GUIDELINES FOR THE CONDUCT OF

AUTOMATIC RADAR PLOTTING AIDS (ARPA) COURSE

ISSUED BY

THE DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF SHIPPING

To avoid unnecessary repetition, reference has been made herein to DGS Order no: 1 of 2003 (Guidelines for the conduct of Pre-Sea Training courses for Merchant Navy) wherever appropriate.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. BASIC DETAILS OF THE COURSE
1.1. Aims:
1.2. Objectives:
1.3. Application:
2. QUALIFICATION & ELIGIBILITY OF STUDENTS
2.1. Entry standards:
2.2. Required attendance:
2.3. Course intake limitations:
3. INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENT
4. COURSE DETAILS
4.1. Course duration
4.2. Course outline
4.3. Detailed Teaching Syllabus
5. HOLIDAYS
6. FACULTY REQUIREMENT
6.1. Qualifications and experience of course in charge:
6.2. Qualifications and experience of faculty members:
6.3. Training of Trainers & Assessors Course:
6.4. Visiting faculty members:
6.5. Age limit for regular faculty members:
7. FACULTY STRENGTH
8. COURSE DURATION
9. ASSESSMENT
10. QUALITY STANDARDS
11. INSPECTIONS
12. FEES TO GOVT.
Annexure 1 - Additional equipment, etc
Annexure 2 � Course outline
Annexure 3 � Form of certificate

AUTOMATIC RADAR PLOTTING AIDS (ARPA) COURSE

1. BASIC DETAILS OF THE COURSE

1.1. Aims:

This course provides training in the basic theory and use of ARPA for officers in charge of a navigational watch. It is based on the standards of competence as per Section A-II/1 of STCW 95.

Appendix M-II/1C of Meta Manual Vol. II & IMO Model Course 1.07 should be used in the preparation of material for this course.

1.2. Objectives:

A student successfully completing this course and meeting the required standards of competence should be able to fully understand the capabilities and limitations of ARPA.

1.3. Application:

Compliance with these guidelines shall be mandatory for all institutes from 1st May 2004.

2. QUALIFICATION & ELIGIBILITY OF STUDENTS

2.1. Entry standards:

Before being admitted to this course, students should have completed the Radar Observer Simulator Course.

2.2. Required attendance:

100% attendance is required for successful completion of the course. However, in exceptional circumstances, a student is allowed absence of up to one day subject to his attending the lectures missed out during the next course at the same institute. The institute shall keep proper records of such cases and intimate Chairman of respective Academic Council.

2.3. Course intake limitations:

2.3.1. The number of students shall not exceed 24 per class.

2.3.2. Course intake will be limited to not more than three students per available radar display to allow each student sufficient practice in the operation of the equipment.

3. INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENT

3.1. The ARPA Simulator equipment for this course shall be of a type approved or accepted by the DGS.

3.2. Paper charts for the exercise areas must be available.

3.3. Each ARPA set shall be inside a soundproof cubicle (called an own ship) such that the discussions and orders given in one cubicle cannot be heard by other own ships.

3.4. Each own ship cubicle shall be not less than 4m² in area and have a chart table of appropriate size, chart table lamp and charts of the simulation areas.

3.5. There shall be a classroom of not less than 1.5m² per sanctioned strength of students for use for lectures and plotting practice.

3.6. Individual table (not less than 60 cm x 45 cm) and chair shall be provided per student. Writing tablets (chairs with attached writing surfaces) will not suffice for this course as radar plotting requires use of a textbook, plotting sheet, calculator and drawing/writing instruments.

3.7. Physical requirement for classrooms, black/white boards, overhead projector, screen, notice board, faculty room, study environment and teaching equipment etc are to be provided as per DGS order 1 of 2003.

3.8. The institute shall have a library-cum-reading room of not less than 36 m² in area.

3.9. Additional infrastructure, equipments, Training Aids, Video Cassettes and Reference Books etc., required for this course are as per Annexure 1

4. COURSE DETAILS

4.1. Course duration: 5 days

4.2. Course outline: As per Annexure 2

4.3. Detailed Teaching Syllabus: As per Annexure 3

5. HOLIDAYS

5.1. Sundays shall be holidays.

5.2. Independence Day and Republic Day shall be compulsory holidays.

6. FACULTY REQUIREMENT

6.1. Qualifications and experience of course in charge:

6.1.1. Certificate of competency, issued or recognised by the Government of India, as Master of a Foreign Going Ship

and

6.1.2. At least 5 years service on Merchant ships

and

6.1.3. At least one year in the rank of Master

One year as Chief Officer and one year as regular (full time) faculty member in ROSC, APRA Course, RANSCO, SMS Course, Degree courses for deck cadets or Competency Courses.

6.2. Qualifications and experience of faculty members:

6.2.1. Certificate of competency, issued or recognised by the Government of India, as Master of a Foreign Going Ship

and

6.2.2. At least 5 years service on Merchant ships of which at least one year should have been at management level.

6.3. Training of Trainers & Assessors Course:

As per DGS Order no: 1 of 2003.

6.4. Visiting faculty members:

Qualifications and experience of visiting faculty members should be the same as that of regular faculty as specified above.

6.5. Age limit for regular faculty members:

As per DGS Order no: 1 of 2003.

7. FACULTY STRENGTH

7.1. Not less than one Master Mariner (inclusive of the course-in-charge who shall be on regular basis) for every three own ships.

7.2. Additional faculty member/s (Master Mariner/s) may be on visiting basis.

7.3. A minimum of 50% of the entire portion must be covered by regular faculty.

8. COURSE DURATION

A total of 33 hours of lectures, practical training and assessment.

9. ASSESSMENT

At the end of the course, there shall be assessment by practicals & oral examination on operation of ARPA and on ROR.

10. QUALITY STANDARDS

As per DGS Order no: 1 of 2003.

11. INSPECTIONS

As per DGS Order no: 1 of 2003.

12. FEES TO GOVT.

As per DGS Order no: 1 of 2003.

Annexure 1

TEACHING AIDS

Equipment

The following equipment shall be made available for conducting the course:

- Overhead Projectors and Transparencies

- Navigation charts

Video Films/CDs/DVDs

The available video cassettes / films shall include following films:

- Automatic Radar Plotting Aids

- Bridge Watchkeeping Procedures

Publications

For implementation of this course, Institutes should, for reference and guidance use appropriate books and publications, which may include:

� IMO Model Course 1.07 � Radar Navigation, Radar Plotting and Use of Arpa

� IMO Performance Standards for ARPA

� The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1995 (STCW 1995).

� Shipborne Radar & ARPA by Capt. H. Subramaniam.

� Radar Observers Handbook For Merchant Navy Officers by W. Burger

� Radar & Electronic Navigation by Sonnenberg.

� ARPA by A. Bole

Annexure 2

Course outline

	Lecture hours	Simulator hours
1. Description an ARPA System
1.1 ARPA Systems display characteristics	0.5
1.2 IMO Performance Standards for ARPA	0.5
1.3 Acquisition of targets	0.5	3
1.4 Tracking Capabilities and Limitations	0.5
1.5 Processing Delays	1.0
2. Operate an ARPA System
2.1 Setting Up and Maintaining Displays		1
2.2 Obtaining target information		1
2.3 Errors of Interpretation	1.0
2.4 Errors in Displayed Data	1.5	1
2.5 System Operational Tests	0.5	1
2.6 Risks of Over-reliance on ARPA	1.0	16
2.7 Obtaining Information from ARPA Displays
2.8 Application of COLREG 1972
Total	7	23
Grand Total learning and practice	30
3. Review and Final Assessment	03
Total	33

Annexure 3

DETAILED TEACHING SYLLABUS

Learning Objectives

(hours include lectures and simulator practicals)

1. Description an ARPA System (6 hours)

1.1 ARPA Systems display characteristics (0.5 hours)

.1 describes different display characteristics:

- Vectors

- Graphics

- digital read-out

- potential points of collision (PPC)

- predicted areas of danger (PAD)

.2 describes the different ways in which targets may be acquired

1.2 IMO Performance Standards for ARPA (0.5 hours)

.1 states IMO performance standards for ARPA relating to accuracy

.2 states the requirements for acquisition and tracking of targets

.3 lists the operational warnings required

.4 lists data which should be available in alphanumeric form

.5 describes the effects of censor errors for ARPA equipment
complying with IMO performance standards

.6 states performance standards for gyro and log inputs

.7 states performance standards for range and bearing accuracy
and discrimination of radar

1.3 Acquisition of targets (1.5 hour)

.1 states criteria for target acquisition

.2 states that the criteria for automatic selection of targets are
given in the set's instruction manual

.3 lists the criteria to be used for manual acquisition of targets

.4 states that maximum number of targets which may be acquired

.5 states that targets may be deleted if not posing a potential threat
(when tracking limit has been reached)

.6 describes appropriate use of suppression of target acquisition
over certain areas

.7 states that targets first appearing closer than the pre-set guard
ring are not acquired and do not actuate alarms

1.4 Tracking Capabilities and Limitations (1.5 hour)

.1 describes target tracking by ARPA

.2 describes how target are "lost" and alarm activated

.3 states common circumstances leading to "target swap"

.4 describes the effect of "target swap" on displayed data

1.5 Processing Delays (2 hour)

.1 explains why there is a delay in the display of processed ARPA data after target acquisition

.2 explains the delay in the display of new data when the target ship manoeuvres

.3 states that full accuracy of derived information may not be attained for up to three minutes after acquisition or manoeuvre of the target

2. Operate an ARPA System (24 hours)

2.1 Setting Up and Maintaining Displays (1.0 hour)

.1 sets up an appropriate display presentation for the required task and current situation (stabilised relative motion and true motion displays)

.2 adjusts radar controls for the optimum display of echoes

.3 uses log and gyro compass inputs

.4 manually selects, acquires and monitors critical targets

.5 sets up automatic acquisition and exclusion areas

.6 uses the appropriate time scale for vectors or graphics to produce information required

.7 identifies differences between information shown in sea stabilised mode and the ground stabilised mode

.8 selects the appropriate mode for the circumstances

.9 sets up echo-referencing in the true motion mode

2.2 Obtaining target information (1.0 hour)

.1 operates display in true and relative modes to obtain true and relative vectors in each display mode

.2 states the benefits of switching between true and relative vectors

.3 uses the graphic display of PPC's and PAD's

.4 determines threat of collision by forward extrapolation of vectors and by the use of PAD's.

5 uses targets history display

.6 uses trial manoeuvres are (approximations depending on the model of ownship manoeuvring characteristics)

.7 refers to the equipment manual for a description of the manoeuvring characteristics model used

.8 sets and acknowledges operational warnings

.9 states benefits and limitations of operational warnings

.10 sets area rejection boundaries to avoid spurious interference

2.3 Errors of Interpretation (1 hour)

.1 identifies consistently vectors in the wrong mode (a common
error)

.2 derives information from vectors with numeric display

.3 explains and re-acquired "lost target" may temporarily shown a

course and speed suggesting an alteration when none has

occurred

                   .4       states data from PADs and PPCs displayed apply only to "own
                             ship" and targets and do not indicate mutual threats between
                             targets

.5 states that the length of line from target to PAD or PPC is not an
indicator of target speed

.6 states that history displays may not be in same mode as vectors

.7 states that a change of direction in the relative history display
does not necessarily imply that the target has altered course

.8 explains that the incorrect interpretation of ARPA can lead to a
dangerous misunderstanding

2.4 Errors in Displayed Data ( 2.5 hours)

.1 identifies bearing errors in the radar installation by:

- Backlash

- ship motion

- asymmetrical antenna beam

- azimuth quantisation

.2 explains errors in range generated by:

- rolling of "own ship"

- range quantisation

                   .3       explains that unreliable indications are given when smoothing
                             filter in the tracker combined with alteration in "own ship's"
                             course/speed

.4 explains the effects of heading and speed errors on derived
information

.6 states that the smoothness of the displayed history track is an indication of satisfactory tracking by ARPA

2.5 System Operational Tests (1.5 hour)

.1 uses self-diagnostic routines

.2 operates test programmes to check performance against known
solutions

.3 demonstrates performance checks, including trial manoeuvre
by manual plotting

.4 takes correct action malfunction of ARPA

2.6 Risks of Over-reliance on ARPA (3 hour)

.1 demonstrates the use of ARPA explains the need to comply with basic principles in keeping a navigational watch

.2 reacts correctly to operational alarms

.3 avoids small predicted passing distances (CPA and bow crossing ranges)

.4 explains that sensor input alarms only operate on failure of input

and do not respond to inaccurate input

2.7 Obtaining Information from ARPA Displays (6 hours)

.1 obtains information in both true and relative modes

.2 identifies critical targets

.3 determines relative course and speed of target

.4 determines CPA and TCPA of target

.5 determines true course and speed of target

.6 uses displays of past positions for detecting changes in course or
speed of target

.7 uses trial manoeuvre facility to check validity of intended
alteration of course or speed

2.8 Application of COLREG 1972 (8 hours)

.1 takes correct action to avoid close-quarters situations or potential collision situations

.2 monitors subsequent situation and resumes original course and speed when safe to do so

3. Review and Final Assessment (3 hours)

.1 Objective test on theory and principles

.2 Test on manual plotting

.3      Practical demonstration on simulator covering setting up of the
                 display, plotting vessel's position, use of parallel indexing
                 techniques, obtaining target information using ARPA