Originally Posted By: Phaedrus
I wonder if it adds a lot to the price of the item?

A standalone RECCO backpack strap reflector is $38 on Amazon, and a backpack with integral RECCO reflector $79 (plus $20 shipping).

The REI article seems thorough, with good links, but here's RECCO at Wikipedia - one reference there says the helicopter RECCO sensor was demonstrated in mid-2015, with release then planned for Europe in 2016.

The strong suits of the RECCO reflector seems to be the passive nature and indefinite life, though I expect the 50 meter radius range pales compared to that of the 0.5 watt 121MHz active homing beacon embedded in PLBs. Of course, the RECCO was optimized to maximize the detection range through snow, not air.

The basic principle behind the RECCO reflector (harmonic reradiation from a nonlinear electronic circuit) has been used in countersurveillance "bug detectors" since at least the 1970s ( Nonlinear Junction Detector: Wikipedia), though I expect the RECCO reflector circuit is optimized to be maximally detectable.



Edited by rafowell (11/10/19 01:46 AM)
Edit Reason: Corrected helicopter search radius from 100m to 50m per RECCO website
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A signal mirror should backup a radio distress signal, like a 406 MHz PLB (ACR PLB) (Ocean Signal PLB)