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info wanted: how to use radar
In article ,
(Larry W4CSC) wrote:
.....something that
MUST reflect radio waves....which isn't wood, fiberglass or anything
else non-conductive to electricity.
Bzzzzzt, Wrong answer, Would you like to try again, or go for what is
behind "Door Number 2"?
Xband Radar Transmissions will reflect of any surface that is flat and
over 4 wavelengths square. It doesn't matter what the material is as
long as it isn't some type of Stealth Carbon Composite or the like. Wood
& plastic boats show up just like steel ones do, given the same size and
surface area. Modern Commercial Marine Radars have excellent Log
Receivers, and I have painted "Single Seagulls" sitting on the water
of Lake Union in Seattle, Wa. with a Furuno 448, and that was 20 years
ago. What makes a "Great" Marine Radar is the Antenna Gain and
Horizontal Beamwidth. The higher the Gain, and the smaller the
Beamwidth, the better the radar. 40 years ago we needed 20 or 40 Kw
just to paint Mountain Tops out at 48 miles, now that can be done with 6
or 7 Kw and units now only have one tube. (the Magnitron)
US Power Squadran has a course on the Operation and Use of Small Boat
Radars that might be of interest to the original Poster. Also there are
a number of schools that teach Radar Navigation and Radar Observer
courses for "USCG Six Pack Masters License preperation".
Bruce in alaska
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