Active Radar Reflectors

[Piers]

Try calling them -01963 34184. I suspect the answer will be no, and something to do with their distributors.

 

[Robin]

Hmm I find that most odd as we have AIS send and recive. All ships at night and day altered course. We on our radar can see eveyone elses AIS. So I would think if we see them on radar they also will see us on radar,.

Peter

I'm not sure what you believe is what happened here but to make it clear to everyone reading these posts:-

If ships altered course for you it was because they 'saw' you, either visually or with their radar. It is extremely unlikely that they saw your AIS transmission displayed on their radar or plotter screens because very few ships yet have that facility, incoming AIS data is displayed simply as lines of text on a standalone receiver which is all they are required to have.

Because you can see a ship's echo on your radar (I mean proper radar not the misnamed NASA thingy) that does not mean that they can also see you with theirs. Whilst large and high vertical lumps of steel like ships are good radar targets at long ranges to your radar set the average small fibreglass or wooden boat is not which is why it is recommended to have a radar reflector, passive or active.

AIS is a useful tool to have and especially so if it displays in the correct position on your radar or plotter screen. However it is an incorrect assumption that because you have the latest interfaced AIS gizmo that the big ships have it too, some may but most as yet do not.



L

 

[Genoa]

Clearly it depends where you sail!
- X band only RTEs are perfect for areas where shipping reasonably expects leisure boats (coastal / cross channel etc) - They do generally keep them on and MARPA will alert them to your presence. Once you fall off the shelf shipping goes S band only. So whilst dual channel is the right apprach, if cost is an issue and you don't often go beyond 24 hours from shore, go X only.- Then the echomax is the clear winner.
All this stuff about IMO - irrelevant to us anyway. We dont have a "legal requirement" to do anything in terms of equipment, so don't rush out and buy a dual channel becasue you believe it will be illegal not to!
Finally I am sure both SeaMe and Echomax have been working on dual channel for a while now. EchoMax waited before then trumped SeaMe. I suspect the same here. Maybe EchoMax timed for a big PR launch at a significant boating event coming up??

 

[Babylon]

This comment from Deputy HM Southampton is relevant:

http://www.yosc.org.uk/html/announcements.html#navigationaids

Excellent link!

Thanks

 

[Georgio]

It is worth noting that Echomax will be launching their own dual band RTE early next year. Given that their single band unit seems to out-perform the See Me unit in tests it may be worth the wait.

I plan to buy a RTE and will wait and see what the Echomax pricing looks like.

That said, everyone I have spoken to about the See Me has been full of prase, although it is good to see that they have some competition.

 

[hoverjumper]

That said, everyone I have spoken to about the See Me has been full of prase, although it is good to see that they have some competition.

Roll on the RTE price war!

 

[rickp]

So, what do I use? Radar for me to see others as best as poss, and an active Sea-Me to help others see me by returning a strong signal to their radar screens.

Anyone done any tests with the active responders and the new FMCW radars? Given the way the FMCW radars work, I'm not sure the active responders will show up as well - but I'd love to be proven wrong....

 

[Twister_Ken]

FMCW?

Forward Mounted Coastal Watch Radar?

 

[rickp]

FMCW?

Forward Mounted Coastal Watch Radar?

Sorry, should have been less terse but brain was on other things. FMCW aka Navico's 'Broadband radar'.