I installed a full Simrad NSS12 suite (including 'broadband radar') a few years ago on my last boat, after decades of using Raymarine. Two stations, dual displays at each station. There are certainly fans of both systems; I can only relate my own personal experiences. The Simrad system was, by far, the most unreliable, troublesome electronics system I've ever used.
The displays would periodically and unpredictably lock up. The display would freeze, and stop showing either radar readings or GPS position. It would take a reboot to restart the system. This happened on a regular basis, approximately once per hour. Sometimes it would go 2-3 hours without freezing up, other times it would freeze up a few times per hour. Each reboot took several minutes, which was inconvenient at best, and hazardous at worst depending on when and where it chose to stop functioning.
The 'broadband radar' would either show numerous ghosts and false images, or with the gain turned down to minimize false reflections, then would be blind to obvious targets within visual range. I could never find the right combination of settings that would show targets without numerous ghosts and false readings.
I was constantly on the phone with Simrad and the dealer who installed the system. Over the course of about a year, the software was updated 4 times, and various pieces of the hardware replaced 3 times (radar emitter, displays, other components, etc.). None of that effected any improvement whatsoever with the problems I was having.
After about a year, Simrad gave up on me. They said there was nothing more they could do, and stopped returning my calls and emails. I was stuck with a nearly $40,000 electronics system that was largely useless.
I'm sure other people have had wonderful experiences with Simrad, but I will never own their equipment again after my own personal experience.
