Getting acquainted with Quantum

[dove]

Thanks, Chuck. With regard to extending usable range offshore, yes, I'm in Offshore Mode and using a range scale appropriate for the target distance.

To further maximize detection offshore, I've been doing the following:
set Target Expansion to On,
use the smallest range scale which would show an intended target,
change gain from Auto (which seems to put it at 75%) and increase the gain to 87% - 90% where spurious targets just begin to show,
set Trails to On with a 10 second duration, allowing me to distinguish between random spurious targets and actual faint targets which may not appear on every sweep, but appear at the same screen location as their trail, and
change the Sea Clutter filter from Auto (which is usually between 5% - 10%), and reduce it by about 3%.

Testing yesterday with these settings on a calm sea and clear sky, with the Quantum 8 feet above and level to the water, I was able to see the tall office buildings of downtown Sarasota, FL out to 20 statute miles before they faded out. I'm also able to see birds at close range and occasionally pick up small styrofoam crabtrap floats.

Small fiberglass fishing boats, such as 20 - 30 foot center consoles with T-tops, are still not detectable until 1.5 statute miles as I motor toward them using a 2 mile range scale. Same for sportfisher size boats at 2.5 miles and yachts at 3.5 miles. I get similar results tracking targets with the MARPA function in that they are lost at the same distances. It seems as if fiberglass boats are not very reflective of radar energy.

If you spot anything that I should do differently or try, let me know. The only thing I haven't yet tried is the frequency setting to see if higher or lower frequencies might have further range. But based on further research, it seems as though this performance might be typical of small radomes, and especially for low power solid state units. For instance, I found a couple of tables published by another manufacturer showing expected broadband radar performance. In one, "small vessels of length to 10 m" had a detection range of 1.6 nm with the radar antenna mounted 3 m high. Another table showed a detection range for "small power or sail boats" of 0.7 - 2 nm with an antenna height of 13 feet.

Several independent reviews of the Quantum conclude excellent long range performance based on actual screen shots. On closer examination though, all of the distant targets are land-based structures and not ships. So, I don't want to conclude that there's anything wrong with my unit or what I'm doing with regard to ship detection unless you spot anything or more conclusive evidence appears from users or reviewers.

Thanks again, and apologies the such a long post.