Furuno USA Inc 9ZWRTR094 User Manual

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Chapter 4: ARPA Operation
This Automatic Radar Plotting Aid (ARPA) tracks the movement of up to 30 radar tar-
gets. Targets can be acquired manually or automatically. All 30 targets can be ac-
quired manually when the ARPA acquisition area is inactive. With the acquisition area 
that total is equally divided between manual and auto acquisition.
ARPA requires speed and heading data. The symbols used in this radar comply with 
IEC 60872-1. 
WARNING
No one navigational aid should be relied 
upon for the safety of vessel and crew.
The navigator has the responsibility to
check all aids available to confirm
position. Electronic aids are not
a substitute for basic navigational
principles and common sense.
• 
This auto plotter automatically tracks an
   automatically or manually acquired radar
   target and calculates its course and
   speed, indicating them by a vector. Since
   the data generated by the auto plotter
   are based on what radar targets are
   selected, the radar must always be
   optimally tuned for use with the auto
   plotter, to ensure required targets will not
   be lost or unwanted targets such as sea
   returns and noise will not be acquired
   and tracked.
• 
A target does not always mean a land-
  mass, reef, ships or other surface vessels
  but can imply returns from sea surface
  and clutter. As the level of clutter changes
  with environment, the operator should
  properly adjust the A/C SEA, A/C RAIN
  and GAIN controls to be sure target
  echoes are not eliminated from the
  radar screen. 
CAUTION
The plotting accuracy and response of
this auto plotter meets IMO standards.
Tracking accuracy is affected by the
following:
 Tracking accuracy is affected by course
   change. One to two minutes is required to
   restore vectors to full accuracy after an
   abrupt course change. (The actual
   amount depends on gyrocompass
   specifications.)
 The amount of tracking delay is inversely
   proportional to the relative speed of the
   target. Delay is on the order of 15–30
   seconds for high relative speed; 30–60
   seconds for low relative speed.
Display accuracy is affected by the
following:
 Echo intensity
 Radar transmission pulsewidth
 Radar bearing error
 Gyrocompass error
 Course change (own ship or target)