[garv76]

I currently have a Lowarance LMS-520C Sonar/GPS Chartplotter Combo. I'm thinking about adding radar to my boat, any suggestions on a nice radar only unit? Cost is a factor also.
Thanks,
Garv

 

[OB1]

you will need an radar arch, cost is between $1K and $2,500.

 

[Herring Problem]

Furuno 1623

JRC 1500 color

It's only mony, but well worth the added saftey.:meme:

 

[LQQKASTAR]

your better off posting this in the saltydog forum. this question has been beaten to death over there.

strength, angle you should have it at, height vs. distance, want it to overlay on your GPS, ect. ect.

they work great in the ocean. we run quite a bit at night. we dont run an overlay as the gps breadcrumbs work better for navagation. mostly use it to track other traffic in fog and or dark and to look at bouys and shorelines to double check our posistion.
one thing to keep in mind a radar is finite, they will burn out with use, kinda like A.C. in a car, no set hours it just happens.

and you dont need a tower!, a pole will work great, ours is mounted just on top of the hardtop, about 9' above the waterline.

hope that helps!

Jack

 

[Pau Hana]

Keep in mind that the higher power radomes won't so much give you better range (that's a factor of height as well as radiated power); but, the higher KW will give you better resolution.

Also, the reality of radar is that the biggest use of radar is in the 1/4 to 2 mile ranges for coastal nav and collision avoidance.

Any radar is better than none- and learning how to operate it and discern the return is critical to its use as a tool.

HTH