Sold.... thread closed

[BC Coast Pilot]

Edit:No longer looking, Now selling my old Radar scanner Garmin Radome GMR18
011-01487-00, works well.
See 7th post in this thread for more pics and details

 

[Sharphooks]

Just my .02 cents so take it for what it’s worth and apologies in advance for unsolicited advice….but……—-I strongly recommend you steer clear of the 18” radome and go for a 24”. I once saw a thread on The Hull Truth calling the Garmin Fantom 18 a “toy”….I thought that was a bit severe until I ended up owning a Garmin Fantom 18 which came on the wheelhouse roof of pre-owned boat I purchased. First trip down Johnstone Strait in thick fog I almost had two collisions —- the Fantom 18 did NOT paint a target when it absolutely should have….this wasn’t a gain setting issue. I stripped it off the wheelhouse roof as soon as I returned to my dock and replaced with a 24” radome and never looked back…night and day improvement in target painting and target separation

 

[BC Coast Pilot]

Just my .02 cents so take it for what it’s worth and apologies in advance for unsolicited advice….but……—-I strongly recommend you steer clear of the 18” radome and go for a 24”. I once saw a thread on The Hull Truth calling the Garmin Fantom 18 a “toy”….I thought that was a bit severe until I ended up owning a Garmin Fantom 18 which came on the wheelhouse roof of pre-owned boat I purchased. First trip down Johnstone Strait in thick fog I almost had two collisions —- the Fantom 18 did NOT paint a target when it absolutely should have….this wasn’t a gain setting issue. I stripped it off the wheelhouse roof as soon as I returned to my dock and replaced with a 24” radome and never looked back…night and day improvement in target painting and target separation

A failing magnetron will give you the same type of symptoms.
But... if I had a choice of available models, I may consider your input, but all the models I listed are discontinued and no old stock around. Really all this stuff is just that, toys, we're ripping around in the fog maybe able to utilize a 1 to 3nm screen at best with a tiny magnetron. Fundamentally there's no real difference in the 18 inch vs the 24, they are both 50watt and the same rpm as well as both 48NM, slight difference in beam width. Mostly in my pleasure use I utilize the radar at a 1NM to 2NM function, any greater than that and you're losing targets as the pulse length changes. I'd NEVER consider any of thes toys to navigate properly or professionally as they all are after all....toys

 

[pescador]

A failing magnetron will give you the same type of symptoms.
But... if I had a choice of available models, I may consider your input, but all the models I listed are discontinued and no old stock around. Really all this stuff is just that, toys, we're ripping around in the fog maybe able to utilize a 1 to 3nm screen at best with a tiny magnetron. Fundamentally there's no real difference in the 18 inch vs the 24, they are both 50watt and the same rpm as well as both 48NM, slight difference in bandwidth. Mostly in my pleasure use I utilize the radar at a 1NM to 2NM function, any greater than that and you're losing targets as the pulse length changes. I'd NEVER consider any of thes toys to navigate properly or professionally as they all are after all....toys

It’s great for trolling in the fog at 2 knots. That’s the only time I ever rely on my Radar. And that in itself is a lot of stress and eye squinting. But I’m sure you know exactly what I mean. I’ve had Garmin radar 18 years and it’s served for a limited purpose. Not cruising at 25 knots thru Vancouver Harbour.

 

[BC Coast Pilot]

The worst part about radar in the fog is holding a steady heading, without an autopilot or a trained helmsman that can steer by compass its a ridiculous thing to try and do

 

[Sharphooks]

A failing magnetron will give you the same type of symptoms.
But... if I had a choice of available models, I may consider your input, but all the models I listed are discontinued and no old stock around. Really all this stuff is just that, toys, we're ripping around in the fog maybe able to utilize a 1 to 3nm screen at best with a tiny magnetron. Fundamentally there's no real difference in the 18 inch vs the 24, they are both 50watt and the same rpm as well as both 48NM, slight difference in bandwidth. Mostly in my pleasure use I utilize the radar at a 1NM to 2NM function, any greater than that and you're losing targets as the pulse length changes. I'd NEVER consider any of thes toys to navigate properly or professionally as they all are after all....toys

I know you’ve had way more experience then I have but there is a difference in beam width between the 18” and the 24” radome: the narrower beam width on the 24” radome gives way better target separation. You’ll see that immediately if you compare the target returns side by side between an 18” and a 24”

I’ve never used radar for long range collision avoidance—-just for whatever is in my 1/4 mile circle, and target separation is important to me in those circumstances. Add Doppler and you have a very powerful collision avoidance tool…I’m all in on situational awareness, probably because for most of my life I didn’t have a clue whether I was coming or going….

 

[BC Coast Pilot]

I know you’ve had way more experience then I have but there is a difference in beam width between the 18” and the 24” radome: the narrower beam width on the 24” radome gives way better target separation. You’ll see that immediately if you compare the target returns side by side between an 18” and a 24”

I’ve never used radar for long range collision avoidance—-just for whatever is in my 1/4 mile circle, and target separation is important to me in those circumstances. Add Doppler and you have a very powerful collision avoidance tool…I’m all in on situational awareness, probably because for most of my life I didn’t have a clue whether I was coming or going….

Find me one of you could
I may have got the last one of the 18HD+
Not much around on the discontinued stuff so not much of a choice. I'm not 100% happy, I really was after the new Fantom 24 but ran into compatibility issues as they update to the new Navionics GPS map system, which I do not want to upgrade my screens. So I'll suffer with a new GMR 18+ HD which should be an upgrade from the GMR18 that the boat came with and seemed to work fine.

 

[BC Coast Pilot]

For Sale GARMIN GMR 18 RADOME used, works well ( see last photo for target separation on the WCMRC boat and its tow)
$1200