Gillie Firth Mk3 radar reflector

[PeteE]

I've just dug out the Gillie Firth Mk3 reflector which came with the boat - stashed in the bottom of a locker - and thought I'd put it somewhere more effective like up the mast. Before I use all the advice on recent thread re fixings etc has anyone got any comments on this type of reflector, Good/Bad etc?

I guess the Gillie Firth is no longer produced (subsumed in Echomax?), but not necessarily obsolete? The Mk3 is one of the models recommended in the Mecal Tec Note MTN 19-1 so I assume I won't be wasting my time/effort fixing it to the mast.

Couple of thoughts - do these things have a finite life (mine is probably circa 1990) and how do you know it works? (Ok its a passive reflector so it doesn't "do" anything but does its effectiveness degrade with time?)

I don't have brackets for it - does anyone stock them or a suitable equivalent?

Pete

 

[maxi]

Gillie Firth

Some years ago, on a boring crossing of Lyme Bay, we were conducting our own survey of yacht visibility on radar, compared with the type of radar reflectors deployed.

In company with us was a Westerly Fulmar, following approx half a mile behind. The Fulmar showed very well on radar but with no reflector mounted.

Strangely, on each occasion (3) that he hoisted his Gillie Firth reflector to the crosstrees, the radar paint disappeared totally !!!

This may have been one of those strange mutual intereference situations that can occur with radar, and may or may not be related to Gillie Firth specifically.

But It suggests that you do some simple tests using a chum with a radar, before going to the trouble of mounting the reflector.

 

[PeterGibbs]

I've just dug out the Gillie Firth Mk3 reflector which came with the boat - stashed in the bottom of a locker - and thought I'd put it somewhere more effective like up the mast. Before I use all the advice on recent thread re fixings etc has anyone got any comments on this type of reflector, Good/Bad etc?

I guess the Gillie Firth is no longer produced (subsumed in Echomax?), but not necessarily obsolete? The Mk3 is one of the models recommended in the Mecal Tec Note MTN 19-1 so I assume I won't be wasting my time/effort fixing it to the mast.

Couple of thoughts - do these things have a finite life (mine is probably circa 1990) and how do you know it works? (Ok its a passive reflector so it doesn't "do" anything but does its effectiveness degrade with time?)

I don't have brackets for it - does anyone stock them or a suitable equivalent?

Pete

Finite life - don't think so, or hope not, mine has been in use for 20+ years.

Does it work? Probabaly a matter of degree and conditions at sea. As the boat heels the reflection changes and can disappear on certain bearings. But on the next sweep the radar will pick it up again and will retain the image for a while.

Bettre than nothing - I should think so, but boats, wet sails etc all give a reflection to some degree.

Does this one work? Perhaps the easy way is to ask a freindly fisherman with a low level radar to switch on as you walk past holding up your test reflector on a pole. I bet you'll get a signal.

PWG

 

[PeteE]

Hmmm....

Not exactly an overwhelming endorsement in favour. Maybe that's why its still in the locker 20 years on, but I guess I may as well give it a try up aloft.

 

[Searush]

IIRC, most of these things have a load of angled Alloy sheet/ foil inside the protective cover. It ain't gonna wear out. It may surface corrode, but that will have little impact on its electro-magnetic reflectivity. If it is has got sea water into it, I suppose it could corrode away significantly, which would reduce the area of conducting metal available to reflect the radar waves.

Basically, no moving parts, nothing to "wear" out.