Radar Beacon: An Effective and Versatile Device Primarily Used For Locating Underwater Vessels, Submerged Objects, and Other Such Structures

 

A radar beacon is an effective and versatile device which is primarily used for the purpose of locating underwater vessels, submerged objects, and other such structures under the surface of the water. A radar beacon also helps military and civilian personnel locate the location of a vehicle, person, or an aircraft. Radar beacons / transducers are also used in maritime applications to locate large ships that are in the water.

Radar beacons are typically constructed from a combination of metal and fiberglass, along with a conductive element such as an electrical conductor, an optical transmitter, and an antenna. Typically, the transmission of the pulses from the fiberglass or metal component of the radar beacon may be either pulse width modulation (PWM) or frequency response (FHRM). Pulse width modulation produces a strong signal that is capable of contacting the towed or afloat electronic equipment located at the receiving station. FHRM, on the other hand, produces a narrow frequency response and is more suited to use in areas where there is low density of electronic equipment. There are also some types of radar beacon which are capable of generating microwaves.

One of the important aspects of the radar systems, whether PPM or FHRM, is its availability of a global positioning system. GPS technologies are now widely available, and most GPS-based handheld devices are capable of operating within a few feet of distance from their base station. This makes them excellent choices for use in offshore oil rigs, merchant vessels, and other offshore commercial ventures. The availability of a global positioning system is also advantageous because it can pinpoint the exact position of a radar system's user, which may otherwise require considerable distance from the receiving device. In addition, some GPS based handheld units have the capability of allowing users to select a one-way channel to allow greater control over communications between itself and a base station.

In the U.S., radar beacons are generally available in a variety of models, depending on their size. Some models have a single frequency, while others have two or more. Some have single mode and combined modes, while others have combined single and combined modes. Beacons can have a fixed frequency, a low-low scan rate, or a variable-frequency device. Radar systems' model that uses a single-mode system and a fixed frequency, while having a variable-frequency device, is better able to receive from a wide variety of sources, thereby allowing the user to detect and identify a number of objects.