Broadband Radar

[sailorgal]

We are planning to update our 20 year old Furuno RADAR on our 48' motor vessel. We've heard about the new Broadband technology and it sounds great. I know this is very new technology, but has anyone tried this or have an opinion?

The other option is HD, probably Lowrance. Any opinions or suggestions?
We plan to cruise between Florida and the Bahamas and down the Caribbean.

Cheers

[Dutch Duke]

The Dutch magazine "Zeilen" published a very favourable report on it, very good resolution of small details, and also very close to the boat. They could see individual poles in the water and a metal rowing boat in front of a metal dock area... I would definitely go that way since it will be the future, thing is that it is risky sometimes to be early adopter on such new technology.

I have a 20 yr old Furuno too and am thinking the same way...

Duke

[David M]

I have looked around but have not found any technical descriptions of this new technology...just ooh and ahh articles about it. Has anyone found any articles that describe the nuts and bolts of this technology?

About Lowrance, their quality has been slipping the past few years. There was a merger or a buyout of some sort and as a result their quality has slipped. Just my opinion and that of a few other people who also run boats for a living.

[Cadence]

Duke, makes a good point. Don't jump in too early. Let them iron out the wrinkles.

[Paul Elliott]

Search the Panbo website for some good discussions and data on broadband radar. It appears that broadband radar is excellent for close-in work, but lacks the extreme range of traditional radar.

[David M]

Thanks Paul. I hope all is well.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by David M

I have looked around but have not found any technical descriptions of this new technology...just ooh and ahh articles about it. Has anyone found any articles that describe the nuts and bolts of this technology...

“Broadband Radar” is Navico’s registered trade name for it’s Frequency Modulated Continuous-Wave X-Band Radar, sold under the Lowrance, Northstar and Simrad Yachting brands.

Accordingly the term "Broadband Radar" is technically meaningless, and your search should include the terms Frequency Modulated Continuous-Wave (FMCW).

ie: See the technical review by Prof. Bill Mullarkey of dB Research:
➥ http://www.navigate-us.com/files/upl..._Radar-1-1.pdf

[sck5]

I have a Garmin HD radar on my boat. It is fantastic. I can see EVERYTJING on Chesapeake Bay. On a calm day I can even see some crab pot markers. There is just no comparison between it and the old green screen that used to be on the boat.

[speciald@ocens.]

Passagemaker just did an article comparing the solid state (broadband) radar to traditional magnetron radar. The broadband was superior close in.

[bstreep]

There was a short review in Crusing World recently. Favorable, but it said it still had a few early issues.

[Dutch Duke]

Broadband Radar | Simrad Yachting

the official Simrad documentation, for those who havent found that yet ....

[Cadence]

Just for S & G, does anyone know how to navigate without the electronics anymore?

[goboatingnow]

I have a sextant and a Walker trailing log, works great when I compare the results with my three onboard GPS and digital Radar, electronic log, navtex etc

great stuff these electrons.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

I have a sextant and a Walker trailing log, works great when I compare the results with my three onboard GPS and digital Radar, electronic log, navtex etc

great stuff these electrons.

I'll have to agree, about great stuff. I just can't help but think, there are too many people relying on electronics alone. Unlike you,what happens with an electrical failure?

Cheers,
Roger

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by Cadence

I just can't help but think, there are too many people relying on electronics alone. Unlike you,what happens with an electrical failure?

Isn't that what my EPIRB is for?