Newby questions

Looking for some help identifying some components of my boat. Here's pictures of some of the items... I have an older Garmin GPS 120 that doesn't seen to work and I'm assuming one of these antennas is for it.

I had a gps 120, and my antenna looked like the second image (img_2499)

Wow, I can't imagine what that "double bubble" antenna is. The wire does not appear to be hidden at all so it should be easy to track, let us know what you find.

I'v never seen a Sirrius antenna shaped like yours but I suppose it could have an option I do not have like weather or phone or something.

pete

Could that be a radar reflector?

Wayfarer said:

Could that be a radar reflector?

Click to expand...

That would be my guess.

Images 2499 & 2500 are definitely of the antenna for the Garmin 120. The other things almost certainly have to be a radar reflector as others have surmised. They probably do a good job of painting a target on a radar too. Leave them on there!

Pete Meisinger said:

Wow, I can't imagine what that "double bubble" antenna is. The wire does not appear to be hidden at all so it should be easy to track, let us know what you find.

I'v never seen a Sirrius antenna shaped like yours but I suppose it could have an option I do not have like weather or phone or something.

pete

Click to expand...

We have the same Sirius weather antenna on our NT installed by one of the previous owners. With all the weather apps available now we don't feel it is necessary to have any more.

Yes the 2nd and 3rd pics are for the 120. Ancient fossils of the gps world.

The double bubble could, in fact be a radar reflector but what's with that huge cable that appears to run to it. Arn't radar reflectors passive? Also why are the two pictures of it different, did you remove the red light for the second picture or do you have two of these contraptions on board ? And that stainless steel post looks like it could hold a heavy weight, if it's a deflector it shouldn't weigh anything.

I can't remember what "Loran" antennas looked like, does anybody ? Is there Loran on board?

pete

Radar reflectors should be flat, not parabolic?

This could drive one...NUTS.

High Wire said:

Yes the 2nd and 3rd pics are for the 120. Ancient fossils of the gps world.

Click to expand...

If your 120 is not working, the antenna may have been removed.
My 128 (similar) has an external antenna that is about the size of a hockey puck, says "Garmin" on it.

ghost said:

Radar reflectors should be flat, not parabolic?

This could drive one...NUTS.

Click to expand...

My radar reflector isn’t flat. It is a Lundberg lens type of reflector. I don’t have a great photo of it but if you look closely in the photo on the port side hanging below my radar arch you can see it. It has 3 lobes.

Greetings,
Mr. C. "Lundberg"? Is that the guy who soloed across the Atlantic or the cheese?

Wayfarer said:

Could that be a radar reflector?

Click to expand...

Image 2498 looks like the VISIBALL radar reflector that was made by Plastimo from France.

Here is a link to a PDF of a 2005 review of radar reflectors with more info on it. It doesn't look like they are made any more.
https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/filebank/reflector_performance_ym_june.pdf

Doesn't have the best review, but its already there and will add to your signature, so I'd leave it unless it causes other problems. One potential problem is the VISIBALL appears to be a plastic insert holding that central stud to which your nav light is mounted. Long long exposures to UV may/will/have made that plastic brittle and cause issues with that mounting if it cracks and breaks at some point.