Education Day Once Again

The Annual NMEA Convention at San Diego, California once again features an Education Day on Wednesday, October 1. Education Day consists of several seminars on a range of topics that you are sure to find useful whether you are a basic MEI or you own the Dealership. These seminars are designed to increase your knowledge of marine electronics and the marine electronics market. And best of all, they’re FREE! – all that is required is advanced registration to ensure that enough space is provided for all that attend. The seminars include:

Wayne Outlaw
Sales Catapult™: Elements that Propel Sales to New Heights

Selling has never been more challenging. Today's information clutter, digital capabilities and challenging business environment have extended the sales cycles and sales have slowed. The result is reduced sales, price discounting, margin erosion, and lower revenue.

It is imperative for organizations, including today’s marine electronics dealer, to find ways to streamline the sales process, shorten sales cycles, and increase close rates. Today organizations can’t use traditional approaches but must bring all the weight of their resources to getting and keeping customers. The Sales Catapult™ combines elements of vision, staff, skills, leadership and most importantly, a better understanding of how to use your product or services to provide overwhelming value for the customer.

You'll learn innovative techniques which combine relationship building, digital communication, and a consultive selling approach. Sales Catapult™ shows how to uncover specific needs and communicate compelling results; providing the value necessary to motivate positive action on your sales offer. It will show how you can overcome the real competitors for corporate and personal resources beyond traditional competition.

Transducer Installation and Technology

Back by popular demand, Airmar will be holding a seminar on Transducer Technology Wednesday, October 1st from 1:00-2:30pm and 3:00-4:30pm. These presentations will focus on all types of cutting-edge transducers and how they greatly improve the performance of today's fish finders and instruments. Installers, technicians, and sales people are urged to ask questions and will all benefit by attending. This seminar summarizes the transducers now available and provides guidance on choosing and installing the right transducer for the right application. Learn about the latest in transducer technologies, including what Broadband technology is and how Broadband technology will enable new fish-finders to provide performance and capabilities beyond what current technology can do. In addition to the advantages of High Performance transducers, the seminar will address capabilities specific to Airmar products, including what Transducer ID™ is and how it will be of value to both OEM's and Dealers. Also discussed are the new line of Smart™ Sensors - NMEA 0183™ and NMEA 2000® depth/speed/temperature transducers that interface directly to multiple displays.

NMEA Installation Standards Meeting

Ever wonder how the Installation Standards were developed? Have some suggestions on new material or updates and revisions to incorporate? NMEA creates its technical documentation, such as the Installation Standards, by networking its membership to find expertise within the desired technical categories. Great lengths are taken to ensure that the networked membership comprises a geographical cross section. It is only through active participation by many members that NMEA is able to assure technical and editorial accuracy. The Installation Standards meeting is your opportunity to participate in this very important aspect of NMEA membership.

Basic MEI Seminar

This seminar is an introductory course in marine electronics installation which clarifies and defines competent installation practices. Topics include ground systems, electrical systems, equipment installation and data communications. An MEI certificate is an indication of a working knowledge of NMEA’s Installation Standard. An examination at the end of the day allows the Advanced MEI to demonstrate their proficiency in the materials covered. A Marine Electronics Installer has demonstrated this proficiency by passing an examination designed to measure understanding of those principles. As part of the registration, you receive a copy of the NMEA Installation Standard. Be sure to sign-up early to allow sufficient time to receive the study guide and review the required materials before attending the seminar.

Advanced MEI Seminar

This seminar is focused on advanced topics from the NMEA Installation Standards, and is intended for the Marine Electronics Installers to go beyond the basics. Topics include Computers, Networking, VHF and SSB Installation, Antenna Arrangement and Installation, Electromagnetic Interference, and Automatic Identification Systems. The Advanced MEI certificate is an indication that a mid-level technician has a working knowledge as to commissioning of a boat and troubleshooting marine electronic devices under supervision of a Certified Marine Electronics Technician. An examination at the end of the day allows the Advanced MEI to demonstrate their proficiency in the materials covered. You will have had to be a MEI before taking this class. Be sure to sign-up early to allow sufficient time to receive the study guide and review the required materials before attending the seminar.

NMEA 2000® Seminar

The NMEA 2000 Network Course provides in-depth knowledge of NMEA 2000 beyond the information presented in either the Installation Standard or the MEI and Advanced MEI Training. Topics include: Essential elements of NMEA 2000, network planning, installation practices and implementation, and troubleshooting techniques. You will take from this class the near-term and long-term benefits of NMEA 2000 certified equipment, accepted installation practices for NMEA 2000 backbone cable and products, including selection of cable, power application points, and alternatives that make it work best. You will also have sufficient working knowledge of NMEA 2000 so you can successfully troubleshoot problems when they arise and correctly identify/repair/replace the faulty device(s) or network cabling problems. This is not intended to teach programming nor to be training for manufacturing developers. Be sure to sign-up early to allow sufficient time to receive the study guide and review the required materials before attending the seminar.

Mini ConnectFest
(This will be held in the Exhibit Hall during the convention)

A ConnectFest is an opportunity to see NMEA 2000 “live” where navigation and control networking can be seen in action. A single NMEA 2000® backbone, built inside the exhibition hall using standard cable and connectors will be set-up and connected to a diverse and disparate group marine products all communicating, using the same language. Connected products may include Engine Controls, Displays and Gauges, Navigation Equipment, Power Distribution, Diagnostic Tools, and More. Manufacturers will be available periodically throughout the day to answer questions regarding demonstrated equipment operation and features.

USCG/FCC/GMDSS Task Force

NMEA 0183 Standards Meeting

NMEA has released the newest version of NMEA 0183. This is the first upgrade since 2002. The new version of NMEA 0183 is now 4.0. Come and see the new NMEA 0183 Sentences and some of the new methods of sentence structures. NMEA 0183 is still a very viable communication standard. NMEA will be recruiting volunteers to continue to participate on the Standards Committee and review and approve new NMEA 0183 sentences when new technologies appear on the marketplace.