How to Repair a Marine Radar

Many boat owners are familiar with sailing operations, but they may not be aware of the many occasional adjustments needed on the boat's parts. One element of a boat that may need frequent updates is the marine radar system. A boat's radar system uses motion detection to sense the presence of other boats and objects in the water around you. Whether you're a novice sailor or a semi-professional, you can learn how to make minor adjustments to your craft's marine radar system.

Instructions

1. Adjust the sensitivity of your radar with the "gain" control knob. If you pass an obvious target, such as a boat visible in the near distance, but your radar doesn't turn on, it might need no more than a slight knob adjustment. For the highest level of accuracy, adjust the knob on a clear day as a control subject. This will allow you to make more accurate adjustments in the future.

2. Use the "sea clutter" knob on your marine radar to prevent the mechanism from interpreting the motion of waves as a target. Not only can this cause unnecessary panic but it can keep the radar from detecting a sea buoy or the row boat right next to you. Sea clutter is best described as a short-range sensitivity control that you should adjust carefully by turning it down until all clutter is suppressed and turning it up just until clutter starts to appear.

3. Adjust the control marked "weather." Weather interference can occur when a storm or squall produces heavy precipitation and causes a "white out" on the radar screen. Turn the control as high as you need to so that the screen is no longer masked by the weather and you can again see small targets nearby.

4. Hire a technician to perform regular tune-ups on your marine radar. Even if you think that your radar works properly, a trained professional might find technical issues that are undetectable to most users.

Tips & Warnings

• Consult your radar's user manual before you begin to make adjustments. While most radar systems are similar, the names for the knobs, dials and switches vary by manufacturer.

References

• "The Radar Handbook"; Merrill Skolnik; 1990