Erwin Swart
Member
does anybody knows why the tri-lens radar reflector is out of production?
Tri-Lens radar reflector
- Thread starter Erwin Swart
- Start date
matt1
Well-known member
Unfortunately some were installed incorrectly (including my original one by the local Selden agent at the time who used locatite on the nut) resulting in them coming down. I believe there was an injury case in the us and after that they were no longer produced. Shame. There is a co in Aus that still has some of the "mini" ones in stock. I had to buy one second hand of this forum for my new boat.
In addition to some being incorrectly mounted, there were some bracket failures. Later installations tended to have a top and bottom bracket
MikeCC
Well-known member
They have not been available for some years now. There was an outfit in the Netherlands importing them but he was asking 2-3 times the previous price. No idea if they still do them and don't recall name.
They single mast bracket for the mid-size did seem inadequate as only aluminium. Might have been OK as stainless. If anyone has a single bracket I'd certainly recommend supporting from the top as well. I may have one or two still knocking around for a modest sum.
The company that made them does a whole load of Fresnel lens type products for commercial and military, so it could be they are still made for non-leisure market.
They single mast bracket for the mid-size did seem inadequate as only aluminium. Might have been OK as stainless. If anyone has a single bracket I'd certainly recommend supporting from the top as well. I may have one or two still knocking around for a modest sum.
The company that made them does a whole load of Fresnel lens type products for commercial and military, so it could be they are still made for non-leisure market.
ditechspain
New member
On the off chance, do you still have any?
Not really expecting a +ve reply!
MikeCC
Well-known member
Possibly - I'll have look and message you.
sparkey
New member
Appreciate thread is now nearly 12 months old but if you still have another knocking about I would be interested
MikeCC
Well-known member
Sadly none to hand, sorry.
thinwater
Well-known member
AIS (it is a pretty safe bet that anyone using radar has AIS and saw you that way first).
Davis is loads cheaper and just as effective in catch-rain position?
Davis is loads cheaper and just as effective in catch-rain position?
jamie N
Well-known member
Many have boats worth thousands and thousands of £/$/€, but don't seem to think that an active reflector is worth the cost of a mid-range Musto jacket.
Not necessarily within the context of the thread, but a curiosity to me.
Not necessarily within the context of the thread, but a curiosity to me.
WindyWindyWindy
Active member
I don't think a mid range musto jacket is worth the cost of a mid range musto jacket either...
PhillM
Well-known member
That is an interesting point. I wonder if it’s power related. I know I’ve looked at the active ones a few times and based on power, cost to install (another wire in the mast etc) and prioritising AIS I’ve never got round to installing one.
AntarcticPilot
Well-known member
The power required is minuscule; I've never noticed it as a problem, and I've had an active transponder since I bought Capricious. Remember, they only transmit when they are "painted" by a radar system. And Capricious's 12volt supply is entirely dependent on the engine and solar panels; I don't have a built-in battery charger.
I decided to fit an active transponder back in 2007 from my own knowledge and experience of the physics of passive reflectors, long before the classic "Ouzo" report by Qinetiq. I know exactly how difficult it is to be SURE that a passive reflector will work, even in a situation on land and with access to precision construction facilities. The Ouzo report was unsurprising to me; I think my main reaction was "Why has no-one done this before?", though I was pleased to have all the detail put together in one place.
I did a little research after originally posting - the quoted power requirement is 1 watt. In other words, it uses 1Ah of battery capacity in 12 hours of use. And that's for a dual band transponder; an X-band only one would be about half that.
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WindyWindyWindy
Active member
They should make a solar powered one..
jamie N
Well-known member
Easy enough to have a dedicated solar panel and battery, albeit not within the antenna, but it's so simple as it is and really uses such a small amount of power.
Perhaps on a Transat rowing boat, or whatever...
Perhaps on a Transat rowing boat, or whatever...
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PabloPicasso
Well-known member
Don't need to install an active reflector atop the mast. Is perfectly adequate at deck level which would give, at a guess, a 5 NM signal, plenty far enough to aid collision avoidance
PhillM
Well-known member
I went and had a look at them again yesterday, Indeed, they are now offering a suspended version for installation on the backstay and also talk about rail mounting. I think I may be adding one to my Christmas list.
Is it worth buying the XS version or is X alone OK? I think they are suggesting that X is carried by both commercial and leisure but S has more range and is better in heavy rain... or have I got that wrong?
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AntarcticPilot
Well-known member
That's right. I'm thinking of upgrading from my X band only one to an XS version.
Daverw
Well-known member
Just what may be a silly question but how does it ignore your own radar beam?
AntarcticPilot
Well-known member
Not a silly question at all! I have no idea; there is no interconnection, so all I can think of is that it ignores signals OVER a certain strength. Even though the active transponder is usually located well out of the radar's beam, one a few metres away will still be radiating a lot more power than the power received from a radar on another vessel.
Interested in hearing from someone with more definite knowledge!
Incidentally, that sounds like a good reason for the transponder to be mounted at the masthead, where it will be in a null of the radar antenna's polar diagram. I can't imagine why you'd want to restrict the range at which it reacts by mounting it low down. As far as I'm concerned, the further I can be "seen" the better!
Roberto
Well-known member
I have an Echomax XS, it is at about 4m asl on the stern gantry, it detects other ships' radars at about 15nm, slightly lower for fishing vessels possibly because their radar antenna is lower.
My radar antenna is at the first spreaders, if I activate it the Echomax will detect it, there is no filtering option. Given the strength of own radar detections by the RTE, I very much doubt that increasing the distance between radar antenna and RTE antenna would change anything.
The green led flickers with radars of smaller motor vessels or fishing vessels, the amber one (S-band) when there are big ships (or coastal radar stations nearby), sometimes ships use the S-band alone so they would not activate a single band RTE and pass unnoticed.
It's also interesting to see the number of ships having their radar on and AIS switched off (probably forgotten), helps to form one's opinion about AIS.
Example
A big ship at about 12nm, it is visible on my radar, it is not transmitting any AIS signal (ais display empty), the Echomax detects the ship S-band radar (amber led), the green flickering led indicates my own radar X-band transmissions.
There is another recent thread about it
Echo max Active Dual Band -Cut Cables
My radar antenna is at the first spreaders, if I activate it the Echomax will detect it, there is no filtering option. Given the strength of own radar detections by the RTE, I very much doubt that increasing the distance between radar antenna and RTE antenna would change anything.
The green led flickers with radars of smaller motor vessels or fishing vessels, the amber one (S-band) when there are big ships (or coastal radar stations nearby), sometimes ships use the S-band alone so they would not activate a single band RTE and pass unnoticed.
It's also interesting to see the number of ships having their radar on and AIS switched off (probably forgotten), helps to form one's opinion about AIS.
Example
A big ship at about 12nm, it is visible on my radar, it is not transmitting any AIS signal (ais display empty), the Echomax detects the ship S-band radar (amber led), the green flickering led indicates my own radar X-band transmissions.
There is another recent thread about it
Echo max Active Dual Band -Cut Cables
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