Radar and Collision Avoidance

What the electronic aids are, and what the rules expect of you when you use them.

• The electronic aids on board
• The rules: COLREGs, SOLAS V and MGN 379

How radar works, setting up a clear picture, orientation and stabilisation, false echoes, and navigating with it.

• How radar works and its limits
• Radar performance, conditions and alarms
• Setting up a clear picture
• Orientation, motion and stabilisation
• False echoes, shadow and blind sectors
• Radar for navigation

Plotting radar targets by hand on a plotting sheet: CPA and TCPA, a target's course, speed and aspect, planning your own action, and the MCA's expectations.

• The plotting sheet and the relative plot
• The triangle: a target's course, speed and aspect
• Planning your action: altering course or speed
• Keeping the plot going: changes, several targets and resuming
• Plotting practice and the MCA's requirements

Tracking targets, the errors in tracking, how AIS works, and using it safely.

• Tracking targets: ARPA, CPA and TCPA
• Errors in target tracking
• AIS: how it works
• Using AIS safely

The COLREGs with radar and AIS, and conduct in restricted visibility.

• The COLREGs and electronic aids
• Restricted visibility: Rule 19

A self-marking test on the whole course: radar, plotting, ARPA and AIS, and the collision regulations.

• Final test: Radar and Collision Avoidance