Dual Radars - Mounting Advice

[IRENE]

Greetings,

Planning an upgrade to include TZT3 MFDs and a DRS25NXT/4. I have a suitable location for the antenna about 26’ aloft with only the back of the mast behind it.

I would like to add a second radar for redundancy, likely a 1815. I have a location on the top of the mast, just above the previously mentioned radar, where a SC30 is currently mounted. I am concerned that this location is not far enough away from the DRS25NXT, nor is it much higher.

The other option is 10’ lower on the front of the mast, but there the antenna will be behind 2 mast support braces.

Looking for thoughts and experiences, please.

Thank you for the help.

Jeff

 

[Johnny Electron]

I would never recommend anything in front of a radar field of view, in the direction of movement. The aft can always be blanked with sector blanking, if it causes RF reflection problems. NMEA 0400 installation standards recommends radars be offset 18" or more vertically. As long as they don't transmit into each other and offset 18" or more; many have been known to run two radar at the same time. As a backup radar, you would still want to follow NMEA 0400 recommendations and look at what objects you have on the boat to contend with.

 

[Magnetron]

If we're talking about a sailboat, there's always the option of hanging a dome above the stern on one of those self-levelling gimbal mounts.

Just a thought, :sail

- Maggy

 

[IRENE]

Thank you both.