Raymarine Cyclone open-array radar system launched

The new 355mm tall radar units come in 900mm, 1200mm and 1800mm widths, and are designed like an aircraft’s wing to make them as aerodynamic and slimline as possible. 

Being slim also makes them lightweight – the 900mm array weighs just 23kg, making it the lightest open array radar system on the market.

Key points:

The units will split across two power ratings – more power equals more range – with up to 72 nautical miles for the 55W Cyclone pedestal and up to 96 nautical miles for the 110W Cyclone Pro pedestal. Owners can mix and match the length of the array that sits on top of the pedestal.

Raymarine will start shipping the new Cyclone range of open array radars from November, with Australia a key market. Cyclone will mark the gradual phase-out of the more power-hungry Magnum range of 4kW and 12kW magnetron-based radar units.

New to the Cyclone range of open array radars is a fishfinding function that can spot flocks of birds on the water – a sure sign of the presence of baitfish and the larger sports fish that feed on them.

The new solid-state Cyclone uses CHIRP pulse compression technology similar to that used in fishfinders to help the array provide the highest level of clarity and definition and target separation.

For radar, CHIRP transmits a sweep of sonar frequencies into the air as a microwave pulse.

When that energy strikes a target, it is reflected back to the scanner. 

By sending a sweep of pulses at varying frequencies allows the radar to very distinctly know when the reflected pulse coming back begins and ends, giving the Cyclone system exceptional range resolution, which translates into clarity on the radar.

According to Raymarine, the Cyclone array can see distinct objects even when they are very very close together – it can separate them we can count the number of boats in a marina or even the number of birds in a flock.

The system uses software to reduce noise and provide such high resolution that Raymarine claims it can show individual birds in a flock as small blue dots – other systems tend to just dial up the gain, creating a lot of noise and visual clutter on the radar screen as they pick up everything from wavetops to airborne dust.

Using Doppler radar, the system can pick out individual boats at a fishing hotspot, and even the birds flying in around the boats.

That is possible because of Raymarine’s AutoGST software, which cleans up the signal to reduce noise and particularly when filtering out “lobing”, a common distortion of the radar beam.

The Raymarine Cyclone series of open array radar systems will come off the shelf with a IEC 62388 rating, meaning it can operate in winds of up to 100 knots.

While that sounds like a lot, the system will be fitted to a new generation of high-power V8- and V12-engined boats capable of coming close to that speed at wide-open throttle.

It also means the new system is compatible with the needs of first responders such as water police and search and rescue services, which often need to go out on the water in high-wind conditions.

It means those boats will still be able to pick out hazards at large distances even in the most extreme conditions.

Cyclone compatibility will be rolled out as part of the latest LightHouse software release over the next few weeks.

Raymarine has priced the 900mm Cyclone radar unit from $9995 while the range-topping 1800mm unit will be priced from $14,495.

It will make its official debut at this week's Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show ahead of its November availability in Australia.