http://www.landfallnavigation.com/sem230i.html

They are quite good in terms of RCS, but be careful not to inflate them too
much or the reflector will split from the beach ball, degrading performance.

David


"Parallax" wrote in message
om...
I never posted this Useless Idea because I thouhgt it was a good one.
I was about to file the provisional patent application till I did a
check on the USPTO website and found I am 4 yrs too late.


So........

Most radar refelctors are a pain in the ass, especially the most
effective ones, the corner refelctor ones. Some are preassembled and
are a pain to store. The one I have consists of 3 interlocking
metallized foam sheets that has to be assembled. Then, they have to
be mounted in the "catch rain" position which is difficult sometimes.


I wanted to make an inflatable one, sort of like a beach ball with the
three orthogonal planes made from metallized thin plastic on the
inside of the beachball. It would be weighted so it always hung in
the right position. I bet I could make these for $1.00 and sell them
for $20.00. Unfortunately, somebody beat me to it, it was patented in
2000.

Now, I want one but will not take the trouble to make it since it may
already exist. Anybody know where to get something like this?

I wonder what the wind does to one of these? I know the metal ones
aren't streamlined like this but at least they have a bit more weight to
stay put. This inflated bag looks like it would like to just sail away.

David Balfour wrote:

http://www.landfallnavigation.com/sem230i.html

They are quite good in terms of RCS, but be careful not to inflate them too
much or the reflector will split from the beach ball, degrading performance.

David

"Parallax" wrote in message
om...
I never posted this Useless Idea because I thouhgt it was a good one.
I was about to file the provisional patent application till I did a
check on the USPTO website and found I am 4 yrs too late.


So........

Most radar refelctors are a pain in the ass, especially the most
effective ones, the corner refelctor ones. Some are preassembled and
are a pain to store. The one I have consists of 3 interlocking
metallized foam sheets that has to be assembled. Then, they have to
be mounted in the "catch rain" position which is difficult sometimes.


I wanted to make an inflatable one, sort of like a beach ball with the
three orthogonal planes made from metallized thin plastic on the
inside of the beachball. It would be weighted so it always hung in
the right position. I bet I could make these for $1.00 and sell them
for $20.00. Unfortunately, somebody beat me to it, it was patented in
2000.

Now, I want one but will not take the trouble to make it since it may
already exist. Anybody know where to get something like this?

I wonder what the wind does to one of these? I know the metal ones
aren't streamlined like this but at least they have a bit more weight to
stay put. This inflated bag looks like it would like to just sail away.

David Balfour wrote:

http://www.landfallnavigation.com/sem230i.html

They are quite good in terms of RCS, but be careful not to inflate them too
much or the reflector will split from the beach ball, degrading performance.

David

"Parallax" wrote in message
om...
I never posted this Useless Idea because I thouhgt it was a good one.
I was about to file the provisional patent application till I did a
check on the USPTO website and found I am 4 yrs too late.


So........

Most radar refelctors are a pain in the ass, especially the most
effective ones, the corner refelctor ones. Some are preassembled and
are a pain to store. The one I have consists of 3 interlocking
metallized foam sheets that has to be assembled. Then, they have to
be mounted in the "catch rain" position which is difficult sometimes.


I wanted to make an inflatable one, sort of like a beach ball with the
three orthogonal planes made from metallized thin plastic on the
inside of the beachball. It would be weighted so it always hung in
the right position. I bet I could make these for $1.00 and sell them
for $20.00. Unfortunately, somebody beat me to it, it was patented in
2000.

Now, I want one but will not take the trouble to make it since it may
already exist. Anybody know where to get something like this?