OLATHE, Kan./November 4, 2015/Business Wire – Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), today announced the echoMAP CHIRP series – a new line of affordable chartplotter/sonar combination units with built-in CHIRP traditional sonar and CHIRP DownVü and SideVü, the clearest scanning sonar on the water. With preloaded cartography for inland or coastal waters, the new echoMAP CHIRP series offers support for Garmin Panoptix transducers, and all units come standard with Garmin QuickdrawTM Contours, a new software feature that lets mariners instantly create personalized HD fishing maps with 1-foot contours on any body of water. With NMEA® 2000 compatibility1, the new echoMAPs can also receive information from sensors, engines, autopilots and more.
“With integrated CHIRP sonar, enhanced mapping options, built-in GPS, and support for Panoptix and NMEA 2000, the echoMAP CHIRP series is a powerful step forward in the evolution of combination units for anglers,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales. “We’re excited to bring these units to market and believe that they truly provide the best fishing experience possible, and at price points to meet the needs of the value-minded customer.”
Like previous echoMAP models, the CHIRP series is available in bright, sunlight readable 4-inch, 5-inch, 7-inch and 9-inch color displays with an intuitive, keyed interface. All models are equipped with a built-in, high-sensitivity 5Hz GPS antenna that updates location and heading five times per second for extremely reliable position accuracy at all times.
For the clearest scanning sonar of fish and structure on the market, this new series offers built-in CHIRP traditional sonar and CHIRP DownVü and SideVü technology. Instead of just sending one single frequency, CHIRP sends a continuous sweep of frequencies and interprets them individually upon their return, creating crisper fish arches with better target separation. For anglers who want to see objects and structure below the boat, DownVü provides a nearly photographic view with excellent resolution and target separation in both freshwater and saltwater. The echoMAP sv models also add SideVü scanning for customers who want to see what’s located on both sides of the boat.
Additionally, the 7-inch and 9-inch echoMAP CHIRP models provide support for Garmin PanoptixTM all-seeing sonar. With Panoptix on board, fisherman can see real-time sonar imagery at video-like speed. It shows an image of fish swimming and moving toward or away from the boat – even while stationary – in real time and up to 100 feet away. The echoMAP CHIRP series will support all Panoptix models, including the new PS21.
Available with preloaded cartography for fresh or coastal waters, each new model is offered with either U.S. or Canada LakeVüTM, or U.S. BlueChart® g2 mapping. U.S. LakeVü is an extensive database of more than 17,000 inland lakes, reservoirs and rivers that includes over 13,000 lakes with high-definition 1-foot contours shore-to-shore. Canada LakeVü features more than 13,500 lakes, 4,800 of which have 1-foot contours.
The new echoMAP CHIRP series will be available in January 2016, with suggested retail prices ranging from $299.99 to $1259.99. For more information, visit garmin.com/marine2016.
Recently, Garmin was named Manufacturer of the Year and received the honor of being the most recognized company in the marine electronics field by the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA®). Garmin’s portfolio includes some of the industry’s most sophisticated chartplotters and touchscreen multifunction displays, sonar technology, high-definition radar, autopilots, high-resolution mapping, sailing instrumentation and other products and services that are known for innovation, reliability and ease-of-use.
For more than 25 years, Garmin has pioneered new GPS navigation and wireless devices and applications that are designed for people who live an active lifestyle. Garmin serves five primary business units, including automotive, aviation, fitness, marine, and outdoor recreation. For more information, visit Garmin's virtual pressroom at garmin.com/newsroom, contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200, or follow us at facebook.com/garmin, twitter.com/garmin, or youtube.com/garmin.