Radar radiation

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Bob_G

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Does anyone know.. there's me on the flybridge minding my own business, studying my sceen, seemingly right in the line of my 4 foot open scanner perched up on the radar arch- is this a problem??. Somebody said it was like putting your head in the microwave which although at a lower dose; would have a similar effect over time. I mean, if I tied a chicken to it, how long before done?!

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Don't wish to worry you too much, but, On a recent RYA radar course our instuctor pointed out that the two parts of the body most vulnerable to Radiation emissions from small boat arrays are the eyeballs and the low balls. If you lose the later you can always sell your mobo and become a "Raggie" you don't need balls to be one of them.

<hr width=100% size=1>"Open Another Bottle"
 
There was a detailed thread on this couple of years ago. Inconclusive. Some facts and anecdotes that came out of it were:

1. Some installers refuse to fit radar screens on flybridges with low arches - ours did, on a phantom 42
2. Someone was mending a radar on his workbench, it wasn't rotating. He got a very sunburned stomach.
3. Micrwaves are 600w output. Your radar will be rated 4kw praps, but that is peak not RMS. The actual consumption of the unit is perhaps 80W, much of which is the rotation motor, so the actual RMS microwave output is maybe 30W?
4. If your gonads or head subtend a horizontal angle of say 30deg (girls: form an orderly queue please, tee hee) when you are in the helm position, plus the full radar vertical angle, you are therefore exposed to RMS radiation of about 30/360 x 30W = 3W. No offence re your manhood, but those are conservative assumptions.

Medically, I have no idea whether 3W is a lot or a little. your VHF aerials can transmit 25W and no-one worries about that. Perhaps put tinfoil down your trousers just in case?

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Some comments here <A target="_blank" HREF=http://my.boatus.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=44279&PN=1>http://my.boatus.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=44279&PN=1</A> from one of our US cousins boards that should reassure you unless - you are permenantly sitting in front of a working 4ft array....................

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Heres a bit of techy stuff about the JRC 1500 radar to reassure you:

"The radar puts out 2.2 kilowatts peak during the ~1 microsecond pulse. However the duty cycle is about 0.1%(the unit is off for ~1 millisecond). That translates to about 2.2 watts average. Also as the antenna rotates, it is only looking at a given spot about 1% of the time, making the real average power .02w in any given direction.

That cell phone we keep in our ears all the time puts out .6w of the same kind of microwave energy. "

The similar frquency but much higher power nav radar on a big ship was considered to be more of a danger by physically knocking you over, than from the emissions. However modern weapon radars are a very different problem, and sitting in front of one of those would certainly be detrimental to your health.


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Thanks for that- looks like it boils down to the same problem we have with mobiles which is that no one really knows and only time will tell.

My boat is a Phantom 40 (identical to the 42) and I have also heard that some installers have refused instalation. Reckon I will still only use it downstairs, which sadly severely reduces its usefulness and stops me playing with it in good weather and learning (cos like most people hate being downstairs). Many thanks for your help.

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Re: Low radar arches

<< Some installers refuse to fit radar screens on flybridges with low arches >>

I could never understand the fashion for those stupid raked mini arches. "Somebody" must think they look greatbecause I think they are ridiculous. At a normal running trim angle with what I assume is then a level radar beam they appear to hardly clear the windscreen let alone the driver's (eye)balls. Also it can't be easy to service then damn thing or put up burgees as they are cantilevered out over the cockpit. Do people keep ladders aboard? We would need to, as I always promised myself to get a stainless steel arch to lift the radar up if we ever "had" to buy a boat with a low arch.

Am I missing something?

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Hmm. The phantom 40/42 isn't great in this department. We looked at fitting a <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.scanstrut.co.uk>http://www.scanstrut.co.uk</A> but gave up because they still do not give enough height to clear your head and also the arch is yoghurt pot construction so not sensible to fit a meatal tower with a heavy open scanner above. So we never got a radar screen up top.

I agree what you say, would be nice to have. We missed it, especially on night work in the med where it is so warm you want to be outside. The Ratheon radars (at least our old one, can't remeber, was it R41XX?) had a time dealy facility which means the scanner rotates but it only emits radar every 3rd or 4 th rev so you get a less frequently updated image, but less wattage emission.

On the new boat the radar is on a tall tower, way above head. This is one reason we chose this model over competition from sunseeekr and princess

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Re: Low radar arches

Agree it's crazy, purely style over sense. It's only the bigger Squadrons (in Fairline's case) where a ship like radar arch is used.

I wonder if this is another asbestosis brewing when it is discovered that Radars are dangerous!

BG

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