What is a marine radar?

Here we will tell you about marine radar: what it is, its various components and how they work. 

What is a marine radar?

We have already highlighted its relevance, but what is it all about?

First of all, you may be surprised to learn that the word "radar" is actually an acronym. Indeed, radar comes from RAdio Detection And Ranging (RADAR).

Marine radar is an electronic system capable of obtaining information on the distance, location and speed of an object by using electromagnetic radiation. This allows managers to obtain a greater amount of information and control over the vessel's surroundings. Remember that weather conditions can be very adverse and the view of the outside is considerably reduced. 

The above illustration may bring to mind a scene from the popular Japanese anime "Dragon Ball". It is undoubtedly a good example of how the invention of radar has worked and how important it has become. 

Nowadays, ships are equipped with very precise radars that provide great safety and efficiency. However, despite all the technological advances, human error still causes tragic events to occur at sea. When this happens, the scale of the problem causes these accidents to make headlines in the media practically all over the world. This is why these systems are becoming increasingly refined and automated, so as to minimise the chances of any failure occurring.

What components make up a marine radar?

Below is a list of the components that enable this radiomagnetic wave system to work perfectly:

• Power supply.
• Modulator.
• High frequency radio transmitter.
• Receiver.
• Antenna.
• Screen
• Ethernet network connection system (to communicate several radar systems).

How does a marine radar work?

In this post, we have already explained what a marine radar is and how it is made up. However, we still need to know how the different components allow it all to work perfectly. Here is a brief explanation of how it works so that you don't miss a single detail:

First of all, it is worth mentioning the crucial role of the power supply. It transmits the power generated in the engine room to the system and allows everything to start up. 

Secondly, there is the modulator, whose task, together with the synchroniser, is to coordinate the transmission and reception of the signal between the transmitter and the antenna. It prevents interference or loss of information. 

The high-frequency radio transmitter, as its name suggests, emits waves at a high frequency that are sent to the antenna. 

The receiver, on the other hand, transforms the received signals into images that can be seen on the screen. 

The antenna is responsible for redirecting the radio signals from the transmitter towards the outside of the vessel in order to detect any target. It then forwards the received information to the receiver. 

The video signals from the receiver are displayed on the screen. Here we can visually check the echoes and the information obtained in the system. 

Finally, the ethernet networking system connects several radar systems to meet multiple user needs.

After reading this post we hope that you have understood the impact and relevance of marine radar in navigation. We have also explained in a more simplified way how it works (explaining the Doppler effect and electromagnetic waves in detail will be left for another time). Technological advances have made it possible to evolve from Columbus' ancient caravels to the great engineering wonders of today. 

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