OLATHE, Kan. - Garmin International Inc. today announced its first stand-alone, color sounder - the Fishfinder 320C - for both the freshwater and saltwater markets. The Fishfinder 320C extends Garmin's line of dedicated sonar products and incorporates several of the company's latest software enhancements to deliver a powerful tool for serious anglers.
"Color units have revolutionized the way anglers approach their sport, so we are excited to offer the Fisherfinder 320C to both the inland and offshore fisherman," said Gary Kelley, Garmin's director of marketing. "With its sunlight-readable color display, fast ping rate, intuitive software and affordable price, we are giving anglers every reason to go out and buy the unit."
Night-and-Day Difference:
The Fishfinder 320C has a five-inch (diagonal), 16-color TFT display that's viewable in direct sunlight. Multi-level color assists the angler by distinguishing between large, medium and small fish; between various types of bottom structure; and between underwater objects and fish. And users can configure the background color in black, blue or white for easy daytime or nighttime viewing.
One-Touch Operation:
The Fishfinder 320C quite possibly has the easiest sonar interface on the market. Vital information on depth, zoom, range, frequency and gain are one touch away. Like all Garmin sounders, the Fishfinder 320C has the company's patented Depth Control Gain feature, which automatically adjusts the sonar sensitivity by depth and delivers a highly detailed image of bottom structure. It also has Garmin's exclusive See-Thru technology, which separates fish returns from thermoclines and underwater structure to remove the guesswork in interpreting fish arches. Dedicated buttons and smart software simplify operations, so anglers aren't fiddling with their electronics in search of fish, but are actually focusing on the task at hand - catching fish.
Software Enhancements:
There are also several noteworthy innovations in sounder technology. For instance, the Fishfinder 320C features bottom lock, giving anglers a constant view of the bottom within a user-configured depth parameter (e.g., viewing only activity within 40 feet down to the bottom). The Fishfinder 320C will also graphically record temperature data on the temperature log. And its odometer is based on water speed.
The Fishfinder 320C can also be used as a GPS repeater, since it has a NMEA 0183 input/output. Anglers will have the ability to select data on numeric fields and view their track and bearing graphically and numerically. When linked to a Garmin GPS unit, anglers can use the remote waypoint-marking feature on the Fishfinder 320C to send a specific location to the GPS.
New Transducers:
The Fishfinder 320C will also utilize Garmin's new patented single- and dual-frequency transducers for freshwater or saltwater applications. The new transducers have a mounting bracket for multiple installation options on a wide array of boats.
Other specifications for the Fishfinder 320C:
- Display Type: 16-color, sunlight readable TFT with adjustable CCFL backlight
- Display Size: 2.94" W x 4.02" H , 234 x 320 pixels
- Unit Dimensions (W x H x D): 6.3" x 6.2" x 3.25"
- Transducer Power: Single-frequency - 400 Watts (RMS), 3,200 Watts (peak-to-peak); Dual-frequency -
- 500 Watts (RMS), 4,000 Watts (peak0to-peak)
- Maximum depth: 1500 feet
- Graphic whiteline provides clear image of bottom hardness and structure
- Additional numeric features for use as a GPS repeater
- Alarms: shallow water, fish by size, drift, timer, temperature, and low battery voltage
- Adjustable range, gain and zoom
- Fish ID with depth