WORKEDEXAMPLESIN RADAR PLOTTING

VECTOR ILLUSTRATION OF RADAR

PLOTTING TERMS

Observingvessel's

S - Observingvessel's
Position.
Motion'
OA - PlottingIntervalandthe target'sline of Apparent/Relative
W - Zerc SpeedPosition(ZSP).

wo - observingvessel'smotionduringthe PlottingIntervaloA.

X - Target'sclosestpoint/positionof approach(CPA).

SX - Target'sdistanceoffat the CPA'

O
Time to CPA (TCPA) :

Time of CPA: Timeof the lastbearing+ Timeto CPA.

wA - Target'strue motionrecordedin the PlottingIntervaloA.
PAS - Target'sAspect.
 'l'L'>'

TERMSAND DEFINITIONS

EXPLANATION OF RADAR PLOTTING TERMS

1. RelativePIot
A plot basedon a line joining successive positionsof targetechoesas shownon the screen
display.It canbe representedeither'ship'sheadup', 'courseup' or 'north up'. The observing
vesselalwaysappearsat the centreof the plot, which may be oFcentred on the screendisplay,
apparentlystationary.

2. Target'sBearing
The angle, in degrees,measuredin three figure notation from either the observingvessel's
headingline thus: 235orelative,or from the true meridianthus: 146'! to the line of sightto the
target.Bearingsarereportedas 'drawingforward', 'drawingaft' or 'steady'.

3. Target'sRange
The distance,in nauticalmiles and cables,from the observingvesselto the target.Rangesare
reportedas 'increasing','decreasing'
or 'steady'.
4. Plotting Interval
The time, in minutes,which haselapsedbetweenthe first and last observations of bearingand
rangeof a targetecho.It determinesthe length'OA', the target'sapparent/relative
motionline.
5. Target'sApparent/RelativeMotion
The line 'OA' representedby a line joining successive positionsof a targetechoon the screen
displayduringthe plotting interval.'O' is the first positionof the echo,'A' is the last position
andthe apparent/relativemotion is indicatedby the symbolsalways in the directionfrom 'O'
towards'A'.

6. Zero SpeedPosition(ZSP)
The positionthat a targetwould occupyon the screendisplayat the end of a plotting intervalif
that targethad zerospeed.Its symbolis oW'. It is ascertainedby drawinga line from 'O' in a
reciprocaldirectionto the observingvessel'scoursefor a distanceequalto the distancecovered
by the observingvesselin the plotting interval.
e.g.Observingvesselsteering040'T at a speedof 15knots;plotting interval 12 minutes.
Draw a line from 'O' in the direction220'T (040' + 180') for 3.0M (12 x 15 + 60). The
directionof the observingvessel'smotion is indicatedby the symbol*always in the direction
from 'W' towards'O'.

7. Target'sClosestPoint/?ositionof Approach(CPA)
The leastcalculateddistance,in nauticalmiles and cablesi.e. miles and tenthso.fa mile, to which
two vessels will close. It is determined by measuring the line drawn perpendicular from the
target'sapparent/relativemotion line, or apparent/relativemotion line produce4 to the observing
vessel.Note that any changein the observingvessel'sand/or the target'scourseand/or speedmay
alter the CPA.

8. Target'sBearingat CPA
The angle, in degrees, measured in three figure notation either from the observing vessel's
headingline thris; 045orelative, or from the true meridian thus; 095'T, tb the direction oithe line
from the observing vesselthrough the target'sCPA.

9. Time Interval to the Target'sCPA

The time taken, in minutes, for the target to reach the CPA from the time of taking the last
 WORKED EXAMPLES IN RADAR PLOTTING

bearing and range. It is calculatedalong the line of apparent/relativemotion or apparenyrelativ

motion produced at the speedof apparent/relativemotion, i.e.

Distancg (last bearing to CPA) x Plotting Interval

Time in Minutes -
Distance (during the Plotting Interval)

10. Time of Target'sCpA

The time intervalto the target'sCPAaddedto the time recordedfor the target'slastbearingan
range.SeeN.B. under"Full Report".

11. Target'sTrue Motion

The true track andspeedduringa givenplotting intervalasdeterminedby the observingvesse
It is representedon theplottingdiagramby theline WA andis indicatedUyttresymbolialwayr
in the direction from W towardsA. Speedis calculatedby dividing the distanceWA by tire
plotting intervalandmultiplyingthe resultby 60.

e.g.WA:3.4 miles,plottinginterval: 12minutes.

- - t3'4-x2 6o : rT.oknots
Speed
12. Aspect
The bearing of the observing vesselfrom the target vessel,expressedin degreesRed
0o to 1g0"
or Green 0o to 180o,according to whether the observing't.5il is on the port or Starboard
side
ofthe target vesselrespectively.

e.g. Target'scourse2l0oT,last bearing050.T.

Reciprocalof last bearing 230"7 (050. + lg0.).
Lesser angle is Green 20" (210" - 230")

N.B. 1. Wile the word "trqck" is more accurate an expressionof thi result obtained, the
useoJ
the word "course" has beenretained as o ,onsiqurnce ofwording commonin written tes
and examination questions,displayed ARPA data and io^*onitogr. Wen navigating
in conditions causing leeway the radar observer should be very aware of polentril
problems concerning the expected as opposed to the actual aspect. See eximples
in
SectionE.
N'8. 2. Wile the ans,wershave beengiven to a precision of one degree,one tenth of a nautical
mile, one tenth of a knot and one minute of time, obiervers oid ur"r, of the riported data
shguld not put undue reliance on the accuracy of the information. rie calcilated data,
whether determined by ARPA or by means of a-manuai plot, dependson many
factors
including, but not limited to: accurqcy of radar bearin[s and ianges, accura"y of the
ARPA or humanprocessor of that information, the length-oftime ovei which obsirvitions
have beenmade,the accuracyof the course/tracktnpis
for own vesseland the steadiness
of the target's course and speedover the plotting iiterval. -
N'B 3. Observersshould note that wherythe set, drtft and rqte of current/tidal stream
is being
determined it is representedby the line WA.However, it must be borne in mind that thi
fixed navigational mark so used in the plot cannot have moved. Its apparent movement
indicates that own vesselhas been set towards or away
from thefixid mark. Thus, the
direction of set is indicated by the directionfrom 'A" towards "V[i' and the conventional
chartwork symbol of three arrows, in the dir-ectionof set, has beenusedin the appropriate
examples.
 TERMSAND DEFINITIONS

RADAR REPORTING PROCEDURE

It is of greatvalue,particularlywhenoperatingin conditionsof densetraffic
movementand in
confined waters' for a radar observer to be confidently and competently
supplying
comprehensive informationpertainingto targetechoes,both voluntarilyandon demand.
Such data may be plotted either on_normal paperplotting sheets,on reflectionplotters,
electronicallyor by all threemeans.Evidenceor edcieni plotting andits interpretation
may be
requiredto be producedin the eventof an accident.
The following exampleassumes an observingvesselsteering000.T at a speedof l0 knots.The
plotting intervalis plannedfor 12minutes.
l. At the First Observation
Report:
a. the time;
b. the targetdesignator;
c. the targetbearing;
d. the targetrange.
e.g.0600,Alphabearing045"T,range10.0M.
2. Halfwaythroughthe PlottingInterval
Report:
a. thetime;
b. the targetdesignator;
c. the bearing;
d. the bearingchangeor trend;
e. the range;
f. the rangechangeor trend.
e.g.0606,Alpha bearing043y2"T,drawingforward,rangeg.0M, decreasing.
3.
The radar observer, when asked for a "Full Report" on a plotted
target, should report,
sequentially,the following information to the officer in chargeof the bridge:
Report:
a. the time for which the report has been prepared;
b. the tuget designator;
c. the target'slast true bearing;
d. whether the bearingsare drawing forward, aft or are steadyrelative to own
vessel,strack;
e. the target'slast range;
f' whether the rangesare increasing,decreasingor are steadyrelative to
own vessel'strack;
g. the distanceof the target'sCpA to own vessel;
h. the true or relative bearing of the target at the CpA;
i. the interval of time to elapsefrom the time of the last bearing and range to
the time of
the CPA i.e. TCPA;
j. the ship'stime of the CpA;
k. the calculatedtrue courseltrack and speedof the target;
l. the target'saspect.
e.g.0612; Alpha; bearing 041"T; drawing forward; range 5.5M, decreasing;
cpA 0.9M
bearing 320"T in l8 minutesat 0630; track 260"T,rp".d tO.Oknots; aspectRed
39o.