Is the radar an obsolete equipment?

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Ecos

OK,
Must be getting to used to reading posts from cousins in the land of the free


That's right, you guys ain't free yet! Well, our freedom has gotten us this far.

We are working on it and it won't be long before we will be enjoying the same freedoms .

[SeanPatrick]

Originally Posted by maxingout

When I spot a cumulonimbus cloud, I turn on the radar and put an estimated bearing line on the cloud. If the cloud is coming down the estimated bear line, then I make a ninety degree turn to get out of harms way.

A little OT I suppose, but ... turning 90° isn't always the best course to avoid a storm (or even another vessel) - especially if it's moving faster than you can. If you can determine the speed and course of the storm (which you can do with radar - even while you are moving), then you can roughly calculate the best course to put as much distance between you and the storm with the following formula:


course = storm's course ± acos ( your speed ÷ storm's speed )


Once on this course, you can refine it using a simple diagram or maneuvering board. If you're unsure of how to do this (or the many other things you can do with radar and a maneuvering board), I recommend checking out the Radar Navigation and Maneuvering Board Manual.



BTW, has anyone else tried this radar training simulator? Might be a good, safe way to get familiar with the basic features of radar before actually needing to use it.

[Dooglas]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Have to smile at the tales of the all seeing eye..
The number of times I have called commercial vessels to ask if they've seen me and the reply comes back.. "Where are you?" 'Fine off your port bow about 2nm' I respond.. then I have to respond I dont have AIS.
I dont show on their radar because the sea is 2m or over and theres to much clutter. On a day with ripples and 10kts.. No problem.

But the point is that you saw them. Big ships show up on your radar just fine even if they turn up their sea clutter adjustment and lose you in the noise. I'm always happier successfully looking out for myself rather than hoping the other guy has enough gear so he avoids me.

[David Gunn]

We installed a JRC radar before commencing a circumnavigation in 2010. In 8 years we have only used it successfully once to navigate between islands (inaccurate charting) in Indonesia at night.
It did NOT pick up hundreds of small Indonesian and Thai fishing boats at night (most without lights).
Otherwise the AIS (originally receiver and from Gibraltar a transducer) has been wonderful.

[Fbfisher]

Originally Posted by boatman61

No.. His question was.. Is his radar obsolete.

Really? The title of this thread that I see is “Re: Is the radar an obsolete equipment?”

Not “his” radar, “the” radar. And the responses are exclusively related to the obsolescence, or lack there of, of radar.

The OP could clear this up but I’m not sure we heard much from him since his original post.

Cheers,

F.

[Rob.Lovelace]

God there’s a lot of wankers on these threads (did i spell that right?)
IS RADAR OBSOLETE EQUIPMENT
no it’s not, although I took the old unit off my boat for
other reasons and get by without it. I have a reasonable amount of miles under the keel and have entered harbour at night sometimes in a sweat. I have paper charts, gps, plotter, and ais transponder. I’ve nearly hit small fishing vessels (tinnies)10nm
offshore, run into pearl farms, picked up trap markers, amongst other things. Is one on my wish list? NO I’d run the fridge more often if i have spare amp hours and keep my food fresh longer. If i had more solar & wind & bigger bank ( both types) then i’d get one maybe, but i’m just a simple sailor doing it on a shoestring.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by David Gunn

We installed a JRC radar before commencing a circumnavigation in 2010. In 8 years we have only used it successfully once to navigate between islands (inaccurate charting) in Indonesia at night.
It did NOT pick up hundreds of small Indonesian and Thai fishing boats at night (most without lights).
Otherwise the AIS (originally receiver and from Gibraltar a transducer) has been wonderful.

Not another one?
Didn't you get the memo that radars pick up crab pots, seagulls, sunken shipping containers, logs amongst the chop and even rocks below the water?

Real world meets advertising hype?

Fwiw I used ours this morning in heavy smoke and about 20 knots of wind and wave action.
It could see the island and exposed shipwreck to port.
It could not see the floating isolated danger mark to starboard.
But my eyes could as did the plotter.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Dooglas

But the point is that you saw them. Big ships show up on your radar just fine even if they turn up their sea clutter adjustment and lose you in the noise. I'm always happier successfully looking out for myself rather than hoping the other guy has enough gear so he avoids me.

No.. they showed up on my eyeball..

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Fbfisher

Really? The title of this thread that I see is “Re: Is the radar an obsolete equipment?”

Not “his” radar, “the” radar. And the responses are exclusively related to the obsolescence, or lack there of, of radar.

The OP could clear this up but I’m not sure we heard much from him since his original post.

Cheers,

F.

Well its obviously a failure on my part not being familiar with American grammar..
To me the thread is about his radar qualified by 'Is The Radar'.. followed by "One question I can not firmly decide is if it's worth to keep the radar (JRC 1800) or to remove it. Aesthetically the boat will be better without, and I am not sure what advantage it adds."
To me this indicates he was refering to his particular model/instrument not radar in general.. but there you go.. my command of foreign languages is somewhat limited.

[Dooglas]

Originally Posted by David Gunn

We installed a JRC radar before commencing a circumnavigation in 2010. In 8 years we have only used it successfully once to navigate between islands (inaccurate charting) in Indonesia at night.
It did NOT pick up hundreds of small Indonesian and Thai fishing boats at night (most without lights).

Having used a JRC radar myself in an area where 25-50 foot wooden fishing boats are common, mine certainly picked up most wooden fishing boats at night. If yours picked up NONE ever, I can only conclude that it was either non-functional, or you did not know how to adjust it or interpret the display.

[Dooglas]

Originally Posted by boatman61

No.. they showed up on my eyeball.

Since it is me, and my family, and my boat, which are at stake in my case - I would rather trust my eyeball AND my radar AND my AIS on a night time passage.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by David Gunn

We installed a JRC radar before commencing a circumnavigation in 2010. In 8 years we have only used it successfully once to navigate between islands (inaccurate charting) in Indonesia at night.
It did NOT pick up hundreds of small Indonesian and Thai fishing boats at night (most without lights).
Otherwise the AIS (originally receiver and from Gibraltar a transducer) has been wonderful.

Cheap, low power radar improperly set for STC, FTC, tune and gain.