Radar

[CSkipR]

Haven't seen a post on this subject in awhile. Enjoy hearing of the different ways people tune their radar to locate birds. I have my way but would like to hear some different thoughts.

[marlinchaser]

I just upgraded to a 4K array and hope that will let me spot birds so interested in howto set up radar also. Cspikr; you could start us off!!

[schoolsout]

I just upgraded to a 4K array and hope that will let me spot birds so interested in howto set up radar also. Cspikr; you could start us off!!

color radar?

turn gain up

clutter/rain down

then adjust slightly from there

should notice birds within all the noise

You want the noise to show up and you should be able to pick through the noise to spot birds

Good luck with a 4kw...never really tried it, but heard from some that it can work.

[leelindsay]

With fine tuning 4k will work, I have 4k dome and can spot birds on calm day just takes some tuning.

[Calusa]

I use a Furuno Navnet VX2 6 Kw open array radar for finding birds. Here is the long version of how I set up my machine for optimal bird finding. I can routinely see birds 3 to 4 miles away in seas up to 2-3 ft and on calm days I can even see weed lines. Try setting up on a calm day offshore away from other boats. Birds appear as red spots on a cluttered green background. The echos come and go as the birds go up and down.

A caveat is that when set up for finding birds the radar is not much good for anything else.

1. Power up the Navnet while holding down the menu button till you hear a double beep (2-3 seconds). After the beeps you can release the buttons.

2. When the first menu appears select the second option, INST. MODE and press the enter button. Wait while the unit continues to boot up.

3 When the unit has booted up if the Radar mode is not selected then select radar and power up the radar to transmit.

4 Press the menu button and select the last option, SYSTEM CONFIGURATION.

5 In the next menu select the last option INSTALLATION SETUP.

6 In the next menu select the second option RADAR SETUP

7 In the radar setup menu select the seventh option RADAR ANTENNA HEIGHT. Select HIGH (33 feet) then press enter.

8 Next go down to the eighth option in the radar setup menu, STC CURVE. Select WIDE STC curve and then press ENTER.

9 Press menu and return to the radar screen

10 Press the Hide/Show button until the soft keys that show SIGNAL PROC. Etc. appear

11 Then press SIGNAL PROC. soft key.

12 Set the INTERFERENCE REJECTION to OFF.

13 Set ECHO AVERAGE to HIGH.

14 Select PULSE to LONG, (the range must be set to 3 miles to be able to do this.)

15 Press the RETURN soft key and then when it appears press the TARGET soft key.

16 Then press the TRAIL soft key and select ON.

17 Then press TRAIL TIME and select 15 or 30 seconds.

18 Then press the GRAD soft key and select MULTI.

19 Select TRAIL COLOR, my preference is blue.

20 Then press the GAIN button. (I underline this to differentiate it from the GAIN soft key.)

21 Press the A/C SEA and select Manual, then turn the gain down to 0.

22 Press the A/C RAIN soft key and turn the gain down to 0.

23 Press the A/C AT soft key and select OFF.

24 Press the GAIN soft key, select manual and turn the gain up high till the screen starts to go green, somewhere between 50% and 100%.

25 Select the 3-mile range.

26 Finally, make sure that NOISE REJECTION is OFF. In the radar mode select MENU, then press the RADAR DISPLAY SETUP. Then turn noise rejection off.

[The Hun]

Calusa, Thanks. I had a post at the top of this page asking the question that you just answered pertaining to trail time. I experimented with it this past weekend and couldn't decide which I liked better 15 or 30 seconds on trail time. Thanks for your help. We were on a friends boat in the Bahamas two weeks ago and his radar is like mine and we had no trouble finding birds with the radar, I even spotted what I thought were birds but it was eventually a boat trolling that was hull down to us at that distance and I was seeing his outriggers. His radar was set up by the Furuno rep. and he has no idea of the settings. The Hun

[Calusa]

Thanks.

Hun you are welcome. Some of it depends on personal preference. Experiment with the settings and see what you like, your preferences may even change depending on sea conditions, number of targets etc.

There are certain situations where I will turn Echo Averaging off completely.

Good luck,

Calusa

[First Light]

I just upgraded to a 4K array and hope that will let me spot birds so interested in howto set up radar also. Cspikr; you could start us off!!

With a 4kw radar you can visibly see the same birds your radar can see - unless you are looking at night, or it's foggy. To do what you want to do, which is find birds beyond what you can visibly see, you need a minimum of 6kw - 8 or 12kw is better.