Marine Radar Online Course

Master radar navigation and collision avoidance

Printed materials:
Radar For Mariners By David Burch ISBN 9780071830393

The course covers all aspects of practical radar usage that would be needed to get underway using your radar. It covers the topics of the text book Radar For Mariners and fills in the details on radar functions and operations while honing your skills with more emphasis on evaluating risk of collision and subsequent maneuvers that might be called for.

Estimated to be about 30 hours of your time, depending on how much optional material you choose to cover. You work at your own pace, and at your own schedule.

Each Starpath course includes free access to our online Resources and discussion groups. The Student Discussion Groups are similar to our Public Discussion Groups, but they are much more extensive including all classroom discussion since 2003. We have instructors in five different time zones, so if any question comes up, just post it in the Student Discussion Group for a quick answer—or search to see if someone has already asked the question for an even faster answer.

Lesson Plan

1 — HOW RADAR WORKS
Overview of system components • Microwave pulse and beam structure • Radar target characteristics • Range of detection, scanner design, and mounting options • Power requirements • Radiation safety near radar scanners

2 — RADAR OPERATION
Turning on, warning up, and initial adjustments • Gain adjustments • Use of anti-clutter controls for rain (FTC) and sea state (STC) • Pros and cons of optional display modes: Head-up, North-up, and Course-up • Optimizing pulse-length selection • Measuring target range and bearing with VRM, EBL, and cursor mode • Use of guard sectors and alarms

3 — INTERPRETING THE SCREEN
Optimizing radar picture for specific observations • Radar shadows • Effect of horizontal beam width on target images • Effect of pulse length on target images • Identifying interference and other unwanted echoes

4 — POSITION NAVIGATION
Coordinating electronic chart displays with the radar screen • Quick radar range and bearing confirmation of GPS positions • Accurate multi-range fixes using radar

5 — PILOTING
Use of radar to hold a desired course • Use of electronic range and bearing line (ERBL) • Finding and keeping track of position relative to prominent landmarks • Identifying distant harbors or channels • Rounding a corner at a safe distance off • Anchoring with radar

6 — COLLISION AVOIDANCE
Use and value of target trails and wakes • Tracking targets with EBL and VRM • Estimating time, range and bearing to closest point of approach (CPA) • Figuring true course and speed of approaching targets (relative motion diagram) • Determining expected running lights based on radar observations • Rules of thumb for radar maneuvering • Radar reflectors • Overview of ARPA and AIS

7 — RADAR AND THE NAVIGATION RULES
Role of radar in evaluating risk of collision • Cautions (limitations) for radar use cited in the rules • Rules' requirements for checking various ranges and adjustments • Application of Rule 19d — when detecting a converging target by radar alone