Radar Pole versus mast mount
- Thread starter harstonwood
- Start date
Chris_Robb
Well-Known Member
See PVB response - got there first - good job too as I had no idea for the technical reason!
ghostlymoron
Well-Known Member
Looks better from further off - didn't mean to be rude.
john_morris_uk
Well-Known Member
Hmm - I get the idea, except I still think that the limited range of a lower radar is too big a price to pay. We get some clutter - but only when its really rough and even then its only out to a few hundred metres and who cares about those distances? If something gets in close without being spotted first it still shows up when the clutter is turned down.
For my money lowering the radome and putting up with reduced range to 'reduce the clutter' is all wrong.
pvb
Well-Known Member
Do you realise how little difference it makes? Maybe 10 miles range with a pole mount, versus maybe 12 miles with a mast mount.
Chris_Robb
Well-Known Member
Our set dates from 91. The clutter is quite extensive in a bad sea, even twiddling the knobs. I have used the same set on another boat - pole mounted, and there was far less clutter. So not sure whether new sets are much better. Reducing clutter obliterates small targets.......
harstonwood
Well-Known Member
Yep i had same thoughts, but looking at detail most weight is take by the deck or chain plate.
The one I am looking at is stainless steel tube
http://www.questusmarine.com/welcome-13.html
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Ex-SolentBoy
Well-Known Member
The Scanstrut one doesnt really load the backstay very much at all.
The forces at the bottom end are big though and need a substantial mounting like this.
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harstonwood
Well-Known Member
Nice job
Will look at the scanstrut offering
Thanks for all the photsos today....very useful
Will look at the scanstrut offering
Thanks for all the photsos today....very useful
Boathook
Well-Known Member
Not the best of pictures but not to many holes as the trunking had the sticky strip on the back. The paint has now faded and matches the mast better IMHO.
prv
Well-Known Member
It wasn't so much the static weight as the way the thing was swinging around from side to side and fore and aft. Exacerbated on that particular boat by a rather slack backstay - perhaps it wouldn't be a problem with a properly set up rig.
Pete
Adrian_
N/A
You need to consider wether you're going to install (or already have) a fixed satphone antenna).
The radiation beam of the radar will interfere with the satphone antenna, so you need to have the satphone antenna higher then the radar dome and at a safe distance to it as well.
Satphone antenna on the mast and radar dome on a pole would be a good setup.
The radiation beam of the radar will interfere with the satphone antenna, so you need to have the satphone antenna higher then the radar dome and at a safe distance to it as well.
Satphone antenna on the mast and radar dome on a pole would be a good setup.
Boo2
Well-Known Member
If you are going to have a mast mounted radar, is it better to mount it on the spreaders to the side or on a bracket at the front ? If there is a baby stay close in front does that affect the radar at all ?
Boo2
Boo2
john_morris_uk
Well-Known Member
Yes I do know - except I can see ships out to 15 or 20 miles (not that I am interested in ships 20 miles away and its not that reliable at that range.)
I've already got a wind generator on a pole on the back of the boat and as the Radar doesn't snag anything I think I'll leave it where it is.
We don't get much clutter from the sea as I said before.
Malcb
Well-Known Member
As I have a 23 foot boat, I didn't want any extra weight up the mast, so I went for a Scanstrut backsaty maount with the self levelling mount. This gives very little sea clutter. Thae weight is mainly taken through the chain plate as photos show.
pvb
Well-Known Member
Presumably your wish to avoid extra weight up the mast was for stability reasons. But you'll most likely have ended up with even worse stability with your current arrangement.
ghostlymoron
Well-Known Member
I've just done a quick review of boats on Boatshed and the majority seem to have the radome on the mast.
johnalison
Well-Known Member
I think there are national differences here. My impression has been that German, Dutch and other Northern sailors have largely opted for aft-mounted radars and a liking for mast mount is beginning to look old-fashioned and peculiarly British.
Scarboroughsloop
Well-Known Member
Mine is currently on the mast, but if I was fitting it I would use a pole aft on a self levelling fitting due to less weight aft, reduced sea clutter with minimal loss of distance, ease of washing the scanner and also maintenance.