"Lloyd Sumpter" wrote in message
...
So is radar worth it for the 1 day a year I MIGHT venture out in fog?

Or, to put it differently, what ELSE is radar good for? Can I use it to
determine if a freighter 10 miles away is on a collision course with me? Do
others normally run with radar on, even if it's clear? Why?


I turn on the radar whenever I'm outside my home water (Boston Harbor) or if the
conditions are ripe for fog. I often keep it in standby to save power and
magnetron time (they do wear out), but I make a point of using for while on
every passage. If there's ship in the distance, I try to work out a CPA
(Closest Point of Approach). If I'm "racing" a boat, I use it to compute the
other's speed. And if there's t-storms or squalls about, its fun to track them.

One problem with radar is that it does take practice - especially to use it
properly in the thick stuff. If you're thinking you can mount the screen down
below and turn it on once a year, you may be better off not having it.

--
-jeff
"Constant Vigilance!" - Frances W. Wright