Radar 36 or 48 mile?

[skipwiley1]

I'm buying electronics for our boat, and I have a choice between 36 or 48 mile radar, the diff.in price is over $700.oo is it worth getting the more expensive one?....thanks

[rockDAWG]

It really depends on how you use it. How much warning do you need? If I buy it for providing warning system for a sailboat, 36 mile is plenty of warning assuming the tanker is running 25 kn (more than 1 hour).

[skipwiley1]

thats my thoughts, Im installing an ssb and weather fax

[Minnewaska]

I say, get the 36 mile and buy an AIS receiver with the difference.

[GeorgeB]

Of course you know that micro (radar) waves work on the line-of-sight principal therefore range is dependent upon the height of your transmitter/receiver and the height of the target of interest. Are you really comparing the virtues of 4Kw vs. 2Kw transmitters? If so, then understand that the 4Kw unit has a much larger antenna and coupled with the increased power will give you better definition of the targets which is very useful when navigating and you want to “paint” a shoreline. It will also give you better definitions when you are plotting squall and storm tracks. The downside is it is considerably heavier and consumes much more power than the 2Kw units which is a major consideration on a sailboat. The 2Kw unit will do a pretty good job tracking threat targets like other boats. I have the smaller one and it works fine for me. I also have AIS which utilizes my masthead antenna so I get acceptable range and advanced warning when encountering commercial shipping.

[SlowButSteady]

Even a 24 nm range should give you at least 45 minutes or an hour between your first seeing another vessel and when it converges with you own (if it will converge). How much more warning do you need?

[JKCatalina310]

If you are going to mount it on the mast, it might make a difference. However, a radar's range is limited by the curvature of the earth. I may be a little off but a roughly a radar mounted 20 feet above the water has a limit of around 50 miles. So if you plan to mount the radar on the mast it could make a difference but if you plan to mount it on a pole or the back stay it probably won't matter.

From what I have heard, the size of the array, the power output and if it is the new HD or not should be more of a driving factor then range.

Just my uniformed opinion.

JK

[genieskip]

36 or 48 mile range is a theoretical calculation anyway. As others have stated, the height of your antenna is the regulating factor. Weight and power consumption are more important to the sailor than theoretical range. I have a smaller unit that has a 24 mile limit and I have never needed more, and I enjoy the small radome and low power usage. Your main interest is in something five or ten miles away, not a mountain 40 miles away.

[JonEisberg]

Originally Posted by genieskip

36 or 48 mile range is a theoretical calculation anyway. As others have stated, the height of your antenna is the regulating factor. Weight and power consumption are more important to the sailor than theoretical range. I have a smaller unit that has a 24 mile limit and I have never needed more, and I enjoy the small radome and low power usage. Your main interest is in something five or ten miles away, not a mountain 40 miles away.

Agreed, anything more than 24 NM is way overkill for a recreational sailing vessel, it will never paint anything less than a massive thunderstorm, or something like the coast of Norway...

Even a 36 NM range is as useless as a 72 mile open array on the tuna tower of a Hatteras, spinning away on a sunny Florida day...

[travlineasy]

As stated above, anything greater than 24-nm is overkill. However, I would seriously consider purchasing Broadband Radar, which draws very little power, has incredible detail, and gives off NO radiation. Check out Broadband Radar™ | LOWRANCE BR24 and you'll be amazed at how things have progressed.

Gary