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 Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums
 General Sailing Forum
 Radar frequencies		  New Topic  Topic Locked
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Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts
Initially Posted - 11/22/2004 :  08:29:25  Show Profile  Visit Oscar's Homepage
If you go here, you'll find a list of radar bands and their uses:

http://www.aewa.org/Library/rf_bands.html

Now, I recall from my, eh, spirited driving days, that X-band, where it lists marine uses is also used by law enforcement for speed measuring radar. In fact here:

http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2000/MaxLipkin.shtml

It gives that information side by side.

Can I infer that my old $25.- fuzz buster, mounted under the dodger would give me a heads up if someone is aiming their radar at me? Would this be a helpful tool in staying out of the way of large ships at night and in poor vis?



Oscar
C42 # 76 "Lady Kay" (Ex. C250 WB #618)
Georgetown MD/Fort Lauderdale FL
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thacket3
Navigator

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USA
101 Posts
Response Posted - 11/22/2004 :  10:16:22  Show Profile
One of the "items to have" on board for ocean crossing is in fact a radar detector, or fuzz buster as they were called in my CB days. Some use it while single handing as an alert for big ships in the area.
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thacket3
Navigator

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USA
101 Posts
Response Posted - 11/22/2004 :  10:17:43  Show Profile
Where are you in Ft Lauderdale? I live in Wilton Manors and my boat is in Miami.
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Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts
Response Posted - 11/22/2004 :  11:37:44  Show Profile  Visit Oscar's Homepage
I live in PA, boat is now on the Middle River, right behind the Galleria.

Someone else opined the following:

<i>might be worth a try, but might not work. Marine radar is in the X-band (8-12 MHz) - some also use S-band. The frequency is centered at 9410 +/- 30MHz (Raymarine). Police radar is at 10.525 GHz (10525 MHz).

Whether this would work depends on the detector and how sharply peaked the detector is (that is, how well does it attenuate signals ouside its detection band) and the frequency content of the radar signal. Valentine specs the detector at 10.5 to 10.55GHz. There might be some overlap, but the detection would not be as strong as a detector centered at 9.4GHz.

An older detector might no be tuned as sharply and might work. </i>

Oscar
C42 # 76 "Lady Kay" (Ex. C250 WB #618)
Georgetown MD/Fort Lauderdale FL
Edited by - Oscar on 11/22/2004 11:39:45
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jedperkins
Deckhand

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USA
8 Posts
Response Posted - 11/23/2004 :  00:01:13  Show Profile
Even if the police radar detector did detect marine radar, all it would tell you is that there is a radar out there in your vacinity. Radar "sweeps" an area, so while the radar detector might detect that a radar is pointing at you, the ship may not be traveling in your direction. So, you will know that there is another ship on the water, but not relative position or direction to your boat. In fact, the ship could be moving away from you, towards you, or anywhere in between. Interesting idea though, and there would still be value in knowing that there is another ship in the vacinity. Let us know how it works out.
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thacket3
Navigator

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USA
101 Posts
Response Posted - 11/23/2004 :  11:04:38  Show Profile
The use of radar detectors on ocean crossing yahcts was a practice that started (obviously) before the cost and sizability (?) of current radar for samller "yachts". The idea was that one could determine if a large vessle was in the area, not it's exact location heading etc. I seem to recall a few hand-held models being made that looked much like the police radar guns. You could point the detector in different directions, scanning the area for a signal.

I'm sure this was not an exact science, like much early electronics, just a gadget.

I live about ten blocks north of the Galleria. I will be doing my christmas shopping there! Welcome to the neighborhood.
Tim
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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.