Actisense collaborates with Raymarine on Pathfinder
Actisense has revealed it is now collaborating with Raymarine to maximise NMEA data efficiency with its Pathfinder system. (NMEA is a standard data format supported by all GPS manufacturers).
Raymarine’s intention is to disrupt the commercial marine market with its IMO-compliant solid state X-band radar system that is said to be both cost effective and easy to install.
Actisense CEO, Phil Whitehurst, says the company’s been contracted by Raymarine to help create its data collection unit (DCU) for its Pathfinder system. “We saw the system on display at Workboat in New Orleans last year, and we were immensely impressed with its capabilities,” says Whitehurst. “No doubt this will solve a number of specific challenges facing commercial vessels. We’re proud to have been selected to work with this global electronics giant.”
The Actisense Pro-MUX-2 was selected as the baseline infrastructure for Pathfinder’s DCU, with eight NMEA 0183 inputs and six NMEA 0183 outputs along with a high-speed ethernet connection. Custom work was done to add functionality including alarm relays to ensure every element of Raymarine’s requirement was met.
Raymarine has adopted a custom Pro-MUX intelligent multiplexer to support its rollout into the commercial marine and SOLAS environment.
Actisense, which describes itself as creating intelligent marine electronic products that are exported to over 80 distributors in 50 countries worldwide, has been creating NMEA hardware since 2001. The company says it has a solid track record in delivering reliable, robust products that last, with a near zero percent returns rate. It’s not the first time it’s worked with Raymarine. The two collaborated on the deployment of Raymarine’s NMEA 0183 to NMEA 2000 conversion technology as well as other projects.
“The Pathfinder radar launch is helping us disrupt the commercial marine market, with an IMO compliant, intuitive-to-operate system,” says Andy Murray, director of navigational solutions for Raymarine. “Having worked with Actisense successfully on previous projects, we selected their PRO-MUX as the core of our data interfacing solution the Pathfinder DCU. The work we have completed with Actisense ensures we have an extremely flexible interfacing solution at the core of our Pathfinder radar ensuring that our system is easy to install for both retrofits and new build vessels.”
Raymarine is currently offering registered visitors to the South Coast Boat Show the chance to win prizes worth up to £3,000. The first prize is a Ray 91 VHF Black Box with AIS Rx. The show’s taking place at MDL’s flagship Ocean Village Marina in Southampton, UK, from 19-21 April 2024.
