Echomax Active X or Sea Me?

[Norman_E]

As my radar reflector was one of those tubular things that are pretty useless anyway, and broke up and fell down in the last bit of rough weather I have decided it is time to buy a radar target enhancer. I really don't think I need dual band as I do coastal sailing mostly in daylight where I see most ships before they see me, so which X Band set should I buy? The Echomax attracts me by having a very low standby current od 15ma, but what do members who have them, or the Sea Me, think. Cactus have the Echomax at £359.96 at present, so its also the cheapest option. (unless anyone knows a better one.)

 

[Talulah]

Personally I would be buying the Echomax. There was a comparison done and the Echomax came off better. Whether it makes any practical difference I don't know.

 

[Twister_Ken]

We had a very close AIS CPA showing with a container ship in the Channel last week. Called them to discuss, was told they'd been monitoring me on radar from 15 miles away. Echomax dual frequency.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

Old PBO test report here http://content.yudu.com/A1ec06/Echomax/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=
but I think new models have come out since then.

 

[neil1967]

I also intend to fit an active radar reflector (mast is coming down this year, so ideal opportunity) and it will probably be an Echomax. My quandary is whether to fit the dual band or the single. Don't all ships operate both, or is it just smaller ships (fishing vessels? etc) that only operate one (presumably X-band). Any advice/thoughts appreciated.

Neil

 

[Norman_E]

A pretty conclusive test. Thank you all. I have just punished my wallet for the Echomax! I will mount it on a pole attached to the bimini frame, which will put it a bit higher up than PBO had it on their rib in that test.

 

[RobbieW]

I also intend to fit an active radar reflector (mast is coming down this year, so ideal opportunity) and it will probably be an Echomax. My quandary is whether to fit the dual band or the single. Don't all ships operate both, or is it just smaller ships (fishing vessels? etc) that only operate one (presumably X-band). Any advice/thoughts appreciated.

Neil

Fit the dual. This is from memory so may be wrong in detail - the two bands are X and S; X is better at shorter range, S at longer. I believe S is better at penetrating rain etc. Smaller ships, us/fishing boats/etc would typically have X only. Big commercials/ferries/etc would have X and S, I dont know if there is a requirement to fit both to meet a particular category of operation.

 

[Norman_E]

Apart from the cost, the reason I have bought X band only is that where I sail there are few really big ships except for the occasional cruise liner. The latter are big enough to see coming and will just bully anything else out of their way anyway. I intend to add a class B AIS transponder, so the big ships will see me from that even if I barely show up on S band radar.

Just a thought, do modern big ships overlay AIS data onto their radar screens? Its a few years since I went on the bridge of a ship, but it was a ferry from Portsmouth to France and it had a huge flat screen radar display which could easily have accommodated AIS data as well.

 

[prv]

Just a thought, do modern big ships overlay AIS data onto their radar screens? Its a few years since I went on the bridge of a ship, but it was a ferry from Portsmouth to France and it had a huge flat screen radar display which could easily have accommodated AIS data as well.

Some do, some don't. The number that do will only increase.

Pete