You would often get a better view of the horizon up the mast-being over 30 feet (about 9.5 m) above the deck.
At that height you were about the level of the big rotating antenna- printed with the words below it- ensure turned off while in proximity.
Was it because you felt a wave of warmth as the face rotated past you? Or had to be careful it didn't swipe you as you leaned over with the pitching of the boat?
To be honest, it was being 40 feet above sea level, with the mast moving significantly as the boat rolled, and on occasion pitched, and trying to hold on without ending in a heap on the steel deck, or left behind when you ended up in the sea, and the boat steamed on. And of course the wind tugging at your clothes.
I became not to fear standing at the base of the mast looking up to my 'fate' of residence in height, as time went on. In fact it became a lot easier after the first time.
My vision became not of falling, but the joy of being free, and the master of my own fate, it being solely my responsibility not to fall. And of course the pleasure of being there.
pic courtesy of Erik Christensen, Porkeri/norden.org
Warning - do not do what I did- this is only a story for your education about handling fear.
The theory of radar exposure follows. From a radar expert, and the World Health Organization.
Standing in front or within 4 meters of any devise that transmits a "Electromagnetic radiation field or radio frequency (RF) field" can be dangerous. Now here is the real catch. It does not just depends on the output power and type of wavelengths and frequencies and whether or not its continuous or pulse. But the key factor here is know as the "Time Weighted Average or TWA" of exposure. Meaning how much time does the person in question risk exposure based on a time weighted average of 8 hours at what power output? Most boaters do not stand in front of any type of Electromagnetic radiation field or radio frequency (RF) field designed for pleasure crafts for any length of time that would approach becoming dangerous. I would hope anyway.
Human exposure to EMF emitted by radar systems is limited by international standards and protective measures, which were adopted on the basis the currently available scientific evidence. In summary:
- RF fields cause molecules in tissue to vibrate and generate heat. Heating effects could be expected if time is spent directly in front of some radar antennas, but are not possible at the environmental levels of RF fields emanating from radar systems.
- To produce any adverse health effect, RF exposure above a threshold level must occur. The known threshold level is the exposure needed to increase tissue temperature by at least 1oC. The very low RF environmental field levels from radar systems cannot cause any significant temperature rise.
