and yet another radar question

guglielmo6160 · Post by **guglielmo6160** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:44 am

this stuff just comes to mind,,, so I need to know
if your going to install a radar, where would you guys think would be a better place for the display
flybridge
or lower helm

g36 · Post by **g36** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 8:12 am

i dont have radar but why couldnt you splice into the wiring to the display and put a connector at each helm station you could then move your radar display to the station you wish to steer from at the time? if that doesnt suit your need i did run across this that looked pretty cool it displays the radar through a black box to your laptop pc as a slave display.

The nobletec IR2-BB operates as a fully integrated â€œslaveâ€ to an existing radar display unit. With
an open loop connection to a previously installed radar display, the slave listens to
signals being passed from the transceiver to the radar display. The slave unit digitizes
the Video, Trigger, Shipâ€™s Heading Marker (SHM), and Bearing Pulse (BP) subset of the
signals. The resulting radar data is processed by Nobeltec Navigation Software for
display on the same PC, or shared to other Nobeltec software on other PCs.

http://www.nobeltec.com/Downloads/Docum ... BUSERGUIDE

Stripermann2 · Post by **Stripermann2** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 8:17 am

No experience with splitting the system...install it where you drive from the most. Also, if your boat is anything like an F series, it's a tight squeeze down the channel for the electronics and hydraulics, etc to reach the lower helm.

I would try not to ever cut radar cables...

guglielmo6160 · Post by **guglielmo6160** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 8:34 am

G

I thought about that, however , this type of cable should never be spliced, I would problably have to buy some type of splitter to do that, and , that wouldnt be cost effective
but a good thought

g36 · Post by **g36** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 8:51 am

ok well sorry like i said i dont have radar yet but will be interested in the thread. i figured i would install it on the flybridge where i most often steer from. did the nobletec box look like something that would be of interest?

Mac32 · Post by **Mac32** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 10:14 am

I had mine on the flybridge but am moving it to the lower helm. I found that when I most used it was in bad weather, and the only time I use the lower helm was in bad or cold weather, so it makes sense for me to put it where I used it most. (for me anyway)

Other than the coolness factor of it being on when we are cruising at night I never really needed up top.

What I really would like is for dual heads or some kind of splitter so I could have the option.....this I would pay for.

Just my 2 cents, That is whats great about a boat you could stick it out on the bow pulpit and we would say its just your personal preference

gjrylands · Post by **gjrylands** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 10:32 am

I have an older radar package. It is a Raytheon R21X and has a CRT display unit. I put the display for the radar in the lower station for a few reasons. First, and probably the most important, my display unit is not water proof. I donâ€™t have a full enclosure for the bridge and drive from the lower station in bad weather, which is when I want the radar. I normally have my bridge covered when Iâ€™m not running the boat. I wouldnâ€™t keep the display unit connected with the bridge covered. One of the things I use the radar for is to watch rain approaching. I can do this while sitting in the slip or when running the boat. If the unit was in the bridge it would be disconnected and stored and I wouldnâ€™t be able to see the approaching rain.

The newer LCR units are much smaller, donâ€™t take up as much mounting space, and are water proof. Many of them are available with duel display units. If I was buying a new radar package I would consider putting a second display in the bridge, but would make it the slave of the lower display.

Stripermann2 · Post by **Stripermann2** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 10:45 am

Gerry, I have the same radar unit. It works very well!

gjrylands · Post by **gjrylands** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 10:56 am

Stripermann2 wrote:Gerry, I have the same radar unit. It works very well!

So does mine. No plans on changing it.

wowzer52 · Post by **wowzer52** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:16 am

My radar is mounted at the lower helm for reason of "worst conditions". Meaning, if I get caught in ugly seas and/or stormy conditions or heavy fog I want to be close to the center of gravity (lower helm) less rock and roll and the most protection from the elements. I also have two vhf radios, one up and one down. for the upper I used a farely inexpensive radio and antenna but for the lower helm I used the best antenna and radio I could afford also for "worst conditions". A radio can only reach out in a staight line, called "line of sight", the higher the better. After moving my vhf antennas from the side of the flybridge up to the radar arch,which gives me another 4ft in height, my signal now reaches approx. 50 mi. instead of 20. I usually run the boat from the flybridge when conditions are pleasant and I don't need radar and I have a small Garmin split screen GPS chart plotter/Depth finder ,a compact unit for navigation, but like I say, in rough conditions I go to the lower helm with the best radio, dedicated GPS, dedicated depth finder and dedicated Furuno 48mi. radar. (by dedicated I mean seperate units for redundancy,if I loose one unit I still have the others, not like the split/multiscreen units which have all data in one unit, if you loose one you loose them all.) A friend of mine had that very problem with his Raymarine C120. Crossing the Columbia River bar on the west coast of Wa. and Or. can be nerve racking and can change for the worst in a heart beat and being at the lower helm with less than adequate navigation instruments can be deadly. I reallize a lot of people don't go out if there is a possibility of bad weather but I've never been known to be the brightest light on the tree. In a perfect world having seperate gps, depth, radio and radar at each helm would be great but my budget won't allow me the luxury. In my opinion It's better to be down below looking at instruments wishing I was up above than up above looking at instruments wishing I was down below. Where ever you choose to mount your radar don't forget to tilt it down about three to five degrees so you be able to see better when running.

wowzer52 · Post by **wowzer52** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:23 am

What's this about radiation? I think I read here a long time ago about " not mounting the radar scanner on the front of the flybridge unless you want your crotch microwaved", That wouldn't be good, I've seen what a microwave does to popcorn. First it pops, then shrivels and turns black and then bursts into flames

AuxiliaryComms · Post by **AuxiliaryComms** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 12:03 pm

I think the answer will depend on what you consider the most important use of the radar. If you want it for inclement weather then the answer is the lower helm as that is where you'd most likely drive from if the weather drops out on you.

If you want it for all weather navigation use then install it on the helm you're most likely to use.

Personally, I'd have it below for foul weather. It may get the least use there but it will the most valuable use.

prowlersfish · Post by **prowlersfish** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 12:28 pm

What helm would use it most on ? My choice would be the upper as you can see better up there in most condtions ( radar won't pick up a lot things floating ) I do have one on both stations lage one top small below but the only thing I use the lower for is watch storms when at the dock .

done not splice the cable even if did it right you would have to reset the timing every time you changed rthe helm