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Originally Posted by Coastal Laker
On the topic of radar...
Be aware of boats with their radar running while anchored or at dock near you. If you can actually see the array spinning (meaning it is not covered and you can see it twirling around) than you are getting zapped with radiation. Ask them politely to shut it down. It is not intended for long exposure use in close proximity like that. It is a long range navigation tool. It has settings designed to protect a range beneath it so passengers do not get harmed.
There are a number of regulations regarding the appropriate use of radar inland, only I don't remember all the details off hand. I just remember that the people using it need to be sure they are not exposing others to excessivlely long periods of short-range radiation. Perhaps someone can enlighten us more on this and let me know if I am off base here. I'll try and find supporting information when I have a chance.
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On a more serious note than my title ... people shouldn't be that concerned about some fools radar left running. This came up last year and I'll repeat what I said then. The microwave emissions from a marine radar can't cause genetic damage but can cook you same as a microwave, albeit a low powered one. I doubt a radar you'd see on Winni has enough power to burn you at the distance of a slip length but if you feel hot* then it's time to move. Your electronics are more at risk than you are. A radar shouldn't be emitting in or near dock and you should request the operator to shut it down but you shouldn't think like it' a bomb waiting to go off.
*I know a guy who worked on one of our military radars and would swear he could tell when the antenna was rotating because, in his operator's position, his ears would pop as the microwaves heated his inner ear. Never was sure if he was just yanking my chain ....
** I have been RF burned but that was when I put my finger tip across the open end of a co-ax cable carrying a fair amount of K-band power. It hurt for the millisecond I kept my finger there, but no lasting damage.
I do believe the military is researching a microwave beam weapon, which by it's non-lethal action, encourages people to 'move away' in a manner like my finger was encouraged.
***Lastly the people in the radar equipped boat have some exposure to the RF emissions. They are "protected" by virtue of the antenna pattern which directs most of the energy outward rather than downward. Still if you could be
seriously hurt by the RF by crawling out on the fore-deck, I'm sure someone would have sued by now and there'd be class action lawsuit shutting all marine radar down. This said I'd be cautious about wearing metal jewlery within a few feet of the antenna. Again think microwave oven re: this matter.