More of this Feature • Part 1: Circles of Uncertainty • Part 2: Circles of Uncertainty • Electronics Q&A • Simrad Navstation • Lightning Guard 200 • RAM Mount • Airmar

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Airmar’s novel solid-state WeatherStation uses ultrasonic pulses—instead of easily broken spinning parts—to precisely measure apparent wind speed and direction. If aided by an external (or optional internal) GPS, it can also calculate true wind activity, which is usually so hard to monitor from a fast-moving boat. The sensor further adds to a skipper’s weather sense with barometric pressure, air temperature, dew point, humidity, and wind chill. All this data is output in NMEA 0183, NMEA 2000, or custom CANbus (like SmartCraft) protocols. That means that many multifunction displays, data repeaters, and charting programs will be able to at least take in the $900 WeatherStation’s copious information feed, though they will likely need upgrading to be able to show some of the more arcane data types. (Look for more on this in a future test of various NMEA 2000 products.)

Airmar ( (843) 394-3565. www.airmar.com.

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