Radar Detector

[Not Sure]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Notsure, I am sure. Checked into the specific frequencies used by systems, confirmed by an electronics engineer who was in that field. You may find some overlap and some detectors that pick up some radars--But automobile detectors, especially the obsolete x band ones, are essentially useless on a boat.

Anyone who disagrees, is free to do the research as to frequencies that equipment actually uses, they're regulated by the FCC in the US, by similar bodies in every country, and publicly available.

Many marine radar systems use the 'X-band'. Others use the 'S-band'. Many automotive radar detectors can detect the 'X-band'. This isn't rocket science....and I don't need an 'engineer' to figure it out, as it's pretty darn basic. If the difference is no money for an expensive radar or AIS system, and an inexpensive 'X-band'-capable automotive radar detector that could possibly help the otherwise defenseless vessel....I'll let the reader decide where the best bang for the buck lies.

[hellosailor]

Well, yeah, it ain't rocket science. "X-band" covers a spread from about 7 to 12 GHz, and the automotive X-band is a tiny slice of that not shared with marine radar equipment. Automobile radar detectors have for many many years been built to read JUST the tiny slice of x-band that they use, to eliminate false signals from other x-band equipment which is out of the tiny slice that police radars use.

And then of course, you have to consider that most automotive radar detectors are designed primarily to "see" in a cone ahead of them--without the 360-degree horizon vision that a prope marine radar detector would have.

By all means try it. What's the saying? Even a blind pig sometimes finds a truffle?

[Pblais]

Even a blind pig sometimes finds a truffle?

"Acorn" not truffle (too easy to find), but your assessment is corresct. X band detectors are illegal in many states. Poses the question of it you could ever be caught?

[hellosailor]

" X band detectors are illegal in many states."
Not true. Illegal in about two states, Virginia and one other, and that's all auto radar detectors, not just x-abnd.
They were also illegal in CT, but 25? years ago someone took the state of CT to court over that, because by law only the FCC can regulate radio receivers, and CT stopped enforcing their laws. For a while they still gave out tickets, and simply dismissed any that were appealed--cleverly continuing to screw anyone who wasn't aware the law had been declared void.

I don't know why VA hasn't been challenged in the same way, or if they have been, but IIRC that's the only other east coast state and one of 2 or 3 in the entire nation. Others ban the use of radar detectors by commercial drivers, as a driver licensing issue. That probably would fall under the same challenge, but many new detectors are "sniffer proof" and can't be detected anyway.

Acorn: thank you! Blind pigs' buffet ? :-)

[Pblais]

[QUOTE]I don't know why VA hasn't been challenged in the same way, or if they have[/QUOTE]

Nope they still claim it. I don't think they even use radar anymore. I thought most police are using laser based devices. It's more point, shoot, and zap they have you. For detection AIS is clearly the answer as you alos know who it is, where they are and the rest of the acorn stuff to boot.

[cfarrar]

Even if you had a passive radar receiver that could provide the bearing of another ship, you would still lack range information. Sure, if the bearing was constant, this would get your attention. Otherwise, you could be worrying about a target 1/2 mile away or 12 miles away.

It's really hard to determine target range passively, based on signal strength alone. (Unless you can get your hands on some F-15 avionics and modify them for your boat).

[hellosailor]

Radar is still out there. LIDAR apparently is more expensive, so highway patrol usually has it, but local pd's who still get good use out of instant-on radar, or traps, still use it.

Point shoot zap is a great concept, but apparently there are LIDAR countermeasures (detector with active IR response) that haven't been banned as illegal. Yet. I'm sure someone could argue "interfering with..." but unlike active radar countermeasures, the LIDAR zappers are not banned by the FCC.

So, there's still one advantage to radar, from the blue point of view.

[markpierce]

I wouldn't think a radar reflector would be necessary for a non-stealth-designed steel boat. Am I right or ignorant?

[duncan_ellison]

Phiggins,

Just to let you know that I have both a Raymarine radar and a Sea-Me on my boat and they play fine together.

The only issue is that when your own radar is on, you cannot rely on the beeps from the unit to tell you that you are being pinged as it's beeping all the time due to your own radar signal.

My Sea-Me is 60ft up the mast in clear air and reports from larger vessels are generally positive.

However.... if you only have a limited budget AIS is where you should put your dough. Just be aware that although large commercial vessels are required by law to have them now, they generally have older non-integrated units which don't display on their chart plotter / radar like recreational units do. They usually have to go away and consult a separate screen to look for you if you call them.

The main benefit of AIS is that you can see THEM even round corners and out of radar range.

A call to a larger vessel by name on Ch 13 usually gets a courteous respose as opposed to "Large grey tanker on my bow, this is Nonsuch" which usually goes unheeded.

Duncan

[phantomracer]

Originally Posted by bobalpep

Is an automobile type radar detector, like those used to detect police speed traps, of any use on a boat to detect radar coming from another boat?
thanks
Bob

Not an automotive one, but our boat had a 'radar dectector' when we bought it. I removed it and never tried it. The previous owner said it worked well to detect when you were being hit with radar from another boat.

http://seeberg.com/phpAlbum/main.php...pg&var2=700_85

I believe it was called the 'watchman' (circa early 90s). Lower left and the square device on the bulkhead.

[nonam]

For what its worth.I recently met a singlehander ,from Estonia,in Tahiti.He was adventurous and had been higher than Iceland in the North sea.He had a 44ft Hanse loaded with electronics including radar and AIS.He said his radar detector was very usefull and he was glad he had it.

[David M]

It might be pointless using a car radar detector. You do not know with certainty if or how well they detect marine radar.

Consider a CARD type radar detector for about $500. They are specifically designed for detecting marine radar. They have the ability to tell you which quadrant the vessel is located and they scan both the 3cm and 10cm marine radar bands.

An AIS receiver can be had for as little as $200. Plus there are VHF's with built in, although primitve, AIS receivers.

There are also radar transponders available (RACON's essentially) for boats. This shows you as a contact on their radar screen. This would work for other vessels with radar but who do not have an AIS receiver, like many yachts and fishing vessels.

http://www.survivalsafety.com/

http://www.milltechmarine.com/