ECHOMAX -v FIRDELL BLIPPER
Firdell was formed in the early 1970’s by Firth, Dukes and Bell and another to market, under licence, John Firths first Patented reflector the Firth Pentland. After four to five years Firdell ceased to use the Firth Patent and adopted a design based on a Swedish Agar Patent which lapsed in the early 1960’s which they called the 210-5. The 210-7 is of the same configuration with two extra folds.
After John Firth disassociated himself from Firdell, he marketed his second Patent - an improved reflector which was called the Gillie Firth. Echomax was his third Patented invention and was a revolutionary development of the stacked array principle. Echomax gives better response than any other corner reflector quite simply because its design
utilises bigger corners and more of them.
In 1993 the Trading Standards Authority forced Firdell to reprint their literature removing the claim that the Firdell Blipper met ISO 8729, RORC and ORC regulations. False claims still persist in Chandlery catalogues and on the Internet. Firdell’s current literature only refers to a highly volumetric structure but still makes false claims about 3600 performance at 2.5m2 at +/- 150 of heel. They do not achieve this performance in the vertical position.* They do not have a website and have little published data on their reflectors. The target pattern map we managed to obtain from Firdell is coloured in by them in coloured crayon!
ECHOMAX EM230 -v- BLIPPER 210-7
ISO 8729
SHIP’S WHEEL MARK
SOLAS/RORC/ORC PASS FAIL
RCS Peak M2 +/-30 24.0m2 6.3m2
Performance @ 1.25m2 100% 100%
Performance @ 2.5m2 100% 54%
Performance @ 5m2 100% 8%
Performance @ 10m2 60% Zero
+ or - 30 heel @ 2.5m2 - no nuls Six nuls exceed 100
+ or - 90 heel 19 m2 peak 7.0m2
@2.5m2 no nuls Six nuls (102.60)
The above figures ignore nulls of 100 or less, as a moored vessel will move 50 either side of the vertical.
The above test results were obtained at QinetiQ in April & November 2001 and May 2002
*From the polar diagram overleaf obtained at QinetiQ in April 2001, the Blipper registered 2210 at 2.5m2 with 1390 of zero response. As will be seen, there are ten gaps of 100 or more
BLIPPER IN ACTION
See http://www.ussailing.org/safety/studies in which their conclusions were -
‘With regard to the Firdell Blipper, it is a well packaged and clever device, but the models tested were not large enough to have much real value aboard a vessel. Larger versions would accomplish what Firdell claims, but are not practical on small vessels...’
They were also unable to obtain results consistent with that supplied by Firdell, the makers of the Blipper 210-7 stating that Firdells claims were consistent with a larger reflector.
Similar conclusions
were drawn in the Practical Boat Owner test published in a series of articles
see issue 391 July 1999. Practical Boat Owners conclusion is “having so many
reflectors close together produces a polar plot made up of several spikes ‘a
good response’ separated by an equal number of deep interference troughs in
which the reflection from one corner reflector cancels out the reflection from
the other.” 
Also, see Andrew Ridleys comments on www.echomax.co.uk. Although too much the
gentleman to say so, we know the poorly performing reflectors he removed from his pilot boats.were Blippers and the Firdell Pilot 300’s
ECHOMAX IN ACTION
Echomax EM230 and EM305 have recently received Ships Wheel Mark/SOLAS
certification, and the amount of reflectors in the world with this accreditation can be counted on the fingers of one hand.
Eason Marine, one of the U.K’s largest buoy manufacturers, have tried and tested all types of passive/active reflectors and have altered their buoys to accommodate Echomax.
The new Echomax Midi has been chosen by the RNLI as the best reflector for their RIBs, replacing active antennas. From a ship based 10kw X band radar, they recorded 100% paints at 3.8 miles and 80% paints at 5 miles plus in sea state ‘fair’ although the Midi was mounted only 2m above sea level. (ISO 8729/RORC recommend 4 metres above sea level). The RNLI have previously been unable to find an efficient passive reflector. West Marine and Plastimo are among many large companies who now distribute Echomax replacing the Firdell Blipper. Due to public demand Opal yachts now fit Echomax as standard on their yachts.
The Northern Lighthouse Authority now have the Echomax 400 on test and it is quite likely to replace an active antenna currently at Shetland and other Scottish coasts.