LCD Display at your Helm
I am very happy with my Raytheon RL70 LCD display with a 24" 4KW radome. I think it is important to have the radar screen at your helm vice having it below at the nav station. Thus a waterproof LCD-type display is my requirement. I went for the 4KW 24' radome primarilly to get the 24' size. The horizontal beam angle is 3.9 degrees with the 24" and only 5.2 degrees with the 18". This gives you better resolving power and will separate different targets at longer ranges. Supposedly the 4KW of power also punches through rain and fog better too. If you think that you want a chartplotter later then the RL70 display has the high-speed bus (HSB) that allows chart and radar data transfer between a chart plotter at the nav station and a radar at the helm. Best of everything, IMO. The Raytheon also interfaces to the SeaTalk bus and can display other instrument and GPS data on your screen. In particular, your GPS waypoint appears on your radar screen and shows you which target is your waypoint. This is a very valuable feature, IMO. I installed on a Waltz Self-leveling backstay mount. At about $700 I believe this to be the most cost effective mounting solution. This gives me a mounting height of 11.5 feet and a range to a water-surface object of 4.25nm. At a 25' mast height the range would be 6.25nm. I can see land, large ships, tug/tows, and other high targets at longer ranges. I can pick up thunderstorms up to 48 miles away! Between GPS and radar, I can navigate to a harbor entrance and then enter in a dead fog without fear. The backstay mount allows me to remove, and service (if necessary) the radome. Also since my yard charges an EXTRA $50 to handle a mast with a radome, this charge is eliminated. If your mast is already in place, you can install a radar without pulling the mast to route cables too. Good luck on your selection and installation.
