Marine radar system domeWhen you go boating, whether for fun, little trips or serious excursions, it's helpful to have radar capabilities that you can rely on.

While the market is literally flooded with new radar gadgets, few of them can match the high quality units made by Garmin.

Let's face it, Garmin is pretty much known as a pioneer in GPS and radar technology these days; as they have been for years.

It's no wonder, then, that so many people are using the Garmin GMR 18 HD Marine Radar System as their on board navigational tool of choice.

With this Marine Radar Dome being one of the best selling radars on the market today, we couldn't help to be a bit curious about it.

Sure, it's a Garmin and is loaded with the best radar technology, but we wanted to get to the heart of the matter, and find out if this really is the best radar for people who take their boating navigation seriously.

So we dug dove in headfirst to research this model. Now, we've put all our research together for you here in this Garmin GMR 18 HD Marine Radar System Review.

Range & Capabilities

When you purchase a nautical radar, you need good range. After all, you don't boat a few meters at a time, so you need a radar that has a far-reaching range to tell you where you going, and what to expect when you get there.

The Garmin GMR 18 HD Marine Radar Dome has a whopping 36 nautical mile range. And while that's not the same type of rang you'd get on a military ship, it is much further than most off-the-shelf radar units are capable of providing.

When you factor in the antenna's 5.0 degree beamwidth, to penetrate stormy, cloudy conditions, and you've got one of the most powerful, far reaching radar units currently available to the general public.

Sharper Radar Imaging

Another thing that the 36 nautical mile range of the Marine Radar System provides is a crystal clear focus of the surrounding waters.

This radar uses a 4 kilowatt high powered digital signal that provides the ultimate in clarity. Now, you'll have to bear in mind that it will depend on what type of GPS unit and/or chartplotter that you use in conjunction with this unit, as to what types of images you can expect to see.

Obviously, a chartplotter with a larger screen, and better definition will provide you with the ultimate view, but you'll have to determine which type of unit you are going to use for yourself.

We would recommend that you consider a Garmin chartplotter, as their higher-end models have the most useful features and work with this radar unit seamlessly. Of course, there are more than a few Garmin chartplotters on the market these days, so you should shop around to find the model that will work best on your boat.

Just remember that the Garmin GMR 18 HD Marine Radar Dome will make the most of whatever chartplotter you uses, as its high definition, digital rendering provides the most accurate view of the waters where you will be boating.

Traffic Monitoring

The only thing worse than facing a lot of traffic on your way to a boating trip, is dealing with a lot of traffic on the water. Luckily, this great piece of electrical equipment is made with some pretty slick technology to help you anticipate water traffic and navigate around other boats.

With built-in MARPA technology, the Garmin GMR 18 HD Marine Radar can track the speed, course and approach of up to 10 targets. That means that you can at least anticipate the boat traffic in your vicinity while you're out on the water.

Easy to Set Up

This Marine Radar System is advertised as being a plug-n-play radar. That basically means that you're getting all the best of the Garmin network, so you don't have to do any complicated set up to get this radar up and running.

Basically, the plug-n-play technology allows you to easily add the Garmin GMR 18 HD Marine Radar System to your existing marine navigational system, so that you can expand and customize at will.

What's in the Box?

  • GMR 18 HD Radar Unit
     
  • Mounting hardware kit that includes everything you need to get this radar installed on your boat.
     
  • Power cable
     
  •  Network cable
     
  • Detailed installation instructions

Details & Specifications

  1. Dimensions, WxHxD: 18" diameter, 8.9" high (45.7 cm diameter, 22.6 cm high)
  2. Weighs in at just 15.8 lb (7.2 kg)
  3. Completely Waterproof
  4. Antenna sweep: 24/30 rpm with dual rotation
  5. Transmit power is 4 kW
  6. Power input levels – 10.5-35 V DC, 33.5 W
  7. Beam widths of 5.0° horizontal, 25° vertical
  8. Maximum range of 36 nautical miles
  9. Minimum range of 20 meters
  10. RoHS version available

Garmin GMR 18 HD Marine Radar System Features

  • Compatible with the Garmin Marine Network
  • MARPA target tracking helps you to avoid collisions and anticipate water traffic (requires heading sensor; sold separately)
  • Features Guard Zone Alarm
  • High definition (outstanding target separation with less screen clutter on your chartplotter)
  • Redesign connector with removable collar for easy set up.

It's plain to see that Garmin really put a lot of their best technology and engineering into the Garmin GMR 18 HD Marine Radar Navigational System.

While it isn't exactly a cheap piece of navigational equipment, you know that you get precisely what you pay for when you purchase this radar. It offers you the full use of the cutting edge Garmin Marine Network, which is designed to give you the best, most up to date positioning information available on the water.

Garmin GMR 18 HD Marine Radar System Custom Reviews'?

Now that we've looked at the features, details and specs, and talked about a few of the key features, let's get down to the brass tacks of what people really think about this radar unit.

After doing a lot of research and hunting down multiple reviews from real life customers, who have purchased and actually used the Garmin GMR 18 HD, we found this unit to be one of the highest scoring boat radars currently for sale.

Nearly every customer who reviewed this Marine Radar System gave it perfect scores. And we even found lots of customer reviews where the reviewers called this the best navigational radar they have ever used.

Garmin GMR 18 HD Marine Radar system Review Conclusion

If you're looking to expand your on-board navigational set up, the Garmin GMR 18 HD Marine Radar System is the ideal way to get fully-functional, far-reaching radar.

Since you can even use it to overlay the GPS images from the best marine chartplotters, you'll have all the navigational capabilities you need to make every boating trip as successful, and stress-free as possible.

We've checked out quite a few radars in this price range, and have found that the Garmin GMR 18 HD consistently offers more features and better functionality than nearly all of them.

We all know that Garmin is a name you can trust, in regard to reliable navigation technology, and the Garmin GMR 18 HD Marine Radar System is a perfect example of why people consistently choose Garmin navigational gear for their boats.

To see customer reviews, check pricing or to buy click here.

marine radar system review