I ditto your comment about the radar in the cockpit. That is the reason I
want a smaller LCD at the helm. I will be right on top of the display, not
trying to look at it from 10' away.
Bruce

--
Shield Finishes and Nauticoat Marine Finish Systems
www.shieldfinishes.com
"Dan Best" wrote in message
...
rhys wrote:
Sidebar question: Am I woefully ignorant on radar implementation or am
I correct in assuming that a target heading directly for one's bow
would be invisible to a mizzen mounted radar due to the three-to-four
degree "screen" of the main mast directly ahead?

A common misconception. If you think about it, you will realize that the
radio energy of flowing off of and being received along the entire width
of the antenna which is much wider than your mast. A healthy percentage
of it is reflected back and to the sides, but most of the energy just
flows right on past the mast. It works the same in reverse for the
reflected energy coming back from a target. Thus, the strength of the
reteurn is reduced, but you are still able to see it. Othereise, all
those boats with mast mounted radars would have a fairly wide cone to
their rear where they pick up nothing.

In answer to Bruce's original question, overall, I like the Raymarine
units. The one I put on my last boat worked so well for me, I put one on
this boat too and like it just as well. I find the JVC screens harder to
see and focus on than the others, but this may just be a personal thing.
Whatever you do, mount the display so that it can be seen at the helm, not
just at the nav station. A friend of mine's radar is just visible at the
nav station and having played radar operator calling instructions up to
him at the helm while dodging freighters in dense fog on SF Bay, I'm here
to say that this arrangement sucks.

Fair winds - Dan