Sea Story: A Lesson from the Radar Clutter

Early in my sea-going career while serving in the Gulf, I encountered a recurring complaint from the Officer of the Deck (OOD): excessive surface radar clutter. It was especially frustrating during navigation, where clear radar visibility is critical. The response from my team was always the same: "It's normal... just humidity!"

To manage the issue, the bridge team would shut down the radar during safe maneuvers, sometimes for several minutes, then resume operations. Once alongside, the jetty maintenance crew would inspect the system as part of their routine.

But I was curious. I couldn’t just accept “humidity” as the final answer.

After we berthed, I closely observed the technicians during their fault-finding routines. I decided to dig deeper. I reviewed the radar technical manuals, studied the system drawings, and one component caught my attention: the waveguide dryer. It’s a small, often overlooked part of the system responsible for keeping moisture out of the radar's transmission path.

That raised a question in my mind: was it working as it should?

I discussed it with the maintenance crew. They told me the dryer wasn’t supported with spares at the ship’s level. I arranged a simple test and confirmed my suspicion — the dryer was wet and ineffective. It needed repair.

That small detail helped restore consistent radar performance and eliminated the need for temporary shutdowns. But more importantly, it taught me a valuable professional lesson.

Message to Young Marine Engineers

Don’t take recurring faults or workarounds for granted. You are more capable than you think. Read the manuals. Study the drawings. Ask questions. Share knowledge with technicians and logistics teams. Your attention to detail might be the key to solving what others have learned to live with.