- Students: 12
- Duration: 68 hours
Radar Navigation, Radar Plotting and Use of ARPA (Operational level)
The purpose of the course is to provide practical training for boatmasters: the captain’s duty assistants, who are on duty on the bridgeand also for the proper operation of the radars and using information with it for the manual course plotting and and use of ARPA.
Course objectives
This course guarantees the training of boatmasters for one of the most important tasks of navigation: determination of position of the vessel and solution the issue of safe passing distance of vessels at the sea. The basis of the efficient operation of the radar is knowledge of its technical characteristics by boatmasters, timely service and care of it. And also an understanding of the capabilities of equipment in terms of accuracy of readings and the probability of errors.
Equally important is the acquisition of practical skills in radar and ARPA. The availability of modern training equipment makes it possible to bring radar and ARPA skills to automation and also to provide masters with certainty in navigating in reduced visibility in the narrow waters and buoyage systems.
Course content
This course has been developed under the international and Ukrainian conventions and other legislative and regulatory acts on the training and certification of sailors. The technical part of the course is based on the international instruction on radar and CAD as revised in 1999.
The training of boatmasters begins with a study of the physical foundations of the radar and the operating principles of the radar. Trainees learn the technical capabilities of the radiolocation station, the rules of maintenance and the safety of handling high-frequency radiation.
Further training is aimed at the correct use of the radar plotting, determination of position of the vessel and solution the issue of safe passing distance of vessels at the sea. All the knowledge acquired is confirmed by practical exercises on simulations under the guidance of experienced instructors.
Training in the operation of an automatic radar installation system is a separate theme. After studying the techniques of working with SARP, students are taught the techniques of capturing and accompanying the targets. Particular attention is paid to assessing the reliability of information and the credibility of ARPAs. Navigators shouldn’t forget that this system is an instrument and that the entire responsibility for the safety of the vessel lies with the person.
Requirements for listeners
Each boatmaster who want to get a certificate of the course «Radar Navigation – Operational level» should meet the following requirements:
- be at least 18 years of age;
- meet health requirements;
- have a diploma in the speciality of «RadarNavigation – Management level» or study in the last course of the same specialty;
- to have a working diploma as a duty deck officer.
