Quote:
Originally Posted by Shreddy
I don't have direct experience, but isn't identifying other boats on radar only good if they are on radar as well? I've been out with friends on the ocean in the fog and I know the captain wasn't concerned with where we were going, but he was concerned with all the other smaller boats that "weren't on radar".
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Radar is an anachronism for “radio detection and ranging.” Your radar unit is sending out a radio signal that bounces off of an object and then the radar unit receives the bounced wave. It knows the distance to the object by the time it takes to receive the “bounce” and the direction to the object by the direction the “bounce” returns from. It makes no difference if another boat has a radar unit or other electronics. Unless it is coated in radio wave absorbing material, or hidden in the waves it will bounce the radar signal. A boat can increase its radar visibility by installing a reflective object at its highest point. Often sailboats on the ocean will have reflective balls at the top of their masts.
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