Northstar is renowned for our heritage in GPS/Chartplotter development. When we tackled High Definition Digital Radar, we wanted the same core values invested in this technology: make it reliable, make it easy, and make it for everyone. High Definition Digital Radar means: Exceptional detection of small or distant targets, using advanced digital signal processing. Presents targets better and rejects clutter using 10-bit digital Sensitivity Time Control (STC). Screen-clutter from rough weather is cleared away using sensitivity settings tailored for specific conditions. High Definition Digital Radar The Right Choice. We’ve hired leading radar experts to develop Northstar High Definition Digital Radar, an accurate and economic choice for reliable surface detection. Radar’s primary uses are vessel detection and collision avoidance, particularly in reduced visibility conditions like darkness, fog and rain. Now this technology is available to you. Heading Sensors Heading sensors provide gyro-compensated data for your radar processor. A heading sensor enhances radar image stability, and is needed for chart overlay. Northstar's radar heading sensors deliver heading data 10 times a second to your display. Chart Overlay With an optional heading sensor, radar brings a wealth of important information to the skipper’s attention swiftly and accurately by overlaying the radar image onto the active chart screen. Radar overlay provides the optimum situational awareness. Guard-Zone Alarms If any target detected by the radar enters a user-defined area on the display, the Northstar Radar will alert you to its presence. Choosing a scanner Radomes are compact and lightweight, making them ideal for sailboats and small powerboats. Consider a radome when space and power supply is limited. The 6 kW array delivers better range and detail because of its higher power and narrower beam width. The effective range of any scanner increases when mounted higher on your boat. The power of a scanner is also an indicator of its range. A scanner's beam width (the angle at which scanner's signal spreads) indicates how good the scanner is at target discrimination - a smaller beam width is better. STC Curves Adjustable Sensitivity Time Control (STC) curves reject clutter by setting minimum thresholds that consider return strength and distance. Color Palettes Different color palettes allow better distinction of target returns, depending on viewing conditions. A rotating assembly sends out narrow-beam pulses of high frequency energy, then ‘listens’ for echoes as these pulses bounce back from boats, land masses, buoys, waves, rain, birds... "targets", in radar terms. The noted angle of the array at any time a pulse is sent gives the direction of an echo. The time it takes to come back gives the distance. Please Note Adding radar to your boat requires at least two components - the scanner, and the related processor unit. When ordering a radar system, please ensure both the scanner AND processor unit are ordered