New 400/500 series from Garmin

New high end VHF 300 with AIS functionalities.

The VHF 300 has 25 watts of transmit power and has both NMEA 2000 and NMEA 0183 connectivity. Because the black box can be mounted anywhere out-of-sight, the VHF 300 saves important real estate on the helm.

Boaters operate the unit via the GHS™ 10 microphone. This handheld mic features a crisp 2-inch LCD display, dedicated rotary key for frequent tasks, and three soft buttons for dynamic controls. The VHF 300 supports up to three GHS 10 mics which have built-in speaker for vessels with multiple stations, and uses either the supplied four-inch active speaker with volume knob, or an optional third-party passive speaker. With multiple stations, the system can be used as an on-boat intercom.

The VHF 300 also features NOAA weather alerts, Class D Digital Selective Calling (DSC) capability, and Position Tracking, which allows a mariner to locate and keep tabs on up to three other boats. The radio is equipped with a two-way 30-watt hailer compatibility for communication with other boats or deckhands. The helmsman can also replay up to 90 seconds of the last incoming voice transmission at the touch of a button.

For those wanting to take advantage of the Automatic Identification System (AIS), Garmin has the new VHF 300 AIS, which combines all of the features mentioned above with four built-in receivers: one dedicated for VHF communications, one for Class D DSC transmissions, and two dedicated AIS receivers. The VHF 300 AIS receives both Class A and Class B signals simultaneously, ensuring that no critical information is lost.