Wanted Wanted: Custom Divers Seeker Radar Detectable DSMB

[NW Dive Dawg]

Since none of them are actually publishing their radar cross sections (RSC) or performance in any actual scientific way, I'd consider any/all claims that they are "reflective" in any meaningful way as bogus marketing fluff.

I agree with this. It's even questionable whether or not light reflective tape even makes a difference. What does make a difference is the shear size, density and overall height above water for the target. My personal boat radar (Garmin Fantom 18HD) can acquire targets as small as birds and crab pot floats from as far as two miles out.......depending on surface conditions.

I carry both a depth deployable SMB and a larger surface only SMB. I'd say that the larger and "higher" you can get the target, the more chance of it being picked up on radar. Also, if you ever do end up on the "drift" in hope of being spotted, it nice to have a means of attaching some of your ditchable weight to the bottom of your SMB to keep it upright when / if you get tired.

PS: Carry a signal mirror for day and a strobe for night.

PSPS. Nautilus Lifeline ( I have the older version with the VHF radio option)

 

[Chipstix]

Did you read the link above testing with the RNLI and the Coastguard?

I have a signal mirror and strobe. And carry a torch. Unfortunately I am not in a position to purchase a PLB right now (hopefully next trip)

 

[rjack321]

I used to manage an RF engineering lab for a company that builds two-way radios, and there's a number of ways it could be reflective. enough copper tape inside of it, and it'll return a signal. you're right about the lack of actual RCS info though. That would also depend on the strength of the transmission hitting it too. Another thing that would impact it would be sea state. Radars aren't great at picking out small objects in rough seas.

Edit: i am not an RF engineer, i just ran the lab, so take that all with a grain of salt.

Especially round things - as mentioned they generally suck, you need flat "plates" to reflect properly

Did you read the link above testing with the RNLI and the Coastguard?

I have a signal mirror and strobe. And carry a torch. Unfortunately I am not in a position to purchase a PLB right now (hopefully next trip)

Honestly by far your biggest risk is the boat burning up. But rather than worrying about radar reflectivity get the biggest fattest SMB you can. You can slap some SOLAS tape on the top if it makes you feel better.

 

[Chipstix]

thanks for all the advice

The post was not titled “wanted: advice and opinions on what i should worry about and what you think I should do”

This is a wanted advert in the classified section.

Can I politely request (again) that if you can answer my classified ad it would be great to hear from you, and if not please feel free to revert to a discussions area of SB. This is in compliance I believe with the rules of this forum.

Thanks

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

thanks for all the advice

The post was not titled “wanted: advice and opinions on what i should worry about and what you think I should do”

This is a wanted advert in the classified section.

Can I politely request (again) that if you can answer my classified ad it would be great to hear from you, and if not please feel free to revert to a discussions area of SB. This is in compliance I believe with the rules of this forum.

Thanks

Point taken.

To stay fully on your topic......hopefully someone will want to take the time and effort to send you their specialized and specific radar reflective SMB that may or may not be effective...... so that you can use it for a couple of weeks on your trip.......and then once your done with it..... you send it back to them.

 

[Rob9876]

Thanks, but the DAN one only says "the radar reflector can be detected by radar within 500 m or .3 miles)." whereas the Custom Divers have tested theirs to 1.5miles on sea level and 2 miles from the air.

I remembered seeing this 2020 post from @Akimbo that the DAN radar reflecting DSMB may actually perform better than the stated 500 meters, so may be worth considering if you don't find the exact one you want:
EDIT - ads were doing weird things to the ScubaBoard link, so I added the link to the text above.

 

[Chipstix]

T

Point taken.

To stay fully on your topic......hopefully someone will want to take the time and effort to send you their specialized and specific radar reflective SMB that may or may not be effective...... so that you can use it for a couple of weeks on your trip.......and then once your done with it..... you send it back to them.

Ah, a nice condescending and patronising reply, perfect.

“May or may not be effective”

According to a clear statement from custom divers CEO Alex Vassallo:

“
With further modifications to the design and materials the Seeker was then re-tested by various Skippers on the English South Coast to verify its performance on their radar, and thanks guys for all your support. After several evolvements one Skipper phoned to say “this model is brilliant”! and so we felt it was appropriate to run broader and more extensive tests and at this stage we involved the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboats Institution) and Her Majesty’s Coastguard. I am delighted to confirm that the Seeker D-SMB showed up on boat radars from 1.5 miles away and from 2 miles on helicopters. The tests were conducted in British seas, over a long period of time in various conditions and included a simulated pitch black/fog search. The Skipper would navigate purely using the radar (with a watcher looking out of the windscreen to check he didn’t run into anything) and on each occasion the boats/helicopters located the buoy with ease, ending up within a few feet from the Seeker. From the Skipper/Rescue Services point of view the great thing about the Seeker radar detectable D-SMB is that because it is fully compatible with every radar system there is no need for any additional kit.”

Any assertions that this is “not effective” would mean Mr Vassallo being accused of lying or in fact committing fraud by stating that an emergency safety product does something it doesn’t (and for which he has a patent pending). I wish the CEO of custom divers was here to backup his design and pose a counter argument to semi-scientific deductions led by opinion bias.

Given that people are prepared to take time to put photos of themself on a post and describe everything they wear and when they haven’t even been asked it may well be possible if someone would take the time to hire (which means in loan in exchange for money) me their item for a week. Nice helpful people are out there ! (I would for example if the request was the other way)

 

[dfad]

Dumb DIY idea but it should work.
3-plane corner reflector like one on the picture, made of thin copper or aluminum (almost foil), and placed into a perforated plastic ball to prevent deformations and keep adequate buyoancy.
Per my understanding, a 5" reflector will "shine" on a radar like a 40' yacht from ANY direction if you connect all planes perpendicular to each other. It shouldn't weight much, but still might be a bit heavy for a small SMB.
Generally, it's an analog of reflecting tapes mentioned earlier in this topic, but scaled up to approach wave length of a radar.