Page 47: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (January 1989)

ELECTRONICS

UPDATE

Krupp Atlas Elektronik Introduces

Atlas 8630 VTC Radar Designed For

Vessel Traffic Control Applications —Free Literature Available— mated annual traffic throughput of 45 million tons.

For further information and free literature on the new VTC radar from Krupp Atlas Elektronik,

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Atlas 8630 VTC, a new modular 16-inch Rasterscan radar with inte- gral keyboard facilities specifically designed for vessel traffic control applications, was recently intro- duced by Krupp Atlas Elektronik.

Suitable for either stand-alone operation or installation as part of a network of VTC radar consoles, the system precludes any necessity for ancillary computer, display or other equipment functions, although for extended user requirements, it can be typically connected via standard interfaces to weather observation, communication and data base sys- tems. Up to 100 targets can be tracked simultaneously with range measurements available for display in either nautical miles or kilomet- ers.

All menu-controlled information is presented on a high-definition screen offering continuous true day- light viewing. VTC functions shown include anchor and fairway watches, target prediction and speed limits, which can be individually assigned to each tracked target according to vessel type and load as well as envi- ronmental factors.

Target tracking may be either manual or automatic inclusive of position, course and speed as well as

TCPA and CPA values. Monitoring of individual TCPA and CPA values against those of other targets is con- tinuous with provision for both vi- sual and aural warnings whenever those for two vessels fall within pre- determined limits. Bearings from two target VHF direction finders can also be superimposed on dis- plays.

Up to 100 detailed maps can be compiled and stored via the radar indicator, any of which can be re-

The new Atlas 8630 VTC radar from Krupp

Atlas Elektronik. produced on the screen with adjoin- ing land areas deleted as and when required. Consisting of some 10,000 separate elements, each also allows for creation of 20 symbols and line types for identification of individual buoys, wrecks or other chart-type markings. All maps are security- protected with access for storage and editing being restricted to au- thorized personnel only.

For extended coverage of particu- larly large operating areas, a net- work of four or more 8630 VTC con- soles can be established and con- trolled by a Processor Controlled

Interswitch Matrix (PCIM) facility for interchange and localized ad- justment of target data, displays and maps as well as automatic tar- get handover. Connection of remote installations can be via either micro- wave or coaxial, twin-wire or fiber- optic cable links.

Three slotted-array antenna con- figurations are optionally available for X-band (3cm) operation and one for S-band (10cm).

Introduction of the 8630 VTC fol- lows recent installation of an X- band system at Dalian, China's larg- est foreign trade port with an esti- (Advertisement)

Understanding Marine Rope Specifications

Increases Safety And Cordage Life

By John E. Richardson Jr.,

Vice President, Columbian Rope Company

I'd like to eliminate one area of confusion at this point. Since the same test is used to determine ten- sile strength that is used to deter- mine breaking strength, and since tensile strength is established at the point where the rope breaks under tension, tensile strength and break- ing strength are for all purposes, one and the same. Breaking strength/ tensile strength is normally deter- mined by certain laboratory tests that mechanically establish a point of or degree of failure. There are several methods by which this test procedure is carried out.

Federal Test Method Standard 191, Method 6015.1 covers testing three-strand and eight-strand plaited ropes that are spliceable.

Three-strand tests are performed with eye splices made with a speci- fied number of tucks (a method of splicing) in the specimen being test- ed, with predetermined variables in- cluding lengths and the specific rate of load or strain level to be applied.

The eye-spliced ends are placed over a drum or bollard head on the testing machine. The rope specimen is then subjected to an even strain as the drums or bollard heads are separated by mechanical means.

Ropes that cannot be eye-spliced, such as braids, are covered by Fed- eral Test Method Standard 191,

Method 6016. In this test, the rope is wrapped around a drum and held by clamps as mechanical strain is applied. It is at this point that a manufacturer's published data on breaking/tensile strength can be- come confusing or misleading. (continued)

John E. Richardson Jr.

Rope, one of the oldest tools known to man, is also one of the most versatile tools available to man, but only in the hands of a pro- fessional user. In the hands of a novice, rope becomes a single pur- pose item, misused more often than used effectively. The objective of this article is to address the causes behind the misuse of rope by the professional—misuse that in many instances results in serious acci- dents—misuse that is all too fre- quent to be purely accidental—mis- use that is all too common to be ignored.

As a salesman of rope for close to 40 years, I"m convinced that the misuse of rope by the professional can be traced in large measure to confusion in the interpretation of information provided by the manu- facturer on breaking strength, ten- sile strength and work load for indi- vidual ropes. Comparing informa- tion published by two reputable rope manufacturers can be like com- paring apples to oranges unless identical test procedures are used, which is not always the case. <0*

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January, 1989

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