Revolutionary Simrad HALO™ Radar wins 2015 Design Award METS (DAME)

by Caitlyn Ridgley on 20 Nov 2015 Simrad's HALO™ Pulse Compression Radar, the world’s first high-performance recreational solid-state, open-array radar system with pulse compression technology, has won the prestigious 2015 Design Award METS (DAME) in the Marine Electronics category at the Marine Equipment Trade Show in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

“We are very excited that HALO Pulse Compression Radar has won such a prestigious award, especially on the 25th anniversary of the competition,” said Leif Ottosson, CEO, Navico. “This is important recognition of the hard work by our engineering teams to get this state-of-the-art radar system into the marketplace. It demonstrates our ability to lead the marine technology industry with innovative and specialized marine products for both recreational and commercial use.”

Simrad’s HALO Radar combines the advantages of Broadband Radar™ and traditional pulse radar systems – providing navigational visibility and awareness as close as 20 feet (six meters) within the pulse radar’s short-range “blind spot,” where once only Broadband Radar could operate – all while offering exceptional long-range performance up to 72 nautical miles.

With Beam Sharpening for enhanced target separation control, HALO Radar provides unmatched target resolution. Using its Dual Range mode, HALO can also function as two radars in one with no signal loss, monitoring two distance ranges simultaneously with independent display controls. Simple to use custom Harbor, Offshore, Weather and Bird (to help locate feeding game fish) modes, tune HALO Radar’s advanced signal processing to ensure targets are seen vividly, even in the toughest environments. Dual Range mode also allows dual MARPA target tracking where up to 20 targets are displayed, indicating the closest point of approach and time to closest point of approach.

Unlike traditional pulse radars, HALO does not rely on a high-powered magnetron or vacuum tube to transmit a signal; the solid-state technology produces a crystal-clear, accurate radar image instantly from standby or in 16 to 25 seconds from power-up. HALO Radar is safe to use and already meets upcoming low emission standards and with its low power consumption, support for 12/24-volt systems and availability in three-, four- and six-foot open arrays, HALO is ideal for small to mid-sized powerboats.

In October 2015, Simrad HALO Pulse Compression Radar also won the NMEA 2015 Technology Award. In September 2015, HALO Pulse Compression Radar won the National Marine Manufacturers Association Innovation Award in the OEM Electronics category at the International BoatBuilders' Exhibition and Conference (IBEX). In May 2015, the radar system won the New Zealand Boat Show Most Innovative Local Product Award.