I think your problem is that 2 feet is too far for a RHP to reach. You could build a basking platform to get your snake closer to the RHP (see Reptile Basics VE Radiant Heat Panel FAQ).
Great idea- & worth trying, but not all snakes will be bold enough or feel comfortable to climb or use something so "out in the open"- unless maybe you add privacy to it somehow.
Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength. Eric Hoffer(1902 - 1983)
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” ~ Gandhi