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• To identify offshore oil platforms and similar structures;
• To identify and warn of environmentally-sensitive areas (such as coral reefs);
• To mark new and uncharted hazards;
• To identify centre and turning points.
RACON range is approximately line-of-sight range, normally over 15 nautical miles,
although actual range depends upon a number of factors, including mounting height,
atmospheric conditions, and racon receiver sensitivity setting.
RACONs can be placed on any navigational mark (lighthouses, beacons, perches, buoys,
etc). The return on the ship’s radar will clearly identify the mark from surrounding targets
and allow the mariner to accurately measure his range and bearing.
4.2.2.2 Operational Requirements
There are approximately 1,000 racons in operation in and around the UK.
4.2.2.3 Regulatory and Standardisation Issues
The ITU-R Recommendation M.824-2, Technical Parameters for Radar Beacons
(RACONs) specifies the minimum technical characteristics for general purpose RACONs
and contains guidance for their use.
A recommended specification for RACONs is published (reference R-101r1) by the
International Association of Maritime Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities
(IALA).
4.2.2.4 Possible Improvements to existing technology
The IMO sub-committee on safety of navigation in a report on a review of performance
standards for radar equipment 16 states that:
“It is perceived that the requirement to trigger SARTs and RACONs of current designs
imposes constraints on radar design. These constraints, when coupled with future ITU
requirements to restrict out of band emissions, may result in increased costs and
complexity of equipment. Whilst compatibility with SARTs 17 at X-band must remain until a
replacement beacon is mandated by IMO, it is considered that the requirement to operate
RACONs at S-band can be removed from the mandatory performance requirements and
thus allow innovative design of radar operating in this band.”
It is clear, therefore, that the maritime community appreciates the need to improve the
performance and spectral efficiency of maritime radars and the proposed removal of the
need to support RACONs in S-Band would enable new technologies to be employed.
Implementing this recommendation is unlikely to have a major financial or operational
impact on the maritime industry. RACONs currently operate in both bands, and most
organisations who implement them provide RACONs in both S- and X-bands. As X-band
is the most common form of radar (and indeed at least one radar on a GMDSS compliant
vessel must work in X-band) the removal of S-band RACONs would appear to be a logical
step forward to allow the development of more efficient maritime radars in S-band.
16
Reference: NAV49/9
17
SARTs do not operate on S-Band frequencies
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