Raymarine radar extension is a bit tall

R

rock knocker

New member
I just purchased a 22ft cruiser yesterday and it came with a raymarine radar on a mount that is about 2 feet tall. My question is can i mount it right to the roof or is it that high for a reason? Thanks in advance.
 
In theory higher is better for range. But it depends on what you want to use the radar for. If it is for avoiding things you might hit (i.e. stuff up close) than lower is fine. If you are looking to use it for fishing (e.g. finding birds) then higher might be better. For a given beam angle, higher also causes the minimum usable range to increase because you can't see things below the beam. In either case, a two foot difference in height is not going to make any real difference to the radar performance on your boat. You just want the radar up high enough to avoid beam obstructions on the top of your boat.
 
Its just not for the benefit of the radar. It for the benefit of more storage space on the roof, for say a dinghy or kayak. We talking about a arch right? If its just a single point stand then I do not see a real benefit to it. That extra foot is not buying you much distance. I find, for my area , that anything past 5 miles to be over kill.
 
I have mounted radar to the roof. It is possible. Agree that you will not get appreciable increase of range with 2 feet.

But Radar beam is 20 to 30* in vertical bandwidth. You should have a little wedge under the radome to give down forward of 3 to 5* to allow for running angle when on a plane. Also right on the roof--you do loose some of that beam--into the glass--and perhaps a little into the cabin. A little safer above --2 feet is a pretty normal strut.
 
I do have spacers under the back of my radar, to make it set more level when on plane. That means at hull speeds it's aimed down a bit more. Which is fine, as at slower speeds I don't need to see as far out. Using it in day visual conditions, I'm very satisfied with what it picks up. (Pretty much everything it would pick up if it were higher. At least within the 5-6 miles that matter.) Which gives me more trust in it at night or low visibility situations. Colby
 
And there are those of us who want it high and at the front of the cabin so that the radiation pulse doesn't hit us humans. 4 Kw is a lot of power, greater than a microwave, but at a longer distance.

Journey On started out with a 4 Kw radar and so the radar arch is forward and high enough that the emitted power doesn't pass through me.. Now has a low power Lowrance, which doesn't have a microwave effect.

Boris
 
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