Golden Earring:

“I’ve been driving all night, my hands wet on the wheel
There is a voice in my head that drives me heel
We’ve got a wave in the air: Radar Love
And  as I am speeding into a new sunrise
She sends her comfort coming in from above”

These are a few lines from the lyrics of the incredible song “Radar Love” from a Dutch rock band of the sixties called “Golden Earring”. Radar Love is one of the very few Dutch rock songs that ever reached sky high in the international hit lists.

Radar Target in NemaStudio extensively updated in Version 1.11

Of course inspired by this song, but in reality more motivated by a number of user requests I decided to upgrade the Radar Target object in NemaStudio. I have been heavily neglecting Radar since the introduction of AIS in NemaStudio, but now it got really time to do something about that.

Radar Targets in earlier versions

The Radar object in NemaStudio before Version 1.11 has been a rather dull and static object. All parameters, including Target Speed and Course, Target Bearing, CPA, Latitude and Longitude, had to be entered manually and the target’s position did not automatically change based on course and speed as in almost all other NMEA simulated objects in NemaStudio like GPS and AIS.

Dynamically update of Target position

Based on course and speed, taken from the value of the controls in the Object Control Center, the position of the Radar Target is automatically updated every n second, whereas n is the interval set by the user. But there is more.

Linking a GPS object or an AIS target to a Radar Target

Apart from steering each Radar Target with the course and speed controls in the Object Control Center, you have the option to link an active GPS or Class A or Class B AIS object to any Radar Target.

Observe that an AIS object itself can also have a GPS linked in turn. So if you link a GPS to an AIS object and then link that AIS object to a Radar object, you have them all three synchronized!

This way you can have the GPS object in control and all position changes will automatically be forwarded to the AIS and Radar object.

It gets even better when you create a number of routes with waypoints and put the GPS object in "Automatic Mode". Of course you can create several targets in this way so you end up with a really realistic simulation of AIS and Radar.

CPA and the introduction of an "Own Vessel" in Radar object

In order to have a CPA (Closest Point of Approach) calculated in the Radar object, an "Own Vessel" concept is introduced.

The CPA is dynamically calculated from the position, course and speed of the "Own Vessel" to the position, course and speed of the Radar Target. A negative value in the Time to CPA means that the target is moving away from the CPA.

And again, the "Own Vessel" can be linked to a GPS or AIS target and can in this way sail it’s own automatic GPS course.

Download and install NemaStudio Version 1.11

You can download and install the new version from the download section of the Sailsoft website or by clicking the following direct link: http://www.sailsoft.nl/downloads/NemaStudio111Setup.msi.

In case you are a registered NemaStudio user you can as usual keep your current license for this updated version. No need to re-enter, your current license codes will automatically be applied to the new version.