GROUP TEST
PRACTICAL TESTING V
Our tracker boat
LABORATORY TESTING
Highly accurate and repeatable
measurements can really only be made in a
laboratory test chamber. The ideal is a
response that’s circular (i.e. the refl ector
gives the same strength return from any
bearing) and that the response is
maintained for angles of heel up to 20º (for
sailing boats). These results can then be
used to check that the refl ector meets
published standards.
The snag with the laboratory results is
that they give the boat owner little
information on what a refl ector will
actually do for him. Unfortunately, when
you mount a refl ector on a boat, nearby
objects will alter the pattern and,
furthermore, when you measure from a
ALAN WATSON AND TRINITY STAR
distance such factors as sea state,
atmospheric pressure and the radar profi le
of the test boat – and the height you are
Alan went to sea as a Marconi Radio Offi cer in the mid ’70s and served on tankers, cargo, measuring from – come into play. This
container and oil exploration vessels. During this time the emphasis changed from radio means that tests
to operation and maintenance of all electronics on board and he qualifi ed as an between small
Electronics Offi cer. By the early ’80s, the days of the radio offi cer were numbered, so craft at sea are a
Alan came ashore to work in the communications and broadcasting industry, in little short on
engineering, and later in management roles. The sea continued to feature with trips on science, because
vessels of all sizes to keep the experience current plus some teaching, including RYA they are neither
VHF and radar. In 2002 Alan set up his own business and registered as a sea school, precise nor
Trinity Nautical Training, with the RYA. The school offered a broad range of courses and repeatable, but
specialised in one to one tuition. Over the years the demand for radar courses, both leisure they go a long
and professional, has risen and Alan teaches this principally through a number of schools way to helping
in the Solent area, as well as customer courses for Raymarine. the boat owner
In addition to his commercial qualifi cations, Alan is a commercially endorsed understand
Yachtmaster and operates a Nelson 42, Trinity Star. what’s going on.
Contact: Trinity Star 07836 364960 www.trinitystar.co.uk
Technical Data Size – mm Weight Power consumption on Worked up Stopped
– kg standby (RTEs only) to working at
Echomaster 153 Octahedral 320 sphere 0.78 n/a up to 4M 5M
Firdell Blipper 210-7 595 x 240 dia 1.8 n/a up to 5M 6M
Tri-Lens standard 305 x 305 x 152 2.5 n/a up 6M 7M
Echomax EM230 610 x 245 2.5 n/a up to 7M **
Sea-me 416 x 50 dia 0.41* 150mA >7M **
Echomax Active-X 478 x 40.5 dia 0.33* <15mA >7M **
* excludes cable **Tests did not go beyond 7.3M due to there being too many radar targets for the operator to distinguish our target boat.
NO-SHOW
CONTACTS
E
C
Echomax and Active-X 01371 830216 www.echomax.co.uk
H
O
The distributors of the Visiball were
M
Firdell Blipper and Echomaster 02476 466461 www.unipartmarine.co.uk
invited to submit a pr
A
X
oduct for testing,
•
Sea-me 01963 34184 www.sea-me.co.uk
but declined to do so.
T
R
I
-
L
E
Tri-Lens 02380 454184 www.viking-life.com
N
S
•
F
IR
D
E
L
L
•
AC
TIV
E-X
• SE
A-ME • ECHOMAX • TRI-L
58 Sailing Today September 09
ST149 Grp Radar Reflect_RTG.indd50 50 16/7/09 14:17:12
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