, and output to both NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000 (a.k.a. SeaTalkNG). Its premium $1,400 price may make sense when the whole installation is considered; in addition, desirable future AIS features, such as easy and effective digital selective calling to a target vessel, are more likely to come via the 2000 protocol rather than through the 0183 protocol.

Courtesy of the Manufacturer

Fast Find 210 PLB

Handheld safety gear was another newsy niche at the Miami show. McMurdo's U.S. distributor, Revere Supply (www.reveresupply.com), announced the Fast Find 210 PLB, which somehow fits a 50-channel GPS, an LED strobe, and a five-year battery into a waterproof case that's only about 4 inches long. It's not yet F.C.C. approved, but the remarkable rumored street price is "under $300," and as Revere notes, it's "subscription free." The latter applies to all personal locator beacons, of course, but it's a dig of sorts at the competitive Spot Satellite Messenger (www.findmespot.com), which does require an annual fee. Spot in turn announced that one of the Messenger's buttons can now be used to hail (using another subscription) towing service from BoatU.S. with your location. Meanwhile, ACR Electronics (www.acrelectronics.com) has several noteworthy new personal locator beacons almost ready for introduction. And so it is that I visualize another comparative testing opportunity and CW article in my future.

In fact, you'll be hearing a lot of my electronics blathering in the months ahead, including some about the worthy Miami introductions that I've had to leave out of this short review. If you can't wait, or if you want to go deeper, please pay a visit to my blog at Panbo, the Marine-Electronics Weblog (www.panbo.com), where the dialogue goes on 24/7.

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Ben Ellison is CW's electronics editor.

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