DAVIS EchoMaster Radar Reflector - Manual (Page 2)

Why Use a Radar Reflector?
Collision avoidance is surely the most important part of enjoying the boating world.
Small and medium-sized boats are surprisingly poor targets for radar reflection and
are frequently in danger of being overrun by larger vessels, even under good visibility
conditions.
The radar display on a ship
will typically show sur-
rounding conditions for at
least 12 nautical miles (22
km), with gain and sea clut-
ter controls for adjustment.
But boats of today, with
fiberglass hulls and sleek
designs (curved or slanted surfaces reflect much less), do not possess enough
reflective qualities to make them highly visible on a radar screen. The response may
be small, weak or intermittent. Even a boat’s metal mast (a curved surface) and
engine (mounted low, in the realm of sea clutter) do not possess enough reflective
qualities to make the boat highly visible to radar. And container vessels and tankers
require long stopping time and wide turning radius. Ensuring the detectability and
recognition of your craft at a long distance from an overtaking vessel under all
weather and sea conditions is critical to avoid disaster. Without a radar reflector (or
radar of your own) you’re left to peer into the fog or darkness or listen for bells,
2
Why Use a Radar Reflector? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Echomaster™ Radar Reflectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
How a Ship’s Radar Sees Your Boat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Echomaster Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Radar Reflector Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Reflectivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Radar Frequency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Radar Cross Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Plate Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Alignment of Reflector Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Installing Echomaster
Positioning the reflector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Assembling the reflector plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Mounting Echomaster #152 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Mounting Echomaster #153 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Suspending the Echomaster from a spreader . . . . . .14
Using the #157 Surface Mount System . . . . . . . . . . .15
Echomaster Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
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