Marine Electronics Course

Learn about the entire marine electronics system online.

Learn how to fully understand marine electronics system, how data is sourced, converted, interpreted and shared via the intricate networks found on modern boats & yachts. This detailed study will help anyone how to diagnose, survey, design, and instal highly complex marine electronics systems in line with the relevant regulations.


Industry recognised Marine Electronics training course covering everything you need to know about the marine electronics systems and interfacing complex systems via data networks. Achieve your full Marine Electronics Technician certification (MET 3) in as little as 5 days.

  • Self Paced fully online. Learn whenever suits you
  • Full instructor support. If you get stuck, simply ask
  • Lifetime access. There is no rush, take your time
  • Pre-course requirements: Level 1 & 2
  • Recommended study time: 2 days
  • Certification (personal use): Course completion
  • Certification (professional use): MET 3 Certificate
  • Availability: Standalone upgrade from Level 2 or packaged with the Full MET 3 Masterclass




Aligned with: NMEA 0400, ABYC E11 / E13 - BS EN ISO 13297 - IEC 60029 (507) - AS/NZS 3004.2

We can help you learn everything there is to know about marine electronics, NMEA 0183, NMEA 2000, High & Low speed marine data networks, complex Radio systems and much more all online with full support and industry aligned certification upon completion.

Boat and Marine Electronics Training Course

Data Networks


Boat Wiring Course

Engine Gateways

Learn all about Boat Electronics

Radio Systems


NMEA 2000 training course online
Online training course for Boat & Yacht Electronics, NMEA 2000, and Can Bus

Transducers


Learn how to Wire Marine Electronics, Online course.

MFD's and MFI's


Marine Electronics Data Systems learn online

Ethernet



A CLOSER LOOK AT MET 3

Understand how marine electronics work together.

Explore the devices, signals and data networks behind modern onboard systems—and build the knowledge to install, upgrade, maintain and investigate them.

What you’ll learn

Develop a detailed understanding of marine electronics, from the underlying electronic principles to the information shown on a display.

  • Understand the whole system. Learn how electronic devices communicate and how different data protocols interact.
  • Make informed changes. Build knowledge for installing, modifying, upgrading and maintaining onboard electronics.
  • Investigate faults logically. Understand what a system should do, then trace where its behaviour differs.

Systems covered

Follow the information from a sensor, through the network, to the software and displays that make it useful.

  • Marine data networks. NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000; cables, connectors, voltages, pulses and signals; bits, bytes, binary and hexadecimal.
  • Sensors and engine data. How wind, depth, speed, oil pressure, engine temperature and tank levels become data shared between devices from different manufacturers.
  • Marine radio systems. Radio equipment, antenna connections and cabling considerations that can affect performance.

Who it’s for

For learners with a solid grounding in marine electrical systems who want to develop their electronics knowledge.

  • Marine technicians and engineers extending their understanding of connected electronic systems.
  • Skippers and yacht crew building practical knowledge of the equipment they work with.
  • Hands-on boat owners wanting a deeper understanding of their onboard electronics.
Standalone MET 3 requires MET 1 and MET 2. Electrical power distribution, power cabling and circuit protection are covered in those earlier levels.
Starting from the foundations?

The complete MET 3 Master Pro programme includes MET 1, MET 2 and MET 3, taking you from electrical fundamentals into marine electronics.

Explore the full programme  →

What's Included

Data Networks

Even the most basic marine electronics system has some form of data network to enable devices to communicate with each other. During the course you will learn about all the various network protocols in great detail from the basic voltages and pulses to the bits and bytes that make up the data. Old, new, and future planned standards are included such as NMEA 0183 V1, V2, NMEA 2000, Sea Talk, OneNET and more.

Engine Interface

Many marine engines and outboards now have Engine Control Units, making the process of interfacing this data with the vessels data easier. However even basic engines with no electronics can still be rigged up to join the party. During the course you will learn how to display engine parameters from any engine, including onboard tank levels, in fact virtually anything that can be measured can be displayed on a Multi Function Display, tablet, or phone.

Radio Systems

Learn about all the radio systems you could find onboard including VHF, MF, HF, SSB, Radar, AIS, GNSS, Navtex, Satellite, and GSM - in great detail. You will learn about cabling and connector requirements between these devices and their antennas, calculating line losses, and testing signal loss. This is a complex area of marine electronics and requires many more considerations than traditional cabling.

Transducers

Gain a detailed insight into how all the onboard transducers transform one type of energy into an analogue, and then onto a digital NMEA signal. There are a number of various ways information can be gathered, distributed and centralised within a marine electronics system, and during your course you will learn how each system accomplishes its objectives within a myriad protocols dating from the 1980s to the latest cutting edge technology.

Displays

There is a huge choice of Multifunction devices available to display the vessels data - but very few can display every parameter available. Ensuring any devices you buy actually do what you want at the planning stage can save a lot of money and disappointment down the line. During the course you will learn specifically what to look for and how to identify potential compatibility issues at the planning stage, and how to avoid both over and under 'spec' equipment for your needs.

Radar & CCTV

In conjunction with the low speed networks such as NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000 a marine electronics system would not be complete without the high speed network. Devices such as Radar, Sonar, CCTV and night vision require an Ethernet based network, and the MET 3 course covers how the high speed devices can be networked to be robust and reliable in the harsh marine environment. This is an area where providing scope for expandability, and redundancy can save a lot of time and effort down the line.

CAN Bus Technology

Build a thorough understanding as to how each electronic device is interconnected, from the cables, connectors, voltages, pulses, signals, bits, bytes, binary, hex to how the software displays the information. A detailed study of how each parameter is measured and converted to data - such as wind, depth, speed, oil pressure, engine temp, tank levels, and much more, and how electronics devices from different manufactures organise themselves into a polite conversation.

Professional & Recreational

The MECO Marine Electronics course is aimed at anyone who wishes to learn everything there is to know about marine electronics. The course is ideal for anyone working, or training up to working in the marine electrical industry.

However in addition to our professional learners, many of our learners are hands-on boat owners, skippers, or yacht crew who want to fully understand their onboard systems in order to ensure reliability and to enable fault finding and repairs to be conducted at sea.

Universities and Colleges

MECO courses are used extensively in universities, and technical colleges around the world as part go their learners' wider marine engineering training course. If you think your learners could benefit from MECO training please contact us for more information.

Choose a Pricing Option

The MET 1 & 2 package is available at this enrolments page as a discounted add on if you have not yet enrolled in these courses.