Winegard Marine Announces Professional Grade Antenna For Secure Connectivity
Winegard Marine announced May 1 that it has introduced an affordable, easy-to-use and professional grade marine antenna it calls “ideal for use aboard workboats, towboats and coastal commercial fishing vessels.”
The American-made Winegard ConnecT WF-200M antenna combines a long-range, high-performance Wi-Fi signal extender with built-in nationwide 4G LTE cellular. It accesses and boosts available shore-side Wi-Fi signals for improved Wi-Fi access, signal strength and reliability. When on the move or out of range of Wi-Fi, a simple click allows the ConnecT WF-200M to keep boaters connected using Winegard’s nationwide 4G LTE coverage.
“Hard-working professional mariners can enjoy the benefits of uninterrupted coverage as they surf the web, stream entertainment and stay connected with friends and family,” the company said in a press release. “The ConnecT WF-200M’s advanced cellular capabilities make it a great solution for workboats and towboats that operate in inland waterways. For vessel owner/operators, this technology is an easy and practical way to enhance crew morale and retention at far less cost than VSAT or satellite communications.”
The antenna is designed and manufactured in Winegard’s Burlington, Iowa, facility to meet the performance and durability needs of serious mariners. It utilizes Power over Ethernet and offers streamlined installation/setup with a single Ethernet cable.
Winegard’s dome design has been rigorously tested to withstand the harsh marine environment. To accommodate a variety of vessel types and styles, the WF-200M includes a mounting pedestal that allows for level installation on flat to 30-degree slopes; it can also be mounted using any 1-inch, 14-thread extension pole. At 10.3 inches in diameter and weighing only 3 pounds, it is an ideal addition to many types of vessels.
Three high-gain, marine-grade antennas capture even weak Wi-Fi signals and amplify them for compatible onboard electronics and mobile devices. Two additional marine-grade, multi-band, omnidirectional, 4G LTE antennas provide a boosted cellular signal when a boat is on the move or out of Wi-Fi range.
The WF-200M comes with Winegard’s “pay-as-you-go” ConnecT 4G LTE data program—no annual contracts, activation fees or monthly bills. To accommodate a range of needs and boating lifestyles, Winegard offers a range of affordable, pre-loaded data plans ranging from 1GB to 20GB. Towboaters can choose the pre-paid monthly data plan that makes sense for them using a credit card on the Winegard ConnecT WF-200M website.
The Winegard ConnecT WF-200M retails for $479 and is available through a network of authorized Winegard Marine dealers.
For 60 years, Winegard Company has proudly manufactured advanced antennas, communications and connectivity solutions at its Burlington factory. Winegard Company technology played a part in Apollo 11’s first manned mission to the moon.
Its array of product offerings includes VSAT and wireless antennas for home, recreational vehicle, commercial trucking and marine use, satellite and broadcast HDTV antennas, Wi-Fi and 4G/LTE cellular extenders, and other connectivity technologies.
