Marine Radar – a beginner’s perspective

When we purchased our current boat in June of 2007 it had marine radar already installed.

I wanted the radar to be more then a dash mounted device to impress guests. My goal was to use radar as a tool to aid in collision avoidance specifically during in poor visibility conditions. This would include small, unlit fishing boats that are common in our area.

I significantly underestimated how difficult it was to learn how to use this tool.

I had experience with GPS/charplotters. When I first got my GPS chartplotter I was using it and understanding what was on the screen minutes after powering it up for the first time. I had to read the manual to know how to make waypoints, tracks and routes, and change the screen so it was showing what I wanted but all totaled this took a couple of hours.

I found learning how to use Radar to be challenging and at times frustrating. A poor manual that was not written for beginners and having no one with experience that could answer questions added to the challenge.

Using radar and understanding what I was seeing on the screen and knowing how to make the proper adjustment to get the radar to perform took perseverance, practice and patience.

I made a commitment to use and understand this device.

Over the past 2+ months using radar I have just over 70 hours of experience using radar and many hours reading the manual and reading a marine radar tutorial. What I do is I use it, go back and read then use it more.

I use the radar all the time, even during the day when there is clear visibility so I gain experience with Radar and become familiar with what various targets look like on the screen when I can see them with my eyes. I identify targets on the screen then try to find them with my eyes.

I am just beginning to be able to look at the screen and say to a passenger “There are two birds flying directly behind the boat, about 50 feet behind us.”

When first installed there are initial settings that must be performed for the radar to operate properly. Since the initial settings were not set on our radar I don’t think the previous owners depended on the radar. Adjustments like the heading were way off. The heading adjustment is needed so what is directly in front of you is straight up on the display. The tuning, timing and clutter settings were also far out of proper adjustment. At the beginning nothing on the screen made sense. Now that I have some experience using radar and have gone thru the manual and the various initial setup adjustments I can tell when things are off. I’ve even went so far as to mess things up on purpose to gain experience at properly resetting the radar.

When I am on a lake and at least a mile off shore or more I set the range to 1.5 miles. This gives you a radius of 1.5 miles. The total screen covers 3 miles. I will zoom in to .25 miles when on a narrow river.

The first thing you may ask is “Why do you even have the radar running when you are boating on a narrow river?” Well, if you are in a wake zone you can see a faster boat coming up behind you as you are facing forward. Being aware of a boat that is going to pass you increases your safety. It prevents you from being startled or making a potentially dangerous course adjustment. A second reason to keep the radar on and zoomed in would be to gain experience.

I keep the range rings on. This means there are several circles on the screen, one inside the other, at a set calibration. Say you are at the 1.5 mile range setting and have 3 rings. A target that is at the outermost ring is 1.5 miles away. A target that is at the 2nd ring is 1 mile away, and so on. This allows you to estimate how far away a target is from you.

The better you adjust the various settings the better you can reduce clutter yet still see small targets. At first I set every adjustment I could to ‘auto adjusts.’ Today I keep all auto adjust settings off except tuning. Auto adjusting settings such as rain clutter, sea clutter, and tuning make using the radar easier however I have found I can adjust the unit better then it can.

If you are using radar for collision avoidance like me, you want to see that small flat bottom skiff with no lights at night. I find if I leave the settings on auto-adjust I loose small objects or gain so much clutter I can’t differentiate an actual target from interference.

I’m confident at adjusting the STC (sea clutter), FTC (rain clutter) and gain and can re-adjust these on the fly as sea and weather conditions change or when my location dictates that I need to adjust the range setting.

I’m getting better but it takes me time to get things adjusted correctly. Also, I am committed to continue my radar education and experience.

I’m glad to have radar and still consider myself to be a novice on the inclining part of the learning curve. However I am past the maddening steep part of the curve.

Unexpected repair expenses

It seems like at the start of each season I have some unexpected repair expenses. Things like slip cost, insurance, fuel, and maintenance are part of the regular costs of boating.

The screen on my GPS/Chart plotter is leaking liquid crystal. For reference, it smells like dish soap.

The second bad news is I am past warranty but I don’t think this would have been covered anyways. I did remove the unit from my boat and stored it in a box in the basement. I think one of the kids must have played with it and dropped it and put it back. I do blame myself. Should have kept it in my bedroom.

The good news is the manufacturer will do a ‘swap-out’ with a rebuilt unit and will transfer the waypoints / routs / etc and send me a refurbished unit for $175. I’m sending it out next day air today. I should get the refurbished unit with a 90 day warranty by next Friday.

With shipping I’m out less then $200, far less then replacement cost of a new unit.

Oh-well. I hope this is it for unexpected repairs. With the slip ($1,450/season – paid in full up front), insurance, new batteries, repairs to the canvas, and this GPS thing I am now over two grand and I have not got the boat in the water yet.

Internet access from the boat or other remote locations via EVDO

I sighed up for EVDO, got my card and am looking forward to this allowing me to spend more time on the boat.

EVDO is broadband (high speed) wireless internet. You get a small card that slides into your laptop.

Bingo, you can now surf the internet, get email or work as long as you are in an area with service. That last part is the kicker however as time go by the areas with service keeps growing.

The major cell phone carriers are offering this service in at least some of their markets now.

In time the service will continue to get faster with updated revisions and coverage will get as good as a cell phone.

I am testing my connection speed at an independent site called CNET and getting about 400 to 600 kbps (8x to 12x dial up speed) depending on where I am at when I run the test. I have not had this for long but so far I get coverage everywhere I have tried it but again its only been a day and a half.

Cost is a bit steep at $60/month ($80 if you don’t already have a cell phone with them) however I am planning on dumping roadrunner to save $35/month plus I typically spend the $9.99/day in a airport or some hotels / resorts that combine to average 4 to 5 times a month. So net effect this may end up saving me money.

One marine application I can think of is using this for updated weather and radar information.

The sextant - a funny story

My husband and I were trying to figure out what to get my father for his 70th birthday. He has everything he needs and dislikes modern electronics. At the core he is a sailor.



Doug suggested I buy him a sextant. A sextant is a measuring instrument used to measure the angle of elevation of a celestial object above the horizon. Long ago, before the GPS, this instrument was used to determine your location.

I called the local sporting goods store asking if they carried a sextant and was transferred to ‘that department.’ When the next employee answered the phone I again asked if they carried a sextant. The person replied “lady, we carry a wide variety of tents however what you do inside them is your business.”

Marine AIS (Automatic Identification System)

AIS (Automatic Identification System) can combine your GPS chartplotter / radar / gyro and marine VHF radio’s DSC information so when someone hails you can see where they are and who they are on your chartplotter or radar screen.

Combined with advanced an MARPA (Mini Automatic Radar Plotting Aid) the system will identify what vessels are on a potential collision course, will identify the vessel, display how long until impact and allow you to discretely hail this vessel.

Already mandated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) SOLAS requires AIS to be fitted aboard all ships greater than/equal to 300 gross tonnage for international voyages.

AIS holds great future promise to increase safety with wide spread use.

Marine satellite TV - the future

I think we have all seen the ads for the satellite TV systems that cost thousands of dollars. Fine for the wealthy amongst us but what about us regular folk?

One company is working on a much smaller , economical system, $470, one year free then $12.95/month.

Although its initially intended for the minivan market / kids programs I can see this growing.

Sirius, Chrysler team up to put satellite TV in your back seat
By James R. Healey, USA TODAY

In what's likely to start the newest in-car technology race, Chrysler and Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI) announced Thursday that Sirius will beam three kids' TV channels to the back seats of 2008 Chrysler minivans, SUVs and big sedans with the right hardware.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2007-03-29-siri-chrysler-tv_N.htm
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Marine Autopilot on a budget

Raymarine now offers a budget autopilot for smaller boats with hydraulic steering.

RAYMARINE SMARTPILOT ST6002S1 E12106 HYDRAULIC SYSTEM for $1052.00. You may also need a instillation kit, less then $100. Complete SmartPilot System package designed for medium sized inboard powerboats with hydraulic steering.Package consist of:ST6001 Control Head S1 Corepack with course computer, rudder reference and fluxgate compass Type 1 12 Volt Hydraulic Drive. This price is from http://www.byownerelectronics.com and was checked on March 20, 2007. You must add the item to your cart to see the actual sell price. Without doing this step you will only see the MAP (minimum markup price) and not the discount price. Don’t just buy it, call 866-735-5926 and make sure this is the correct unit for your boat.

The above system is basic and has no gyro so you will get some minor ‘back and forth sway’ as you go. This sway can be unnoticeable in calm conditions to very noticeable in rough seas. You can add the internal “G” gyro to the core pack for about $500 more. The gyro senses the boat pitch and compensates the rudder adjustment accordingly.

The above can be connected to a Chartplotter so you can follow routes and not just go point to point. As you approach a turn the system beeps, prompting you if it’s OK to make the turn.

This system is for smaller boats with hydrollic rams not over 14 cubic inches. Larger drives are also available.

As far ‘self-instillation’ this project is similar in instillation difficulty to installing a radar / GPS / Chartplotter / fish finder system.