Name: Score/Mark:

Year and Section: Date:

LEARNING ACTIVITY NO. 3 for week no. 3

Course Operational use of RADAR / ARPA

Topic Different Radar Controls and its Functions

Learning Outcome(s) 1.3 Determine different Radar Controls and its Functions

Instructor Capt. Raymundo Rafael B. Cabrejas

LESSON MAP

Operational use of
RADAR/ARPA

Functions of
Different Radar IMO symbols for
different Radar
Controls Radar Controls
controls

DIFFERENT Radar Controls

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The controls of Radar/Arpa should be thoroughly familiarize
for using the equipment effectively.

1. RADAR OFF
2. RADAR ON
3. RADAR STANDBY
4. AERIAL ROTATING
5. NORTH-UP PRESENTATION
6. HEAD-U PRESENTATION
7. HEADING MARKER ALIGNMENT
8. RANGE SELECTOR
9. SHORT PULSE
10. LONG PULSE
11. GAIN
12. TUNING
13. ANTI CLUTTER RAIN MINIMUM
14. ANTI CLUTTER RAIN MAXIMUM
15. ANTI CLUTTER SEA MINIMUM
16. ANTI CLUTTER SEA MAXIMUM
17. SCALE ILLUMINATION
18. DISPLAY BRILLIANCE
19. RANGE RINGS BRILLIANCE
20. VARIABLE RANGE MARKER
21. BEARING MARKER
22. TRANSMITTED POWER MONITOR

RADAR / ARPA CONTROLS AND ITS FUNCTIONS

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1. Standby/transmit Switch usually has three positions labelled ‘off’,
‘standby’, and ‘transmit’.

2. BRILLIANCE - governs the brightness of radar picture display on the

Cathode Ray Tube (CRT). On a raster scan display the brilliance control
regulates the brightness of the picture, making it bright enough for
daylight viewing or dim enough so as not to impair the operators night
vision.

TOO MUCH BRILLIANCE NOT ENOUGH CORRECT AOUNT

3. GAIN - controls the overall amplification of all returned echoes.

4.TUNING - converts the transmitted/ received frequency of the radio

wave back to a lower immediate frequency to allow proper amplifications
of the returned echoes.

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5. RANGE CONTROL
- regulates the range at which the set operates.

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6.STC - (Sensitivity Time Control)
- a form of swept gain control which turns down the gain in the area
of the screen where sea clutter echoes are found. Also known as the Sea
Clutter control.

7. FTC (Fast Time Constant)

- The Rain Clutter Control will reduce the interference on the screen
due to the rain and increase the chance of seeing targets within rain
showers.

8. HEADING MARKER
- The heading marker and the range rings can obscure small targets.
So it’s a good idea to have the range rings turned off when they are not in
use and to delete the heading marker every few minutes to see if it is
masking a small target, dead ahead. The heading marker delete control is

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usually self cancelling; that is the heading marker will reappear as soon as
the button is released.

9. INTERFERENCE REJECTION
- Mutual Radar Interference is caused by other radars in the locality
operating on a similar frequency to your ship’s radar. The interference
shows up as a bright spots scattered over the screen, or as a distinctive
pattern of dotted lines curving outwards from the center of the screen.

10.PULSE LENGTH CONTROL

- The pulse length is normally selected automatically with the range
scale. On most sets, in the mid ranges (6 mile to 48 mile on a 72 mile radar),
it is possible to manually select the pulse length, which will have a
significant effect on a radar performance. A long pulse length increases the

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chance of detecting targets at long range. Selecting a short pulse length will
increase range discrimination, making it possible to distinguish between a
tug and its tow for instance.

11.VARIABLE RANGE MARKER (VRM)

- This function provides an accurate measurement of range to
targets. Press the VRM button to enable the VRM function. Adjust the
VRM ring so it rests on the inside edge of the target. The range to the
target appears on the VRM readout.

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12. ELECTRONIC BEARING LINE (EBL)
This measures the bearing from your ship to the target object,
appears as a line that begins at the present location of your ship and
intersects the VRM. Press the EBL button and adjust the EBL accordingly
to your desire target. The bearing to the target appears on the EBL
readout.

PARTS OF ARPA:

1.Target Data display

2.Power Switch
3.Center Panel
4. Mode panel
5. Plotting keyboard and tuning compartment

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ARPA Display controls


 HM OFF - Temporarily erases the heading marker. 

 ECHO TRAILS - Shows trails of target echoes in the form of simulated

afterglow.

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 MODE - Selects presentation modes: Head-up, Head-up/TB, North-up,
Course-up and True Motion.

 GUARD ALARM - Used for setting the guard alarm.


 INT REJECT - Reduces mutual radar interference.

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 INDEX LINES - Alternately shows and erases parallel index line.

 X2 ZOOM - enlarges a user selected portion of picture twice as large as

normal. (R-type only)

 CU, TM RESET - Resets the heading line to 000 in course-up mode;

moves own ship position 50% radius in stern direction in the true motion
mode.
 EBL OFFSET - Activates and deactivates off-centering of the sweep
origin.

 BKGR COLOR - Selects the background color.


 RANGE RINGS - Adjusts the brightness of range rings.

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Student Reflection:

Write a min. of 100-words per question. Write in your own words and submit your work
before the deadl
1. What was the most important things you have learnt in Radar/Arpa controls and its
functions?

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2. What area/s of the topic did you fail to grasp on the different Radar/Arpa controls?

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3. Which point/s of the topics is/are still not clear enough in your mind?

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Student Additional Activity:

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 1. Watch the video:

 Video Link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92ZUBms7sS8

2. Make a summary of how does the radar influence by the different controls discussed
on the video. Write your summary below. Write with your own words.Minimum of
100 words.
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FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT:
Fill in the blanks: Write the correct answer on the space provided.

________________1. _________ controls the overall amplification of all returned

echoes.

________________2. The _____________ reduces mutual radar interference.

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________________3. This ____________ shows trails of target echoes in the form
of simulated afterglow.

________________4. The HM is used to temporarily ________ the heading

marker.
________________5. This ___________ provides an accurate measurement of
range to targets.

________________6. _____________ adjusts the brightness of range rings.

________________7. Selecting a short pulse length will ___________ range

discrimination, making it possible to distinguish between a tug and its tow for
instance.

________________8. The FTC will _______ the interference on the screen due to
the rain and increase the chance of seeing targets within rain showers.
____________9. The STC is a form of swept gain control which turns _____
the gain in the area of the screen where sea clutter echoes are found.

________________10. The ___________ converts the transmitted/ received

frequency of the radio wave back to a lower immediate frequency to allow
proper amplifications of the returned echoes.

Essay :

Identify all the different Radar and Automatic Radar Plotting Aid controls and
explain its functions? (minimum of 200 words). Write your answer on the
space below.
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References :

 Radar and ARPA Manual, 3rd Edition, A. Bole, A. Wall, A. Norris., the Boulevard,
Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1 GB, UK, ISBN 978-0-08-097752-2, 2014.

 Shipborne Navigation Radar, Liu Tong and Zhang Bin., Dalian Maritime University
Press, ISBN 978-7-5632-2937-6, 2013.

 Radar Observer's Handbook for Merchant Navy Officers, 9th Edition., W. Burger.,
Glasgow, Brown, Son and Ferguson LTD., ISBN 0-85174-666-7, 1998, Reprinted 2008.

 Radar for Mariners, David F. Burch, Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Burch, David, ISBN 0-07-139867-8, 2005.

 A Guide to the Collision Avoidance Rules, 5th Edition., A.N. Cockcroft and J.N.F.
Lameijer, Oxford, Heinemann Professional Publishing, ISBN 0-434-90274-8, 1996.

 Electronic Aids to Navigation: Radar and ARPA, R. Lownsborough and D. Calcutt.,

London, Edward Arnold, ISBN 0-340-59258-3, 1993.

 Parallel Indexing Techniques, I. Smith and R. A. Mulroney, Warsash Publishing, ISBN 0 948646 55

1, 1979.

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