The aim of the course is to teach students to use small boat Radar to assist decision-making in navigation, pilotage and collision avoidance.
1. Switching on and setting up
- Adjusting brilliance, contrast, gain, range and tuning
2. Refining the picture
- Adjust the sea clutter and rain clutter controls to suit prevailing conditions Head up, North up mode
3. Understanding the picture
- The factors affecting the clarity of the visual image
4. Radar reflectors
- Understanding what affects the received image
5. Fixing position by radar
- Plot the vessel's position. Use of VRM and EBL
6. Pilotage by radar
- Understands how to prepare a simple pilotage plan including use of clearing ranges
7. Collision avoidance
- Understands how to determine the risk of collision with another vessel
- CPA, course and speed
- The existence of automatic radar plotting aids (ARPA & MARPA)
- The implications of IRPCS when in restricted visibility
