Why do yachts at anchor leave their radars on all the time?
I use the radar to detect if we are dragging anchor as well. However, I set it up and put it in standby and when I want to view it I hit transmit and check it and then go back to standby.
Sitting on charter outside of St. Barths this New Year’s Eve, I counted more than 30 boats with their radars on all night. Surely that cannot be good for everyone to be outside and getting hit by all that radiation.
Captains, do us all a favor and put your radar on standby when it’s not being viewed. Thank you.
Capt. Les AnnanM/Y Paradigm
To Capt.Les Annan, very good, here, before, put GPS on alarm posistion, also "radar" on standby "drift" position, as seaveral times off 'Pampolana" beach (St,trop) where you have many yachts, tight anchoring ect, shallow water ect, + wind variation & sandy bottom, has taken up to half hour too hold position to regard other yachts, sometimes guests on board want to get off to a good binge, & have seen "owners" arriving drop there "pick" & go ashore!! not even waiting to see if anchor is holding!! it's a pity didn't have "cam" to show some sights, + even me in 10 - mts, max chain out in regards to "swing" & other yachts, hope you like my comments dave (semi retired skip) med
My third Arm does not bother me too much. After running Lifeboats for the Coast Guard, and having LArge Array Radars beaming their signal through me on the bow, or sitting close by, running Large Ocean Tugs with up to 12' Arrays broadcasting at me, as I pilot the Barge we are pushing into the dock I can attest to the following: The Radiation processed by a Yacht's Radar next to you, within an Anchorage has yet to create any Cancer, Growth of a Third Limb, or Sterilization. My Two Bright and College educated, or College Bound Children can attest to this.
This is an except from a knowledgeable source:
the radiation levels associated with marine radar units will vary according to the particular make and model. A radar unit of three kilowatts up to approximately 0.5 watts per centimeter squared, operating in the X-band at 3-1/2 feet from and at the same height as the scanner, can be encountered. OSHA has determined that the recommended maximum safe level of exposure to microwaves is 0.2 milliwatts per centimeter squared. The average intensity can be as high as 0.8 (milliwatts per centimeter squared) when the scanner is stationary. At a distance of 7 to 10 feet from the scanner, the average intensity drops to safe levels (i.e. below 0.2 mW/cm2)
Since, we do not Anchor within feet of another, but a safe distance apart for wind shifts and change in yacht direction, which in my case has always been over 250' between vessels, the amount of radiation picked up on your person by a fellow yacht's transmitting Radar is no more than your Cell phone.
Additional Documentation on this can be founds at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/dis5.htm Lots of research has been done, with no Adversity shown.
Worry about that Cell Phone, or the Microwave in the Galley, before you worry about the Radar. And Put this Silly idea of RADAR Radiation to rest.