How does radar affect my body?

[bill.kimbell]

Pete,
I am a cautious type. For me, I would not install the radar dome right in front of where I plan to sit all day. Plus, I would not be happy with a radar that only showed about 180 degrees (only in front) of my situation. In fog, especially in a slow trawler, you can be overtaken from astern or at an angle that your radar would not show! This would mean that the radar would only be about 50% effective and in a way give a false sense of security.

Minimizing your personal exposure to any form of radiation is never a bad thing!! Mount it on your mast where radiation exposure would be basically non-existent, where it can operate as designed giving a complete "picture" of your "environment", and figure out a way to lower the mast in a safe, easy manner.
Why would you want to operate in a "lose/lose" manner where the radar operates way less than optimally and at the same time might actually be causing damage to your long term health? Just my humble opinion.

Agree.

 

[NCheaven]

I faced the same concerns when updating my electronics a few years ago. Yes, the instructions on some radars mention how to calculate safe distances. But, when I do a 5 to 10 hour transit, the accumulated effect concerned me. (The instructions didn't mention duration, if I remember correctly.) So, I chose this:
1. Radar arch that put the radar pattern well away from us, whether we are in the cabin or on the flying bridge.
2. I installed a Garmin Fusion pulse compression radar that uses only 40 watts, instead of smallest magnatron dome radar - 18" dome version is 4,000 watts! The Garmin Fusion has no magnetron. Other manufacturers have pulse compression radar, but the electronics installer and my mechanic recommended Garmin radar and MFDs (1242 and 942).

I like this outcome because:
1. The height of the radar - 16' - extends my radar effectiveness distance considerably.
2. I have full 360 degree coverage.
3. The Admiral is a great look out, but we often detect overtaking vessels by radar long before we would see them visually. The Admiral and the radar "tie" looking forward and up to 2 points abaft the beam.
4. In a 100 mile range on the water there are only 2 bridges for which we have to radio for an opening pass under, and both are lower than our previous air draft with raised solar panel, radar reflector, and bimini.
5. While you're at it, make sure your radar reflector is mounted high enough for all of the new streak of lightening fast boats to see you on radar. Calculate the closing speeds, and you'll see why radar reflectors are important.
6. Some of the ditch in our area is frequented by tugs and barges, and being able to detect those over marshes, around some lightly treed turns, and over some maritime forests is worth the cost of mounting radar and radar reflectors as high as possible.

There are some nifty pole radar mounts out there, as a prior post noted, with hinged bases available.

You have a real opportunity here - find a way to lower the radar power output for safety, get yourself and crew out of the radar pattern for safety, reduce the power demand for using your radar, get the benefits of pulse compression for about $500 more than less expensive magnatron units, get a more reliable radar unit - no moving parts, raise the radar height for better range, have 360 degree coverage, and maximize safety for you and your crew. BTW, I love using the new Garmin Fusion radar and MFDs, and feel far safer on the water with the Garmin equipment and radar arch (or pole would have been fine) installation.

The Admiral reviewed the advantages of being out of the radar pattern, the effectiveness of pulse compression technology, the highest possible mount and correlating pattern distance and approved the disbursement....Garmin Fusion Pulse Compression radar and two Garmin touch screen MFDs came in ahead of granite counter tops at home!

Best wishes for crafting a complete solution to safe and effective radar on your vessel!

 

[Sieben]

Pete,

Was your question real? Follow the Mfr. recommendations. Put it up high for range and coverage. I certainly would not sit in front of an operating radar regardless of my age or my passengers.

Otherwise why bother with it.

 

[koliver]

I know most boaters mount their radar high for better operation and less obstruction. I get it. However I don't want my radar up on my mast. It makes it very difficult to lower the mast, also makes the dome susceptable to damage while lowering it.


I am debating mounting it just below the windscreen on my flybridge. I know I will lose some, if not all my rear looking capacity and that doesn't concern me. My issue is what might the radar do to my body, or the body parts of the Admiral. We are both in our seventies so are not too concerned about reproduction but there are other things which might concern us (Cancer, eye damage, nerve damage, etc). There used to be a lot of worry or discussion about cordless phones cooking your brain, I have not heard much of this lately though.

Any thoughts ?

pete

Pete
1 I had my mast built without regard to later moving my radar onto it. Then I did so, and found little difference in weight or difficulty in lowering the mast. You may come to the same conclusion and locate your radar on your mast.

2 If you never see your radar screen while driving from the flybridge, you may be able to mount the dome ahead of the flybridge, below the level of the venturi. I have seen several boats with this mounting and if the radar is never turned on while you are driving from up to, it can't be a source of harmful radiation to a body located on the FB. That will require discipline and may be difficult to accomplish.

3 All of the literature I have found on beam width and density of radiation suggests that any distance greater than 1m will be OK, though I would never deliberately stand in the way of the beam, any closer than 3 or 4 m.

4 You don't say how old or how powerful your radar is. My old Furuno could suck the battery down in no time flat if on while disconnected from recharging power. My 30 yr newer Raymarine, not a power hog at all. I relate power consumption to density of radiation, perhaps without evidence.

 

[FlyWright]

I'd be more concerned about attenuated radar performance than degraded body tissue or brain cells from most modern recreational boat radar systems.

 

[Art]

Mileage may vary:


https://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/electronics/can-your-radar-really-hurt-you

Good article!

 

[L57]

Radar Issue

To make yourself comfortable with the idea of having the radar mounted low, you may want to try this to gain some comfort. Put a hotdog on a stick and hold the stick in front of your radome (3 to 4 feet out). If you smell the cooking, you can draw a somewhat informed conclusion.

 

[ronobrien]

When I attended Furuno factory training for radar installers, I asked what the average 2 to 6 kw was an issue....

The Furuno tech said the only way it would possibly harm you is if you had to keep ducking the radar antenna sweep or stick your head inside the dome.

That p,us other data I have reviewed pretty well convinced me to take precautions but not be silly with fear.

I see the same joke reported in the above link....

I am not sure I would be comfortable taking medical information from a radar tech, particularly when he is sponsoring a specific product. I had a cousin who was a harbor pilot for many years. He died of brain cancer. It is the only known case of cancer in our family.

 

[psneeld]

I am not sure I would be comfortable taking medical information from a radar tech, particularly when he is sponsoring a specific product. I had a cousin who was a harbor pilot for many years. He died of brain cancer. It is the only known case of cancer in our family.

I didn't take medical info from a tech...I took technical info that was studied and incorporated into a industry leader that has been making radars for a long time.


Most all of us only have that interface with dangerous things...including household products.


Small boat radar is similar but usually much less powerful than radars that are often studied for occupational hazards.


All these companies can do is evaluate the relative strength of radiation and suggest safe working limits.


If you use that knowledge and safety features such as dead zones...there are probably so many different hazards we UNKNOWINGLY expose ourselves every day that a reasonable installation of radar shouldn't make us any more paranoid than we should be about a lot of things.


Radar mounts for occasional boaters who occasionally use radar is a totally different hazard that those under occupational hazards.


Just use your head when mounting radar...if it's a bad location, mitigate the risks to when you use it or from what location. If still uncomfortable...then find a better way but I wouldn't throw out manufacturer installation guidelines or tech support input because they aren't in the medical research field.

 

[Art]

No matter what anyone says from whatever study or report that may have been accomplished.

IMO - Don't dry your pet in the microwave nor rest your head against the microwave door, side or top while warming something. And, don't stand too close to [or in line with] boat radar. Pretty simple items to accomplish. Another simple item - don't put hand too close to a hot stove burner... blisters will occur.

"Simple is as simple does"!

 

[backinblue]

No matter what anyone says from whatever study or report that may have been accomplished.

IMO - Don't dry your pet in the microwave nor rest your head against the microwave door, side or top while warming something. And, don't stand too close to [or in line with] boat radar. Pretty simple items to accomplish. Another simple item - don't put hand too close to a hot stove burner... blisters will occur.

"Simple is as simple does"!

And don't put a laptop on your lap or a cell phone against your ear. Oops!

 

[ronobrien]

I didn't take medical info from a tech...I took technical info that was studied and incorporated into a industry leader that has been making radars for a long time.


Most all of us only have that interface with dangerous things...including household products.


Small boat radar is similar but usually much less powerful than radars that are often studied for occupational hazards.


All these companies can do is evaluate the relative strength of radiation and suggest safe working limits.


If you use that knowledge and safety features such as dead zones...there are probably so many different hazards we UNKNOWINGLY expose ourselves every day that a reasonable installation of radar shouldn't make us any more paranoid than we should be about a lot of things.


Radar mounts for occasional boaters who occasionally use radar is a totally different hazard that those under occupational hazards.


Just use your head when mounting radar...if it's a bad location, mitigate the risks to when you use it or from what location. If still uncomfortable...then find a better way but I wouldn't throw out manufacturer installation guidelines or tech support input because they aren't in the medical research field.

I agree. I just bought the Garmin 8600 Phantom radar. Their installation instruction state clearly NOT to mount the antennae at eye level as the microwaves can damage the human eye. That is directly from the manufacturer.

 

[Group9]

I agree.


First choice, locate it so nobody will be in the beam.


Second choice, locate it to get max distance from the antenna.


Under no circumstances be closer than the published safe distances.

You can see from our avatar picture that our radar is mounted above head level on the main deck, but kind of at foot/lower leg level for the flybridge. Call me an old lady, but I don't run the radar when I am on the flybridge.

 

[Art]

You can see from our avatar picture that our radar is mounted above head level on the main deck, but kind of at foot/lower leg level for the flybridge. Call me an old lady, but I don't run the radar when I am on the flybridge.

Ditto!

Anyway... the only screen is at the lower helm.

 

[markpierce]

What? No worry/concern of radar radiation here. Estimate the radiation is 45 degrees above and below horizontal.