(DG) Q42C - To gimbal or not?

[watsala]

Hi All,

I want to purchase a A24C for my 40 foot yacht. I plan to mount it on the mast, but not too high up as I am probably more interested in close objects than trying to get maximum range.

I also am wondering whether gimballed is recommended or not?

We do sail across the pacific, and heeling over at 20 degree's is not unusual.

Cheers

W

[Derek - Raymarine - Moderator]

Hi Watsala

Thank you for your enquiry

The optimum plane for a radar is horizontal, as can be seen in this FAQ here, a radar antenna is designed to function perfectly well at a substantial angle of heel. In most coastal cruising applications, a fixed mount is perfectly satisfactory, due to the frequent heeling motion of the boat from tack to tack and from regular pitching and rolling.

When offshore however, when substantial periods of time can be spent heeled over on one tack, the opportunity to adjust the radar platform to enable the antenna to revert to a horizontal attitude in spite of the heel angle of the boat, will enable the radar to perform better, in terms of stability of the image and in terms of range and target identification.

The decision to make regarding mast mounting or mounting lower down on a quarterdeck pole or bracket is often based on personal preference. Higher up a mast will give more range, but since the mast motion is quite exaggerated, will cause the image to be less stable in heavy seas. Lower down on a pole mounted to the quarterdeck or a backstay type mount, will provide a more stable location, but with a reduced range.

Raymarine offer a variety of the more common mounting accessories, alternatively accessories are available from 3rd parties.

Radar Antenna mounting accessories can be obtained from various suppliers, click here
more information of alternatives that are available.

Be aware however that continuous movement of some articulated mounting platforms can adversely affect the interconnecting cables and fatigue the conductors inside the cable leading to intermittent operation over a period of time and so this should also be a consideration when selecting the mounting method.

Thanks