THE USE OF MICROPROCESSOR BASED TECHNOLOGY IN A MODERN HARBOUR SURVEILLANCE RADAR SYSTEM

Over the past 20-30 years, Vessel Traffic Systems, or Harbour Surveillance Radar Systems, have been making increasing use of shore-based radar, which, in conjunction with an efficient communications system, can much reduce manoeuvring and berthing time, particularly in bad weather, and increase safety. The Author, of Racal Marine Radar Ltd, discusses the requirements and functions of these systems, and describes features of the equipment now available for them, in particular those of the microprocessor-based equipment with which many port authorities are replacing low light-output conventional p.p.i. displays. Aspects discussed include: A.R.P.A. displays, which often provide the facilities for the smaller ports that require some degree of radar data processing; larger systems, in which microprocessor-based radar data processing is often supplemented by computers in order to provide traffic data processing (an example is the Channel Navigation Information Service at Dover); and Digital Scan Conversion, which allows the radar picture to be presented on a high-definition raster-scan display. With increasingly complex traffic systems, microprocessor-based technology has also brought the great advantage of continuous operation with minimum maintenance; diagnostic routines can permit the easy location of faults. The paper mentions some possible future developments in these systems.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Institution of Electrical Engineers and Royal Institute of Navigation Colloquium "Marine Electronic Navigation Systems, Applications and Design", held London, 18 April 1986, Paper No. 6 [3 pp.]
• Authors:
  • Wigmore, S J
• Publication Date: 1986

Language

• English

Subject/Index Terms

• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00690631
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: British Maritime Technology
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 14 1995 12:00AM