DRS4D-NXT Mounting Question

[calla969]

I am planning to install a DRS4D-NXT on my 25' center console. My boat has a cobia tower where you climb up through the front of the t-top. The tower also folds forward, so I don't think it's possible to install the dome on the front of the t-top. I have a VHF antenna on the starboard side and my SCX-20 on the port side. If I were to have a plate welded behind the pad where you stand and install the dome on a 6" pedestal, would the radar function well being that far back on the t-top? The last 18" or so of the top pitches downward. Any better ideas? I know shooting through the tower legs isn't ideal, but I often remove it if I'm not hunting for cobia, so usually won't be an issue. Tracking weather will be the primary use. Any other ideas? Really hoping I can figure something out that won't cause me to give up the cobia tower.

Maybe if that idea won't work I could have a small radar arch fabricated that would install in the bases for the cobia tower and I could just switch between the two as needed. Is it possible to have the wire installed in a way that it could be unplugged and removed easily?

 

[FishTech]

Short answer: I like your switching idea. The DRS4DNXT comes with a pigtail that has a molded connector on it.

Long answer: By rule, there is to be nothing inside the radar beam. Especially in the direction that you would like to see the most, "critical azimuths". The cobia tower may or may not cause a problem. Unfortunately, you wont know for certain until you try, but always assume that it will. Welding in a plate with a six inch pedestal is a good idea. Just make sure to keep it far enough back that nobody steps on the radar when they are in the tower. I would be most concerned about keeping your SCX20 out of the radar beam. It will degrade performance and greatly shorten its lifespan.

 

[jp498]

Your metal structure is pretty small compared to many boats I work on that have radar. Though it's possibly to cause an issue I would bet it won't be an issue. It's close enough that it won't register as a target. You could also set a blank zone where the tower is on the radar display if there is a problem.