Most people I've seen either find a radar image intuitively correct to what
they see around them ... or they don't. I knew immediately what I was
looking at on the first radar image I saw. I can interpolate between radar,
air photo and chart in an instant. I mentally compensate for differences in
scale and orientation. Maybe I'm one of the lucky few... but I assumed
everyone had this ability to some extent.

CM

"Simple Simon" wrote in message
...
|
| But radar is different from a paper chart because
| a paper chart does not foreshorten the view while
| radar does. Radar is really no different than a
| looking at something with eyes that use radio
| waves instead of light waves
|
| Our eyes use light and when we see a hundred
| yards of water at a distance of a quarter mile this
| hundred yards of water looks a helluva lot shorter
| than the same hundred yards right off our bow.
|
| Radar 'sees' thing the same way so one must
| extrapolate this information mentally in order
| to match it with a chart of the same area.
|
| It would be much the same as equating a gnomic
| projection with a Mercator projection but backwards
| if looking north on a Mercator.
|
| See what I mean? But the point is the majority
| of people can't even imagine such differences
| let alone work with them.
|
| This is what I mean by spatial comprehension.
|
| S.Simon - a sailboat Captain who's superior to any and all motorboat
Captains
|
| "Capt. Mooron" wrote in message
...
| Generally I find that women are at a loss when it comes to spatial
| comprehension. A man will usually automatically know the extended limits
of
| an automobile when he sits in one. Women depend on mirrors and the
visual
| depth of field at a specific spot to determine this. This is one of the
| reasons why women generally do not back into a parking space... while
men
| prefer to. I say this is a general trait.... I know of women who are
very
| good with spatial interpretation.
|
| If you look at the radar screen as a chart... it is easier to resolve
the
| image and blend it to the area around you. Just keep in mind that often
you
| only view the proximal reflected surface of any object. The "chart" on a
| radar screen is always oriented to the line of the vessel and bearing is
| always relative unless a fluxgate compass or GPS input is available. In
a
| day or two I could easily have you running with a full comprehension of
| radar... at least as well as anyone else. Tuning radar is no
problem....
|
| CM
|
| "Simple Simon" wrote in message
| ...
| |
| |
| | I've met many people who cannot extrapolate a land map
| | of an area they are familiar with much less be able to relate
| | to a nautical chart. If tests were given for this type of relating
| | a graphical representation to geography I bet you'd be
| | apalled at the numbers of folks who simply can't relate.
| |
| | Bobsprit is probably one of these chart challenged people.
| |
| | Simple things like basic orientation of the map while they
| | look at it leaves them at a loss. A radar display is even
| | more of an alien representation that a paper chart. Is the
| | display 'heads up' or "oriented north" for instance is more
| | than many people can cope with. Spatial relationships
| | and representative distances with respect to scale are
| | concepts many simply cannot fathom. I've only used
| | radar a couple of times and found it did not convey
| | much information at all other than skewed and foreshortened
| | spatial relationships that were difficult to stretch out into
| | geographical reality in my mind - a mind which excels
| | at spatiality.
| |
| | I can see where practice, practice, practice and a mind
| | that can understand is vital for a radar operator. This is
| | yet another reason I think there should be a navigator at
| | the helm of large ships. Let the navigator navigator - let
| | the Captain steer according to input from the navigator.
| |
| | S.Simon - a Captain who knows how things work
| |
| |
| |
| |
| | "Capt. Mooron" wrote in message
| ...
| |
| | "Shen44" wrote in message
| |
| | | Radar is an aid to navigation, that is well learned if one has
one,
| but
| | not as
| | | important to learn for beginners, as some of the other basics,
such as
| | compass,
| | | chart work, etc..
| | | Contrary to what some may think, radar is not something you can
just
| turn
| | on,
| | | for the first time, and be instantly familiar and competent with
it's
| | usage.
| | | I have seen any number of people using it on a fairly regular
basis,
| who
| | have
| | | problems tuning (and sometimes detuning) for best picture, then
| equating
| | that
| | | picture to their charts or vessel traffic around them.
| | | Without knowing the basics of relative motion and how to plot
targets,
| you
| | can
| | | easily get yourself into as much trouble as you can avoid.
| |
| | Maybe these people are the same ones with spatial difficulties. I
| haven't
| | seen anyone that has had a problem understanding a radar image...
| tuning
| | radar is a little more complicated ... but not out of the realm of
the
| | newbie.
| |
| | While I concur that Basic Navigation is primary obstacle to
overcome...
| a
| | radar in use to confirm your plots and verify relative bearings is
| perfectly
| | fine.
| |
| | The days of high tech being utilized only on large ships is over.
| | Navigational instrumentation is now available to the layman and the
| general
| | population's ability to embrace technology has increased
dramatically.
| |
| | CM
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
|
|