No matter how good a radar is, its value as an aid will depend entirely on the person operating it, and navigation officers must be fully aware of the radar's capabilities and limitations in order to properly understand and interpret the radar picture.
Radar practice should be conducted in clear weather whenever possible to provide the confidence and regularity necessary for proper use of radar in low visibility conditions.
Radar information
Radar information must be used in such a way that early steps can be taken to prevent any risk of collision from occurring.
The owner/managers would like to emphasize that the use of radar has no justification (urgent work for sailors).
circumstances relieve the officer of the watch from the obligation to obey and maneuver in accordance with the provisions of the international rules for preventing collisions at sea.
When navigating in or near an area with limited visibility, the following are mandatory rules:
Navigate with extreme caution at all times.
Operate at a safe speed with due regard to the particular circumstances and
prevailing conditions. according to rule 6.
It is also critical that the vessel's radar installations are operational and that they are adjusted to ensure optimal performance.
Automatic radar plotting assistance (ARPA, urgent work for seafarers)
In addition to the advice given on radar and the instructions given in the relevant instructions.
operating manual, the following points should be checked when using ARPA:
.1 that the performance of radar associated with ARPA is optimal. In addition, ARPA can be equipped with a test program.
.2 that the direction and speed of entry into the ARPA are satisfactory. If heading and speed are entered incorrectly, serious output errors may occur. When using ground-stabilized ARPA display mode, especially in areas where significant current and/or tidal flows exist, caution should be exercised when interpreting information about the movement of other vessels (urgent action for mariners).
.3 i) audible alarm active/inactive.
ii) automatic data acquisition mode active/inactive.
The above warning devices do not relieve the user of the responsibility to maintain proper surveillance by all means available. Please note that small targets may not be detected by the automatic detection system.
All navigating officers must become thoroughly familiar with this particular case.
ARPA vessel characteristics as soon as possible after the vessel joins. As with radar, clear weather practice is important to gain and maintain familiarity with the various functions of ARPA, as well as the output compared to the actual situation.
