Do I need a radar reflector if I have radar?

[wonkywinch]

Perhaps an AIS transmission is enough to avoid being mown down by a ferry?

 

[Daverw]

Not if as some report that commercial shipping can turn off class B transmissions

 

[jamie N]

AIS is good, as are active radar reflectors. Passive reflectors aren't as good, and being without AIS makes one invisible in certain situations.
To my mind, it's about increasing one's visibility, and decreasing one's chances of being involved in something bad, such as where the OOW is less likely to notice my 'wee wooden boat', or being made aware of me, and altering course in good time, so that none of us have a 'surprise'.
I've got both, and feel better for it, given the cost advantage of it; the same cost as some offshore jackets or 2 pairs of leather boots FFS....!

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Just to add to the debate 3G and 4G Radars which are quite common now do not work on a pulse echo so radar reflectors etc not effect to the same extent. !!!???

Doesn't matter. Whatever is being emitted will be reflected or retransmitted by a reflector or transponder. However, you need a transponder that operates on all the radar frequencies in use. Mine could do with replacement for that reason.

 

[jane444blue]

Echomax do this stuff. I chuckle at boats in my marina that are 100's of thousands of pounds more expensive than mine, with 3 bob's worth of reflector.
I've one of the above, as it is proven to be very effective, so if you're at night without an active reflector, in fog, are you going to be happier that you've saved a a bit of dosh by putting up some baco foil in a tube?
With something like this, isn't it a case of doing it properly, or don't bother?

I have one of these too, I had to call a mayday at night (another tale) and the RNLI nav said my boat looked like a super tanker on his screen. Worth every penny and the time up the mast to fit it.

 

[peter gibbs]

I suspect the answer is yes, but boat we're about to buy (38 foot Beneteau) has radar but no reflector.

Plan coastal cruising and thought a reflector was obligatory?

The reflector does a completely different job to radar, and works continuously to show your position on an approaching radar. Do not buy a tiny toy, get a Furdell or equivalent and secure it firmly at better than half way up the mast. Ignore all the clatter shout windage and ruining sailing performance - it won't.

 

[Norman_E]

When I fitted a See Me transponder, which is a good thing to have particularly if you buy the dual band model, I took some advice over where to fit it. The advice was not to put it up the mast, but to make sure it was well above head height for anyone in the cockpit. The answer was to get a thread cut on the end of a 25mm stainless pole to mount it about 8 feet above deck level with the pole attached to the pushpit. The cable runs down inside the pole.

 

[johnalison]

When I fitted a See Me transponder, which is a good thing to have particularly if you buy the dual band model, I took some advice over where to fit it. The advice was not to put it up the mast, but to make sure it was well above head height for anyone in the cockpit. The answer was to get a thread cut on the end of a 25mm stainless pole to mount it about 8 feet above deck level with the pole attached to the pushpit. The cable runs down inside the pole.

I fitted my SeaMe when the boat was new 23 yrs ago. For ease of fitting I just put it above the radar on its pole at the stern. I don’t know if operation of my radar interferes with its function, but I’m not in the habit of leaving the radar transmitting for long periods and have accepted the compromise. Its range of visibility should be more than adequate.

 

[Refueler]

Thank you for all your input. It's a long time since I studied radar (early 70's) and I couldn't remember if transmitting a radar pulse improved visibility to other boats with radar. I know AWACS often pings aircraft weather radar but I'll look at radar transponders rather than the ugly and ineffective Ted Roger's "Dusty Bin".

Similarly, the boat has AIS receive but not transmit, so first stop is to install a transponder (probably by upgrading the B&G V50 VHF to a V60B and adding the extra antenna at the mast head.

If you have AIS receive - then you must have AIS antenna or splitter to VHfg antenna ??

Be careful - if you are going to install a second antenna - you should not have an AIS antenna within about 2m of a VHF antenna - that's in all directions up / down as well ...... its why VHF/AIS splitters have become common - to use the one antenna for both duties.

Why ? 25W of VHF output (OK before anyone chirps in - I know with losses etc. - you don't get 25W at mast head) but its enough to swamp the AIS antenna.

 

[st599]

Why ? 25W of VHF output (OK before anyone chirps in - I know with losses etc. - you don't get 25W at mast head) but its enough to swamp the AIS antenna.

As I said earlier in the thread, it also changes the radiation pattern so you no longer have an omni. May even have some nice nulls where it no longer radiates in a certain direction.