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Date posted: 10/12/2009

Scanstrut Product 'Perfect' in Testing Article

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German magazine Yacht tested our Self-Levelling Radar Mount earlier this year. Read on for a translated version of the results, or click on the link below to download the original article. 

‘Perfect’ Levelling Performance

Heeling and rolling always present a problem for radar equipment. As soon as the boat is properly underway and heeling over, the antenna goes blind to windward and to leeward. A self levelling radar mount helps you in this case.

Radomes have – to put it simply – upward and downward “blind spots”, they only “see” well horizontally. Everything beyond 12° above or below the antenna provides very weak echoes or even target loss. This of course is a technical decision, because a wider beam angle would “waste” too much transmission power. But when you are sailing you easily reach a 15° heel angle. A fitted, non levelling radar would now “send” a signal to heaven when windward and to the water when leeward respectively. The solution: a self leveling mounting system.

Scanstrut, a UK based company, provide such a system. We compared its latest model LMB-F1, which is equipped with a self levelling support to be attached at the backstay, with another firmly mounted support. The chandlery “Wendel und Rados” from Greifswald installed both systems on a Hanse yacht.

Initially everything went very well with both systems, but then – under sail – the differences became apparent. The self levelling radome continually showed its best performance and kept on presenting a complete radar image. In turn, the firmly attached support “swallowed” a part of the echoes.

In order to prevent the antenna from over-swinging, the maintenance free system uses a hydraulic damper which worked perfectly during the test.

The mounting pole, which has a length of 2.6 metres, runs parallel to the backstay and is very compact and discreet. It is very easy to install and to separate from the stay. To put it briefly: a recommendable installation in every respect.