Magnum
regular
Reged: 14/01/2004
Posts: 1821
Loc: Switzerland
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Quote:
How about putting it inside an empty dome?
What an excellent idea. I wonder what I can fit inside one of these puppies - http://www.kvh.com/products/product.asp?id=150
I went for the Raymarine AIS receive only unit. I just fancied an integrated solution and if the truth be known it's more of a novelty that really useful feature for my planned use.
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Magnum
regular
Reged: 14/01/2004
Posts: 1821
Loc: Switzerland
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Quote:
And I don't see how disguising it as Mike suggests could help, with respect of 'doing any good', either.
I don't think It'll do any good either, but I believe I have to comply with Solas V, and therefore have one anyway to obtain Cayman Isles registration.
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MapisM
regular
Reged: 11/03/2002
Posts: 3139
Loc: Italy
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I see. Nice toy that KVH thingie, are you fitting also their gyro compass, interfaced with the autopilot?
Its very fast and accurate response would probably make sense for a boat like yours.
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Magnum
regular
Reged: 14/01/2004
Posts: 1821
Loc: Switzerland
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Nope. This was the advice I got from the fitting dealer :-
"The new KVH M Series have the benefit of a gyro sensor built in so no need for the additional expense of a gyro trac unit. This enables the antenna to lock onto satellites whilst the vessel is on the move without disturbing your viewing pleasure. The only time the antenna will experience a loss of tracking would be if the vessel was pitching and rolling in extremely bad weather but this type of issue is unlikely to affect the leisure market."
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MapisM
regular
Reged: 11/03/2002
Posts: 3139
Loc: Italy
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Sensible advice, but I would have given it a thought for feeding the autopilot, rather than to just improve the sat TV reception.
You'll surely have an electronic compass installed somewhere, anyway.
Gyro-trac is excellent in this respect, so I'm told.
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Observer
regular
Reged: 21/11/2002
Posts: 1177
Loc: Bucks
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most of us on here have a couple of lumps of cast iron that reflect prety well anyway.
Yep - if the engines were mounted on the radar arch - but then t'would need that special 'Z' drive gearbox.
--------------------
Fair Prospect
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Malabar
regular
Reged: 20/01/2008
Posts: 57
Loc: Isle of Wight
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The Report by QinetiQ: Performance Investigation of Marine Radar
Reflectors on the Market, issued in April 2007 as an attachment to the MAIB investigation into the OUZO accident is an invaluable insight into radar reflectors. http://www.maib.dft.gov.uk/publications/investigation_reports/2007/ouzo.cfm
The strong advice seems to be to go for an "active" responder such as the 'See-Me'. Then the natural progression is to consider fitting AIS. Plenty of discussion on that within this forum
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Hurricane
regular
Reged: 11/11/2005
Posts: 1684
Loc: Sant Carles de la Rąpita
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Quote:
And I don't see how disguising it as Mike suggests could help, with respect of 'doing any good', either.
Are you saying that by hiding it - it will become inefective?
I dont think so - just as long as it is installed upright it will work fine IMHO.
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Hurricane
regular
Reged: 11/11/2005
Posts: 1684
Loc: Sant Carles de la Rąpita
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Yes, I was aware of this report.
But if you take that approach - then SOLAS V is a load of bollocks.
At least if we follow the regs we are meeting a standard that has some technical background - and then we cant be blamed for causing an incident.
If they changed the regs - that would be different.
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jfm
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 7818
Loc: London/Antibes
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I'm with you on this Hurricane. Fit them in a hidden location. Mine is inside a GRP moulding on the flybridge, so totally invisible, and perfectly effective of course (at least, its effectiveness is not impacted by being in a GRP box)
Magnum I didn't answert the poll because mine is MCA approved but I dont know if it is Solas. Lots of my MCA safety gear (incl LRs and grab bags) is solas approved because MCA require it, but dunno about radar reflector
Personally I think these leisure boat radar reflectors are a waste of time. The other vessel will see the returns from your engines, window frames, fridges, flybridge cranes, passerelle, TVs, the 4x3 inch square thickwalled aluminium box section that forms the space frame for all modern flybridges, the cast metal casing of your raymarine plotters, etc, long before it sees the return from a coke can sized radar reflector
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