Hemisphere GPS Announces New Vector™ GPS Compass Products

LONDON, England, March 13, 2012 /CNW/ - (TSX: HEM) From the Oceanology International exhibition and conference in London, Hemisphere GPS announces today the Vector V103™ GPS compass and Vector V113™ GPS compass designed for professional, commercial marine, and machine control applications.

Powered by Hemisphere GPS' proven Crescent^® Vector II technology, the new Vector V103 and V113 provide precise heading and positioning performance including heave, pitch, and roll with the option of either NMEA 0183 or NMEA 2000^® communications. The all new rugged enclosure gives these Vector models the advantage of working reliably in such harsh environments as side-scan survey, multi and single beam surveys, dredging, general navigation, and machine control applications—including agriculture, heavy construction, mining, cranes, seismic drills, and auger rigs where accurate heading and positioning are essential. They are also ideal for harbor pilots and tug boat operators. Vector V103 and V113 versatility in providing heading, position, depth, and motion make them directly compatible with the most popular hydrographic and side-scan survey packages and easily connected to chart plotters.

The Vector V103 and V113 rugged smart antennas combine Hemisphere GPS' Crescent Vector II OEM module and two superior multipath and noise rejecting antennas (spaced 50 cm apart) into a single enclosure that requires only a power/data cable connection. This allows for fast and reliable installations, even in the presence of strong radio transmissions. These Vector models deliver 0.3 degree heading accuracy along with sub-meter DGPS positioning accuracy, providing class-leading accuracy for all-in-one GPS compasses.

"The Vector V103 and V113 GPS compasses represent significant enhancements to our industry leading models they replace, providing even greater performance, improved reliability and excellent value," says Phil Gabriel, VP and General Manager, Precision Products, for Hemisphere GPS. "Both marine and land-based users now have an even higher performing all-in-one Vector for their professional needs."

The Vector V113 includes all the features of the V103 and adds the capability of receiving differentially corrected data from land-based beacon stations. Both models also support differential corrections from Space Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) such as the U.S. Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), the European GPS Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS), and Japan's Satellite Augmentation System (MSAS) that enables it to compute sub-meter positioning. Simply plug either Vector into a NMEA 2000 network for plug and play operation, or the NMEA 0183 interface for IMO type approved True Heading Device applications. Ease of installation and no maintenance or servicing are two features that highlight the simplicity of these new Vector models.

Vector V103 and V113 is featured in the Hemisphere GPS Booth I500 at the Oceanology International exhibition and conference in London, England, March 13^th - 15^th. These new models will be available soon through the Hemisphere GPS Precision Products global dealer network. For more information about Hemisphere GPS' Precision Products and its complete Vector line, please visit or www.hemispheregps.com/precision.

Hemisphere GPS
Hemisphere GPS designs and manufactures innovative, cost-effective GPS (GNSS) products for positioning, guidance, and machine control applications in agriculture, marine, construction, and other markets. The Company holds numerous patents and other intellectual property and owns several leading brand names, including Outback Guidance^®, a leading brand in precision GPS for agriculture. The Company is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, with major product development, sales, and marketing facilities in Arizona, Kansas, and Australia. Hemisphere GPS is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) trading under the symbol "HEM" and is one of the TSX Cleantech designated companies. For more information about Hemisphere GPS, please go to www.hemispheregps.com. 

Phil Gabriel
Vice President and General Manager, Precision Products
Hemisphere GPS
Phone: [phone]
E-mail : [email protected]
www.hemispheregps.com

Cory Pala
Investor Relations
E.vestor Communications Inc.
416-657-2400
[email protected]