Radar
a) Purpose of having a radar
Radar is an object detection system that uses electromagnetic waves to identify the range, altitude, direction,
speed of both moving and fixed objects such as aircraft, ships, motor vehicles, weather formations, and
terrain. The term RADAR was coined in 1940 by the U.S. Navy is an acronym for radio detection and
ranging.
At sea the Radar is used for 3 main purposes.
1. To determine the position of the vessel using land or other objects when navigating in coastal waters.
2. For collision avoidance, by tracking the movement of vessels in the vicinity.
3. Near ports or harbours, and in congested coastal waters, VTS radar systems are used to monitor and
regulate ship movements.
b) 3 Cm. And 10 cm.
3 cm Radar (X band)
Frequency is 10 GHz and provides a more detailed picture than the S band radar, better than S band for
detection of small targets and observing coastline features.
10 cm Radar (S band)
Frequency is 3 GHz, better for early detection of targets at a longer range.
c) Starting up procedure
1. Check if the Scanner is free to move and switch on the radar
2. Turn anti Clutter Sea and rain anticlockwise to minimum.
3. Increase the Brilliance (brightness) till you get a slight sweep (of the scanner rotation) on the display.
4. Increase Gain until a speckled background is seen on the display.
5. Use the Tune function to obtain the maximum strength of echoes.
d) Main controls
Sea clutter
This function is used to reduce the disturbance when the swell and sea waves are high, as the radar emits
electromagnetic pulses which have a tendency to hit the face of the wave and be reflected as an echo on the
radar display. Sea clutter gives the user a clearer picture by reducing the gain applied to returned echoes.
However, by doing so there is a risk that small targets may not be picked up by the radar.
Rain clutter
This is similar to the sea clutter but used to reduce the disturbance caused by rain and low clouds as a heavy
rainstorm can completely block out radar targets. An echo reflected by rain will be weaker than an echo
reflected off a solid object such as a ship, rain clutter filters these echoes by showing only the echoes which
are above a certain threshold. If set too high there is a risk of losing small targets, should be set just enough
to observe vessels in the area of rain.
Gain
The Gain control adjusts the amplification of the reflected radar pulse. Setting the Gain too low will result in
smaller targets being missed while setting the gain too high will result in too much clutter appearing in the
screen. Gain should be set until a slightly speckled background appears on the screen.
Tune
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Document Control & Approving Authority Consultant – Quality Form No. 42 - Revision Date: 2022.02.02
Management
Radar is tuned to enable the receiver’s frequency to match the reflected pulse, in case of incorrect tuning an
accurate picture will not be displayed on the radar display. Radar manual should be consulted to check the
tuning procedure for each radar type.
EBL- electronic bearing line
This line can be used to determine the bearing of a target and to mark or to monitor the ships position. When
activated it is displayed centred on the vessel position on the radar display.
Ships head
EBL
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Document Control & Approving Authority Consultant – Quality Form No. 42 - Revision Date: 2022.02.02
Management
If required we can centre the EBL in a position away from the own vessel, this option is known as EBL
OFFSET.
True / Relative display
There are two basic displays in navigational radars, true motion display shows the actual or true motion of
targets and the own vessel, while relative motion display shows the own vessel as stationary and the motions
of other vessels relative to the own vessel.
VRM – variable range marker
While EBL is used to get the bearings of objects, the VRM is used to measure the range (distance) of
detected objects. It appears as a ring centred on the vessel and the diameter of the ring can be adjusted as
required by the user, same as with the EBL, the centre of the ring can be moved away from the position of
the vessel and this is known as VRM OFFSET.
VRM
SEA STABILISATION AND GROUND STABILISATION
Sea stabilisation
In sea stabilised mode the input for course and speed is fed from the gyro compass and the speed log, it will
show the motion of targets and own vessel relative to the water and is used for collision avoidance with
other vessels.
Ground stabilisation
In ground stabilised mode the course and speed inputs are received from the GPS to the radar, it will show
the motion of targets and of the own vessel in relation to the seabed (course over ground and speed over
ground). Useful when navigating in confined waters.
Information which can be obtained by plotting targets on the radar;
TCPA – time to closest point of approach
CPA - closest point of approach
BCR - bow crossing range
BCT - bow crossing time
Speed / Course / Range
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Document Control & Approving Authority Consultant – Quality Form No. 42 - Revision Date: 2022.02.02
Management
e) Radar Plotting
Radar plotting
With the advent of ARPA, manual plotting is not carried out routinely in practice, however it is a skill
which is necessary in case of ARPA failure or in cases where the radar cannot hold on to small targets with
a weak echo, as well as to ascertain the performance of the ARPA.
The paper plot is carried out on plotting sheets, but in case it is not available can be done on a plain sheet of
paper as well.
The principle of a paper plot is the vectors and the direction of the vectors.
OA– starting from O and ending in A – represents the approach line of the target. First position is
always O and the last position is A (For ease of calculation plot 3 / 6/ 12 mins apart). Own vessel is
at the centre of the plot. Extend the OA line past own vessel’s position.
OW – Draw the reciprocal course of the own vessel starting from O to W (length should correspond
to the distance own vessel has travelled in the time target travelled from O to A)
The subsequent line WA gives the true course and speed of the target.
A perpendicular drawn from the centre to the extended OA line will give the CPA of the target. The
length of the perpendicular can be used to determine the TCPA (Time to Closest Point of Approach)
The plot intervals are usually chosen as 3m, 6m or 12m since these are decimals of an hour and
simplifies calculation.
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Document Control & Approving Authority Consultant – Quality Form No. 42 - Revision Date: 2022.02.02
Management
Radar Plotting Sheet
f) Brief description of ARPA
This is a computerized radar plotting system, which is capable of automatically calculating and displaying
the data of a tracked target (Automatic Radar Plotting Aid). While the radar sends out pulses and receives
echoes off targets, it is the ARPA that uses that signal to calculate the information required for the
Navigator.
Followings features are available on the ARPA display:
1. True or relative motion radar presentation.
2. Automatic acquisition of targets plus manual acquisition.
3. Digital read-out of acquired targets which provides course, speed, range, bearing, closest point of
approach (CPA, and time to CPA (TCPA).
4. The ability to perform trial manoeuvres, including course changes and/or speed changes.
5. ARPA processes radar information more rapidly than conventional radar but is still subject to the same
limitations. ARPA data is only as accurate as the data that comes from inputs such as the gyro and speed
log.
Issue Date: 03.01.2022 Revision No. NA Revision Date: NA Validated by: HOD
Document Control & Approving Authority Consultant – Quality Form No. 42 - Revision Date: 2022.02.02
Management
Issue Date: 03.01.2022 Revision No. NA Revision Date: NA Validated by: HOD
Document Control & Approving Authority Consultant – Quality Form No. 42 - Revision Date: 2022.02.02
Management
