This compact open-array radar is high on performance and low on weight.

All arrays have been designed with extensive wind tunnel testing.

Raymarine’s latest solid-state radar system has taken the concept of open-array radar to the next level. Cyclones, available in 3ft, 4ft and 6ft arrays, are unmatched in terms of their compact size and low weight. The 3ft Cyclone weighs in at just 23kg, making this system suitable for craft that would otherwise have to rely on a smaller, less effective dome radar system. This array is also just 13.2in tall (335mm), which is an industry first for an open array. Like its bigger siblings, it has been subjected to wind tunnel testing in order to provide it with aerodynamics capable of dealing with 100-knot winds. This may sound like total overkill, but in the United States, 60-knot boats running into 20-knot winds are not unusual, and there is nothing wrong with a good dose of overengineering. 

A fast 60rpm rotational speed delivers 360 degrees of awareness, and accurate tracking of up to 100 automatic radar plotting aid (ARPA) targets in real time, even with a vessel at high speed. Precision radar imaging comes courtesy of CHIRP pulse compression and beam-sharpening technology for high-quality target separation and long-range resolution. With Cyclone, you can simultaneously enjoy maximum visibility of near and distant targets, using Raymarine’s RangeFusion technology. RangeFusion merges short-pulse, near-target ranges with long-pulse, distant-target ranges, providing a single radar image that is easier to interpret. ‘Bird Mode’ fishing intelligence identifies distant flocks of seabirds above schools of fish. Bird Mode intelligently optimises radar gain and sea clutter controls for targeting seabirds in detail, giving anglers the intelligence they need to locate the best fishing locations.

Doppler target tracking has been taken to a new level. Able to distinguish between stationary and moving targets, it displays vessels that are moving towards you in red, and those moving away in green, while land mass and stationary vessels/objects are grey. Cyclone’s professional-grade ARPA uses the latest technology developed for the US Coast Guard. ARPA automatically identifies targets within user-defined parameters, or through specific manual selection. Course and speed can then be plotted and displayed, with the ability to provide an alarm if the specified vessel comes within a certain distance, or a specified area. Imagery has been substantially sharpened and ‘proportioned’ insomuch as moving vessels do not present the confusing and slightly oversized signatures that is often the case. 

The middleweight 4-footer still sits low. There is a larger model which has a 6ft array.

The Cyclone is engineered to international commercial standard IEC 62388, meaning it fulfils the requirements of commercial shipping radar. For this, the Cyclone needs to meet the standards required in terms of performance, sensitivity and beam angle, among other things. The Cyclone range offers six high-power solid-state options for long-range and all-weather performance. Two levels of Cyclone performance are available in 3ft, 4ft and 6ft sizes: the Cyclone with 55W/6kW-equivalent magnetron performance, and the Cyclone Pro with 110W/12kW-equivalent magnetron performance. All Cyclone models integrate seamlessly with Raymarine Axiom, Axiom+, Axiom Pro and Axiom XL chartplotter multifunction displays. Retail prices range from £6,495 to £8,995. Cyclone open-array radars are backed by Raymarine’s three-year warranty. 

Contact: www.raymarine.com