Northeast Maritime Online – NEMO° is now offering a new online course!

Automatic Radar Plotting Aid (ARPA) online course is officially available on NEMO°. This U.S. Coast Guard National Maritime Center approved course provides training in the basic theory and use of automatic radar plotting aids for those who will be in charge of a navigational watch in vessels equipped with ARPA.

The course combines lecture with extensive hands-on practice using an online Radar/ARPA simulator*. The methods by which the ARPA acquires targets, tracks them and derives information on their movements will be covered in sufficient depth to allow an appreciation of the limitations of detection and accuracy, and the dangers of over-reliance on ARPA.

Other aspects covered include the different types of ARPA in use and their various displays; the content of IMO resolution A.422 (XI) – Performance standards for automatic radar plotting aids; tests for the malfunctioning of equipment; the effects of inaccuracies in the input of course and speed; the selection of speed input to the ARPA; and the response of the system to changes in course and speed of “own ship” or target.

The exercises will provide practice in setting up the radar, the selection of operational alarms and ARPA facilities, and the use of these to derive information about other ships, i.e. the movement, the ranges at closest points of approach (CPA), and the time to closest points of approach (TCPA), the recognition of potential threats, and the use of ARPA to determine the action to take to avoid close quarters situations in accordance with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREG 1990) and the subsequent monitoring of such action.
For more information and to sign up for this course, visit https://northeastmaritimeonline.com/product/arpa/.