Using 2 radar units at the same time

[nyrussell]

In an earlier thread a few of you mentioned running 2 radar systems at the same time. Is this two screens or 2 different arrays as well? From the same Manufacterer? etc...

Noel

 

[Top Shelf]

I have used, on occasion, a 72 mile furuno set and a 24 mile furuno set at the same time. Mainly to watch weather on crossings to the Bahamas, long range and ship traffic on the shorter range set....

But I admit it....I was playing....really looking for birds. Don't know if it's really practical. Thx.

 

[luckydave215]

I'll sometimes set my small radar (Furuno 48 mile) to a lowish gain setting to keep watch, and gain up my big (Furuno 72 mile) radar to search for birds or rain.
I have 2, so what the heck, why not? They are mounted one above the other, so they don't seem to interfere with each other.
And yeah, I'm playing too

 

[Trojan]

NOT GOOD. Do as you like. But it can ruin one or the other units or both due to overload. It will ruin the senseativity of the receiver big time. Like burn out. NOT GOOD. Your even taking a chance with the one that is turned off. They still receive some signal in the off position. Same as any radio.
It's big trouble if you are in the Navy and leave your radar on coming into port.
BILL

 

[doc g]

As long as the IR is on they will not interefere or hurt each. The Furunos have IR ,which I believe is intereference rejection. I run both of mine sometimes and have never had an issue.................................Pat

 

[Will]

Numerous commercial boats and ships use multiple radars, each with its own array. Common practise on harbor craft is to have one set for close distances and the other for longer distances. Of course there is the advantage of redundancy should one fail. Some years ago, there were problems with multiple VHF radios on the same boat blowing out one another. However, manufacturers now build in safe guards to prevent one radio from overloading the other. Multiple radars are so common these days, I suspect that radar manufacturers are doing the same thing. However, if in doubt, check with a radar technician.
Will

 

[Trojan]

Wrong! There usually on different frequency. No two can operate on the same frequency side by side. Same as you can't use 2 speed radars in the same car. It works just the same. You can sometimes get away with it if there is a large vertical distance between the two units. There beams are very flat, providing there is nothing to reflect the signal back into the other unit. If it does just say good-by radar.


BILL

 

[thoward]

There beams are very flat, providing there is nothing to reflect the signal back into the other unit. If it does just say good-by radar.


BILL

For the units to to do that would they not have to be pointing the same way and transmit at the same time?

 

[Trojan]

There pulse transmitters. Transmit than receive, on/off. For the most part they only need to be close to pointing at each other. One only needs to be transmitting when the other is receiving. Can you tell which? You could easily fry both receivers at the same time. It won't hurt the transmitters just the receivers. The greater the vertical separation between antennas the less chance they have in frying each other. The new units have a receiver gain control that will help stop the overload in the receiver, But won't stop the receiver front end from frying. A heavy front end overload can take out the front end diodes and kill the receiver. The other unit does not even need to be on to get fried. It's still not a good practice to run both radars at same time. FEEL LUCKY?
BILL

 

[nyrussell]

So I could fry the one turned off, then why mount 2?

Noel

 

[Trojan]

It would be rare to burn the receiver out when the unit is turned off. But it can happen. The units would need to be of the high power long range type radar and be operated in real close proximity. I don't think ours would do this very easy. But I'm not real sure how much RF the front ends on our little units will take. I won't take the chance and run mine together. The same thing can happen to our VHF radios if the antennas are in a too close of a proximity. My radar units are stacked right on top of each other for now. Going on 3 years. This year I think I'm going to get a tower for the long range 64 mile unit. Of course you can do as you like, but I would like you to know what could happen when conditions are correct.


BILL