Safety

[Mikeygp]

Hi, considering a river cruise, but concerned about radiation from the close proximity to the vessels radar,

worked with ships radars for years and looks hazardous to me.

Welcome any informed comments.

Mike.

[mom says]

Seriously? You actually think the ships would be allowed to sail if radiation exposure was a hazard? DH flew for 25 years in a helicopter- his seat was directly under their radar. He's fine and AFAIK, his knobby bits don't glow in the dark.

 

You could try posting this on the river cruise forum. Hopefully our resident marine engineering expert will chime in. Until then,  have a read:  https://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/electronics/can-your-radar-really-hurt-you

Edited June 18, 2019 by mom says

[navybankerteacher]

31 minutes ago, Mikeygp said:

Hi, considering a river cruise, but concerned about radiation from the close proximity to the vessels radar,

worked with ships radars for years and looks hazardous to me.

Welcome any informed comments.

Mike.

Do you stay in your kitchen after turning on your microwave oven?

[SteveH2508]

How far does a river cruise ship's radar need to see? A couple of hundred metres at best - think about it.

[chengkp75]

Due to the height restrictions under the bridges on the rivers, the radar antenna are set on the bow and stern of these boats, and below the pilot house level.  If the radar was transmitting in 360* sweeps, the vast majority of the radar screen would be a white blob representing the boat itself.  Radars can be set with "no transmission zones", or sectors of the 360* sweep where there will be no microwaves transmitted.  These radars, due to their location, will be set for only the forward 180* (90* port through dead ahead to 90* starboard) for the forward radar or the after 180* for the stern radar.  So, essentially everything between the bow and the stern of the ship will have no radar image (this is oversimplified, as there can be some coverage alongside the boat, just not close in).  Also, marine radar only transmits at angles of 12.5* above and below the horizontal for the height of the antenna.  So, unless you plan on climbing the radar masts, you won't experience any "electromagnetic energy" (its not "radiation") from the radars.

Edited June 19, 2019 by chengkp75

[John Bull]

TThheeyy ssaayy tthhaatt rraaddaarr ggiivveess yyoouu ddoouubbllee vviissiioonn,, bbuutt II tthhiinnkk tthhaattss jjuusstt ssccaarree-mmoonnggeerriinngg.

 

JJBB 

[Krazy Kruizers]

That is certainly something I wouldn't about.

[Hlitner]

I wonder if the OP uses a cell phone given the impact of all that close radiation.

 

Hank

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

I wonder if the OP uses a cell phone given the impact of all that close radiation.

 

Hank

I know what you mean, Hank.  Just another point to radar safety, unlike your cell phone of a microwave that puts out a continuous stream of electromagnetic waves, a radar sends out micro-second pulses (that's the idea of radar, it sends out a pulse, and then has to listen for the bounce back).

[taglovestocruise]

6 hours ago, John Bull said:

TThheeyy ssaayy tthhaatt rraaddaarr ggiivveess yyoouu ddoouubbllee vviissiioonn,, bbuutt II tthhiinnkk tthhaattss jjuusstt ssccaarree-mmoonnggeerriinngg.

 

JJBB 

JJJJBBBB tthhiiss iiss ffuunnyy. hhaappyy ccrruuiissiinngg 👍👍..  iitt mmuusstt bbee aa vviicciioouuss rruummmmeerr yyoouu BBrriittss hhaavvee nnoo sseenneeccee ooff hhuummoorr.

[taglovestocruise]

5 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

JJJJBBBB tthhiiss iiss ffuunnyy. hhaappyy ccrruuiissiinngg 👍👍..  iitt mmuusstt bbee aa vviicciioouuss rruummmmeerr yyoouu BBrriittss hhaavvee nnoo sseenneeccee ooff hhuummoorr.

Sorry..rruummoorr.. edit.

[SRF]

The only documented health effect of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation is heating.

 

Get hit by a enough energy, and you could be cooked.  Small ship radars are way too low of power for this.  Plus, as the chief stated, they sent micro second pulses, so plenty of time for cooling between exposures.

 

BTW, in the modern world, you don't even need to use a cell phone.  So many cell towers, radios, broadcast TV and radio, microwave communications links, etc, etc, etc, we are bombarded with RF radiation all the time.

Edited June 19, 2019 by SRF