Radar mast mounting positions?

[GS46]

Looking for help in deciding the best position to mount a radar antenna on the mast
of a 46'' cutter being built.
I think I would like to mount it just above the first set of spreaders forward facing, it is a three spreader rig.
The builder wants to mount it sideways at the
first spreader level but I don''t agree and it will leave a large shadow from the mast in
this position and is not eye pleasing at all.
Any thought or experience would be welcome.

[Constantin]

Our radar randome is up about 40 feet from the deck, mounted facing forward. We seem to have good coverage in all directions, though it would be hard to tell, seeing that the potential "dead" spot is always behind us.

Mounting the unit this high gives us excellent long-range to the detriment of nearby object resolution. I''d think a bit about how you plan to use the radar (on ocean or close to land) before deciding how high to mount it.

According to one article I read <a href=http://www.sailnet.com/collections/articles/index.cfm?articleid=sexton022>here</a>, coverage decends on average at a rate of 10-15 degrees from the horizontal plane in the randome. This is why people have started mounting radar units on arches behind the helm - to improve short range performance to the detriment of long-range performance. How you feel about Microwave exposure may also influence your choice.

In our case, with a randome about 45 feet off the water, we can resolve things at a distance of 250 feet and above. Anything closer shouldn''t show up unless it is tall and/or has a radar reflector. It helps that catamarans usually sail level and hence do not require gimbal systems.

[gnorbury]

Sideways? Never seen anything like that before!

You might want to consider whether you want the radar mounted above or below the top of the inner forestay as it could affect how easily the sail will slip by during a tack.

Graham