Navico HALO20 pulse compression radar has dual-range operations and Rutter unveils WaveSignal for safe on-deck activities
Fishing, commercial and passenger vessels can use radar with dual-range operations from Navico to avoid hazards.
HALO20+ and HALO20 radars are compact, pulse-compression radome units with both short-range and long-range detection and tracking, a small footprint and low profile.
HALO20 increases situational awareness while reducing collision risks with its ability to detect hazards up to 24 nautical miles (nm) away.
Mariners can monitor selected collision hazards with mini-automatic radar plotting aid (MARPA) target detection for tracking up to 10 targets. It requires 18 W of power and has 24 rpm.
Navico said it can be used in crowded waterways and in poor visibility to provide navigators with a clear, current picture of their surroundings.
HALO20+ has VelocityTrack, for dual-range operations and can detect targets from a greater distance than HALO20. It delivers a full 360° sweep every second with 60 rpm for fast updates up to 1.5 nm.
This radar comes in a compact dome antenna (50.8 cm diameter) and delivers high-quality short-, mid- and long-range detection, up to 36 nm. HALO20+ consumes 29 W of power and requires 10.5-31.2 V direct current. It weighs 5.9 kg, has a minimum range of 50 m and an operating temperature range of -25°C to + 55°C.
HALO20+ and HALO20 radar information can be viewed on Navico’s NSO evo3 multifunction displays, developed for a wide range of workboats and commercial vessels. Navigators can use these to display navigation, autopilot, radar, echosounder and other information aboard non-SOLAS vessels and view close-range radar for navigation, docking or anti-piracy applications.
NSO evo3 also has StructureScan 3D imaging to aid searches, surveys, sonar bathymetric and vegetation mapping for research purposes.
These displays have iMX6 quad-core processor and high-definition (1920 x 1080-pixel) displays, supporting up to a six-panel split-screen layout.
In Canada, Rutter Inc launched an advanced radar processing system for its Sigma S6 line. WaveSignal uses X-band radar and predictive analytics to determine when quiet periods in wave action will occur.
This information can be used to improve mariner safety while conducting on-deck operations, carrying out cargo or personnel transfers and several offshore activities.
WaveSignal provides a high-definition display of approaching wave fields and combines this with a timer to predict the next change. Operators can use this to assess risks and identify safe periods for on-deck operations.
Rutter says an operator can input specific wave height thresholds, as determined by the nature of the work and acceptable conditions.
When these thresholds are exceeded, a red signal light is activated on the bridge display and on a deck signal panel. Quiet periods are identified with a green signal light, indicating it is safe to proceed.
Rutter chief executive Blair Wheaton says WaveSignal was developed during 12 years of research following German-based OceanWaveS’ acquisition in 2008.
“It has been very challenging bringing this breakthrough product to market,” he says. “Because only now, some 12 years after the idea first germinated, has computing power and high-definition imaging been up to the task of dealing with the complexities of real-time wave prediction.”
Newfoundland’s Provincial Department of Industry, Energy and Technology and Canada’s National Research Council helped Rutter to develop WaveSignal to this point.
“This technology will provide a new layer of safety for mariners,” says Rutter president Fraser Edison. “We are confident WaveSignal will quickly become an essential tool in the technology kit of mariners and oil and gas production professionals around the world.”
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