Marine Radar

[Rob_Davis]

First, let me say that I am NOT considering getting marine radar for my vehicle. I ain't that rich!

But my question is, what exactly is the problem with the use of marine radar on a ground vehicle for chasing? I have seen a couple of discussions about it on WX-CHASE over the years, but I have yet to hear a clear, concise, and compelling argument. The most memorable argument against the use of marine radar I have heard is that it can interfere with the DOW or other radar.
What other rationale do we have against (or for) the use of marine radar on the ground?

 

[Jeff Snyder]

I thought it was illegal to use marine radar on land w/o permit...

 

[Bryce Stone]

It is illegal to use marine band radar . . . but the agency which enforces this law is the Coast Guard. That's why people get away with having marine band radar on their vehicles; the Coast Guard is not going to come to the plains states to look for people violating that law.

However, marine band can disrupt some electronic products (I think the DOW trucks have had problems before from people with marine band). You won't make too many friends in the scientific chasing world by having a marine band radar.

 

[Rob_Davis]

Agreed. And it really doesn't seem to add any dimension to your information that already get easier and less expensively through WX WORX or mobile Internet, although a few years back I can see somebody wanting to give it a shot since realtime info wasn't as readily available.

The only real benefit I could see from it is simply the "coolness" factor of getting a closeup, better focused radar image of your immediate target area. It may not help you find the target, but once you are at the target, it would indeed be cool to be able to capture radar images of the tornado right in front of you, just like it is cool to capture it on film.

I can see it being of some possible value to you while spotting at night since you frequently cannot observe the cloud formations in the dark.

That's an awful lot of money for a couple of "cool" captures. But then again, spending is relative in storm chasing, since all of it is expense.

 

[Ben Cotton]

I dont' have any details, but it seems the FCC enforces the improper use of marine radar...

Kansas - Wichita - January 6: Warning Notice to two Technician class licensees regarding marine radar units mounted in vehicles for storm-spotting.
Kansas - Winfield - January 6: Warning Notice to Technician class licensee regarding marine radar unit mounted in vehicle for storm-spotting.
Kansas - Haysville - January 6: Warning Notice to Technician class licensee regarding marine radar unit mounted in vehicle for storm-spotting.

http://www.arrl.org/news/enforcement_logs/.../2004/0124.html

How usefull would marine radar really be anyway? Does it provide any velocity data, or is it simply reflectivity (whee, WSR-74). Reflectivity images of a tornado might be a nice novelty, but w/o velocity its of no real merit.


Ben

 

[Gary Shuford]

Would one really want all that RF power sitting on top of their head anyway? Might make one go bald pretty quick!

 

[Tim Stoecklein]

Would one really want all that RF power sitting on top of their head anyway? Might make one go bald pretty quick!

Hahaha, I'm moving my 2m antenna when I get home!

Ben's right though, the FCC doesn't have much use for anything that causes interference like that. If it runs on a part of the spectrum that's common to equipment in an area where the radar is not COMMONLY used (land), then chances are those areas of the band are allocated to other equipment in the area.

When I was in Michigan it was very noticeable after 9/11 when the AWACS(sorry, can't think of it right now, feel free to correct me) planes were patrolling the border because they would cause interference to the linked repeater system. The linked system used the 440 band for some of its controls. The 440 band is a shared band with the military being the priority user I believe, therefore we lived with it.

Tim

 

[Robert Dewey]

Would one really want all that RF power sitting on top of their head anyway? Might make one go bald pretty quick!

Could't you use a magnetic lead blanked (inside a plastic casing) to lay over the roof of the vehicle before installing it? I know that's how the doctors protect themselves from various types of radiation...

Either way, it is illegal, and it's not suggested...

 

[Rob_Davis]

Either way, it is illegal, and it's not suggested...

Agreed. I don't care about the radar. I just want one of these on my roof to piss people off with! :lol:

 

[Mike Sharp]

Marine radar is primairily in the 9Ghz Band.
I work servicing marine search and rescue equipment . The SART's that are used in an emergency to enable other boats to see a life-raft operate from 9.1 - 9.5 Ghz.

 

[Tom Van Kuiken]

Some years back I took the radar off my boat and placed it on the roof of my house. It could only see the biggest of cells as the beam is looking rather far up in the atmosphere after a few miles out. Pretty much a 10 to 15 mile range, but it was cool to play with. You can find used boat radars in Florida marine shops for a few hundred bucks, also on Ebay. No need today with internet and nexrad, plus it is illegal. Mine was in a radome so my neighboors had no idea what was up their. If you fear radiation from radar, it might be best to stay away from airports and marine areas with lots of boats.

 

[Chris Sokol]

I went on a few chases with Eric N. when he had the marine radar unit, and it did have some good uses, especially at night. on one occasion, it did clearly show the hook on a night cell, which determined our route to safety.

All in all...legal issues aside...it really is not worth the cost.