"The Garmin Marine Network integrates important information to give mariners complete awareness of what's happening around them," said Gary Kelley, Garmin's director of marketing. "We've designed the system from the ground up to provide highly-detailed, highly-reliable, yet easy-to-use information that lets a boater make informed decisions and enjoy their time on the water."

The anchors of the new Garmin Marine Network are the GPSMAP 3010C and GPSMAP 3006C -- two multifunction displays (MFDs) that show data in a user- configurable format. Both units are waterproof and feature a sunlight readable, 256-color, 640x480-pixel VGA display in either a 10.4" or 6.4" diagonal screen size, respectively.

The MFDs are powered by a high-speed processor and graphics controller for fast redraw of charts and weather graphics. Like earlier generations of Garmin chartplotters, the 3010C and 3006C are completely compatible with Garmin's award-winning BlueChart marine cartography.

The GPSMAP 3010C and 3006C communicate with the Garmin Marine Network through a 100-megabit Garmin proprietary network. The entire system is waterproof and completely plug-and-play -- the MFDs automatically detect any and all peripherals once they're connected.

Boaters can connect a GPS antenna and one remote sensor directly to the MFD, or, with the addition of the GMS 10 Network Port Expander, users can connect multiple MFDs and sensors to the same network. Each networked MFD can be configured independently.

A unique feature to the Garmin Marine Network is the addition of the GDL 30 weather data receiver. Through a partnership with the XM WX Satellite Weather data service, mariners for the first time can access real- time graphical weather data directly on the GPSMAP 3010C or 3006C -- without the need for a separate PC interface.

For those wanting more than 120 channels of XM Satellite Radio along with weather data, Garmin also offers the GDL 30A -- which provides a unique audio channel interface on the 3010C and 3006C in addition to weather data.

XM WX Satellite Weather relays a continuous transmission of more than 15 different types of graphical weather information, including animated NEXRAD weather radar and forecasts, pressure, visibility, precipitation, wind data, wave data, and sea surface temperatures -- for the boat's current location, along a projected path, or anywhere in the U.S. The weather information is directly overlaid onto the chartplotter display. Coverage is nationwide and extends several hundred miles offshore.

The GPSMAP 3010C and 3006C receive sonar data through the GSD 20, Garmin's proprietary "black box" sounder, which offers 4,000 watts of power peak-to- peak (500 watts RMS) in a dual-frequency transducer.

This system will be compatible with Garmin's new marine radar that is expected for the 2005 marine season. More information on the radar should be available in late 2004.

The Garmin Marine Network also offers a unique network upgrade system. The user simply prompts the MFD to read the current software version of all components within the network, and writes them onto a Garmin data card. Then, the user uploads this data via a PC to the Garmin website, where the newest software versions are downloaded to the data card. The entire system is automatically updated once the card is re-inserted in the MFD.

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