The National Marine Electronics Association has announced that the 2013 NMEA International Marine Electronics Conference & Expo will be held September 25–28 in San Diego, California, at the Sheraton Hotel and Marina. The event follows a highly successful NMEA International Marine Electronics Conference & Expo in Orlando last fall.
 
“Our upcoming NMEA Conference & Expo in San Diego will be the first in many years held adjacent to a large marina,” said Bruce Angus, executive director of the NMEA. “We haven’t held the event in San Diego since 2008. That, combined with this great setting, makes us believe we will see very strong participation.”

Last year’s NMEA Conference & Expo, Angus pointed out, was completely reorganized to provide more educational and business opportunities for attending dealers and participating manufacturers. The industry responded with record attendance—up 15 percent—and record participation in the comprehensive technical and business vocational training classes, as well as in the manufacturers’ training. The NMEA Conference & Expo is the largest event in the world dedicated to the marine electronics trade.

“Attendees were very pleased with the new format of the NMEA Conference & Expo in 2012,” said Angus. “The atmosphere was very positive with a ramped-up energy level for the entire event, and we expect that 2013 will be even better.”

“We’re changed everything about the Conference to make certain that the dealers and technical members are able to participate in the training and educational experience that they want and need,” said Brad Good, chairman of the Convention Committee.

The 2013 NMEA International Marine Electronics Conference & Expo is expected to attract more than 500 dealers, technicians, distributors, manufacturers, and other stakeholders in marine electronics who design, build, install, and service marine electronics on recreational and commercial vessels.

In 2013, the NMEA Conference will provide 15 classes in three tracks. Each class will be available twice over three days.

The preliminary line-up of educational tracks at the 2013 Conference includes:

(1)    Technology Track
Digital/broadband Radar
Antenna Placement
Regulations and Inspections
CHIRP Sonar
Internet of Things

(2)    Design Track
EMI Challenges
Thermal Planning
Systems Project Management
USCG update
ABYC Certifications Overview

(3)    Business Track
Internet Marketing
New Marine Electronics Journal Website and Blog
Project Management
Pricing Elasticity
Credit Card and Inventory Efficiency

Saturday, September 28, is dedicated to manufacturer product training seminars. Up to 16 manufacturers will each have two- hour sessions to provide technical knowledge to prepare dealers for the upcoming season. The sessions are arranged to run four at a time, so attendees will need to plan ahead and make choices.

“The NMEA 2013 International Marine Electronics Conference & Expo will showcase the best in marine electronics in an 11,000 sq. ft. exhibit area. Many manufacturers will use the expo to unveil, for the first time, their new products for the upcoming year,” Angus said.

“The exhibits will combine both NMEA and RTCM member booths and will be open in the afternoons after the education tracks are complete on Wednesday through Friday of the conference week.” Angus said. “Our expo provides a great opportunity for technical members and manufacturer members to interact in a focused way that is not possible at consumer shows or other marine industry events.”

The 2013 NMEA International Marine Electronics Conference & Expo will be held in the same week and at the same location as the RTCM Conference. RTCM (Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services) establishes marine electronics performance standards for communications and navigation equipment. The NMEA and RTCM conferences require separate registration, but there is a discount for RTCM registrants who also wish to register for the NMEA events. People may register for either or both events. Further information about RTCM is at www.RTCM.org.

A valuable aspect of attending the NMEA conference is the opportunity to network with the leaders in the industry, face-to-face. Social events include a welcoming booster reception on Wednesday evening, the association’s annual business meeting on Thursday, and Friday night with cocktails, dinner, awards ceremony, and comedy entertainment.

Complete details and registration packets have been sent to all NMEA members, and registration and confirmation information is online at www.NMEA.org.