Installing Radar - Degree of dip?

[Captains Cat]

Good call Dave.

0.464375 Furlongs in a Fortnight....

George, stick it up there, angle it down a little and see how it works. I'm sure it'll be fine. Mine did. Too much calculation is like pole vaulting over mountains of mouse dung....

There, I went ahead and said it. My profs at the PG school in Monterey would roll over in their graves. Most of them are there now...

Les is right on (as usual). If you're in the soup, you're down off the plane and want to see the close stuff. Hence the down angle. If you're on plane, you play with it, put tracks in the automatic tracker and plot CPA's on up to 10 targets with the MARPA..... You can even set an alarm, which, unfortunately my ears can't hear if someone comes within your "danger area". These radars can do a lot of stuff that we never had to do before. (and probably don't need to do now).

But, it's a gadget, which I love and why I have HF, VHF, UHF, GPS and a couple of cell phones in my truck. Don't understand why my bride gets upset while they're all on, I'm talking on two radios at once, and then the cell phone rings.......

Oh, well....enjoy the radar...

[DodgeRam]

If you are going to apply all they angles of the dangles to your radar so you can see what is in front of you going 30 mph, you better install some outriggers to your C-Dory, because I have yet to see one of those boat running flat and level in the water at any speed, forget the weather ? Still think my theory work is best, use your radar in the day time and observe what your radar sees? If it sees what I see then it is good for me.


Gary SEARAM

[TyBoo]

[tpbrady]

I used one stainless flatwasher for about a .15 lift in back. If it's not enough, I'll add another one.

[Notayot]

We decided on the radar arch and C-80 on Notayot, and have been more than satisfied with the performance. Les is right on all counts. We had Les ordering the arch before we even decided on radar! I use the arch to climb all over the boat as well as on and off at the dock. Whatever angle the arch sets the scanner at seems to work perfectly in all conditions. I will admit to doing a few drawings and calcs myself, but in the end Les' comments are correct! On plane I can see from Port Angeles to Victoria easily, and still see birds taking off the water at low speeds! Even the small PVC buoys used for water analysis show up at 15-20 mph.

[dogon dory]

Sorry, Folks - Post Deleted By Author

[Wanderer]

Again, thanks for the responses. I had to chuckle when Les made his comment about the only reason to do the math for dip was for the fun of it. Right on! I’ve never thought it critical one way or another. Raymarine suggests that the installer provide for it – hence my initial question.

I also like to plan trips. Planning extends my cruising range and counts as next best to cruising. The best thing about the math and the planning is that they can be classified as boating activity.

Les,

The arches I’ve seen look good and you make strong points in their favor. I don’t think I could find one in the Keys and get it installed in the next three weeks. If I get out to the NW and am dissatisfied with the 5 inch mount, I may order one. Where do I get details?

Tyboo

I’m counting.

Unless the tangent of an angle increases with latitude or westing, ( ask Charlie, he knows those sort of things) your Autocad, or, both my Excel and Texas Instruments calculator need calibrating.

My TI calculator gives for

5 Tan(5 degrees) = 0.437443318

And Excel for

=5*TAN(RADIANS(5)) = 0.437443318

Best to all

[Wanderer]

John (Blue Crab),

We will not be at the Chesapeake Gathering unless our NW plans fall apart. We'll miss you all.

Best,

[TyBoo]

[Rabidfish]

Someone, somewhere has probably floated his dome in a bucket of water to compensate...

I... do not drink with that guy any longer!