Simrad NSS9 evo3S 9" Combo Bundle with HALO20+ Pulse Radar

This bundle pairs the 9-inch NSS9 evo3S chartplotter with the HALO20+ pulse-compression radar dome as a two-piece Simrad helm package. The NSS evo3S is the powerboat-focused chartplotter in the current Simrad lineup, sitting alongside the older NSS evo3 it replaces. The headline upgrade in the evo3S generation is the iMX8 processor, which Simrad rates at 2x faster page loading compared to the evo3, and you notice it most when you're swiping between 3D chart views, navigation perspective, and split-screen layouts. The 9-inch SolarMAX HD IPS display reads in direct sun even through polarized sunglasses and holds color from off-angle viewing positions.

The chartplotter has built-in 1kW CHIRP sonar with dual transducer ports for connecting multiple transducers to the same display. That's a meaningful difference from chartplotters with a single transducer port: you can run an Active Imaging transom-mount transducer for SideScan and DownScan on one port while a high-power CHIRP transducer covers deep-water bottom-finding on the other, both displayed at the same time on the screen. The bundle doesn't include a transducer, and you spec the transducer based on how you fish. For inshore work the Active Imaging 3-in-1 is the typical pairing. For offshore deep-drop the 1kW CHIRP thru-hull or pocket-mount transducers are the right answer.

The HALO20+ radar dome in the bundle is the 20-inch pulse-compression Doppler radar from the modern HALO family. Pulse compression is the technology that lets the dome detect at long range (up to 36 nautical miles displayed on the chartplotter as 48 nm) and at very short range (down to 20 feet) without any of the magnetron tradeoffs an older radar would make. Beam sharpening sharpens target returns digitally so small targets like crab pots, kayaks, and distant whitecaps show up cleanly against background clutter. Dual Range lets you display two range scales simultaneously from the single antenna, which for an offshore cruiser means watching the close-in collision picture and the distant weather cell at the same time without flipping between them.

VelocityTrack Doppler is the headline operational feature on the HALO20+ for cruising and racing safety. Approaching targets paint red on the chartplotter, receding targets paint green, stationary targets stay in standard radar colors. The visual cue is instant: a single glance at the radar page tells you which boats are closing on you and which are running away, without manual target acquisition. Combined with the 60 RPM ultra-fast rotation at ranges up to 1.5 nautical miles, the HALO20+ delivers a near-real-time picture of the close-in traffic environment that traditional 24 RPM dome radars can't match. For shipping lanes, busy harbor entries, and crowded coastal water, the fast scan plus Doppler coloring is the safety upgrade most operators notice first.

Connectivity is where the Simrad ecosystem pays off. The NSS9 evo3S networks with the Simrad lineup over NMEA 2000: wind, depth, speed-through-water, autopilot, AIS, VHF radios, and digital switching. ForwardScan sonar is supported through the Marine Network for cruisers who want forward-looking depth in shallow-water approach. Built-in Wi-Fi pulls software updates and pairs with the Simrad app for waypoint sync, route planning, and screen mirroring to a smartphone or tablet. Compatible IP cameras can be integrated for day and night situational awareness, with the camera feed showing as a window on the chartplotter. The bundle ships with the chartplotter, the HALO20+ dome, and the necessary cabling to connect them. Mounting hardware and any additional NMEA 2000 cabling for instruments are part of the install but not specific to the bundle itself.

One last thing worth knowing about the NSS9 evo3S size choice. The 9-inch chartplotter is the right balance for most center console and walkaround boats in the 25-to-40-foot range where the helm has limited room for a glass dash. The 12-inch NSS12 evo3S is the step up for bigger boats with more helm real estate. The 9-inch unit handles all the same software features as the 12-inch, so you don't lose functionality by going smaller. The trade-off is screen real estate when running multiple split-screen views, which on the 9-inch unit can feel cramped if you're running radar plus sonar plus chart at the same time. For mostly single-view or 50/50 split operation, the 9-inch unit is plenty.