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Automatic Radar Plotting Aids (ARPA)

Course Description

This course is required for all officers who serve on vessels equipped with ARPA. Attendees will learn collision avoidance and navigation.  Trainees use commerical ARPA equipment with landmasses, environmental effects and vessel returns. The curriculum exceeds IMO requirements. “Hands-on” simulation is conducted on Raytheon, Sperry, and Furuno ARPAs. The successful completion of the course entitles attendees to a USCG/STCW ARPA certificate. 

Pre-requisite-  Radar Observer Unlimited

This course satisfies the following STCW95 and CFR requirements:

•  46 CFR 11.205(m)(1)- Formerly 46 CFR 10.205
• STCW 95 Table A-II/1 Code OICNW 3-2A
• STCW 95 Table A-II/1 Code OICNW 3-2B
• STCW 95 Table A-II/1 Code OICNW 3-2C
• STCW 95 Table A-II/1 Code OICNW 3-2D
• STCW 95 Table A-II/1 Code OICNW 3-2E
• STCW 95 Table A-II/1 Code OICNW 3-2F
• STCW 95 Table A-II/1 Code OICNW 3-2G
• STCW 95 Table A-II/1 Code OICNW 3-2H
• STCW 95 Table A-II/1 Code OICNW 3-2I
• STCW 95 Table A-II/1 Code OICNW 3-2J
• STCW 95 Table A-II/1 Code OICNW 3-2K
• STCW 95 Table A-II/1 Code OICNW 3-2L
• STCW 95 Table A-II/1 Code OICNW 3-2M

What You Will Learn

• Proficiency in Manual Radar Plotting
• The Principal ARPA Systems and the Inputs to the Systems
• Performance Standard, Limitations and Tracking Theory of the ARPA Tracking Facility
• Setting up and Maintenance of an ARPA Display
• Identifying and Evaluating Errors in Displayed ARPA Data
• Understanding and Applying COLREGS 1972 to the Use of Radar and ARPA
• Knowledge of ARPA Operation in Navigation and Collision Avoidance Environments

What You Should Bring

• Scientific Calculator
• Triangles
• Dividers
• All practical navigation equipment

Attendees who successfully complete a twenty-eight hour course in Automatic Radar Plotting Aids offered by the Maritime Advancement, Training, Education and Safety Program through the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies, including successful demonstration of all practical assessments, and thus satisfied the ARPA training requirements for certification as Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch on vessels of 500 or more gross tonnage (ITC) and of 46 CFR 11.205(m)(1). The practical assessments conducted are accepted as the equivalent of the following assessments from the National Assessment Guidelines for Table A-II/1 of the STCW Code: OICNW-3-2A; OICNW-3-2B; OICNW-3-2C; OICNW-3-2D; OICNW-3-2E; OICNW-3-2F; OICNW-3-2G; OICNW-3-2H; OICNW-3-2I; OICNW-3-2J; OICNW-3-2K; OICNW-3-L; and OICNW-3-2M.