Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 laying down technical requirements for inland waterway vessels and repealing Council Directive 82/714/EEC (2006/87/EC) (repealed)

Article 5.03 Test procedure

1. The test field shown in Appendix 2 for the testing of radar equipment shall be arranged on a calm water surface at least 1,5 km long and 0,3 km wide, or on terrain with equivalent reflection properties.

2. A standard reflector shall be a radar reflector which, at a wavelength of 3,2 cm, has an equivalent radar cross-section of 10 m².

The equivalent radar cross-section (sigma) of a three-axis radar reflector with triangular surfaces for a frequency of 9 GHz (3,2 cm) shall be calculated according to the following formula:

a

=

edge length in m

For a standard reflector with triangular surfaces, the edge length a = 0,222 m.

The dimensions of the reflectors used for the testing of range and discrimination at a wavelength of 3,2 cm shall also be used when the radar equipment under test has a wavelength other than 3,2 cm.

3. Standard reflectors shall be set up at distances of 15 m, 30 m, 45 m, 60 m, 85 m, 300 m, 800 m, 1 170 m, 1 185 m and 1 200 m from the antenna position.

Beside the standard reflector at 85 m, standard reflectors shall be set up at a distance of 5 m on both sides, at right angles to the bearing line.

Beside the standard reflector at 300 m, a reflector with an equivalent radar cross-section of 300 m² shall be set up at a distance of 18 m, at right angles to the bearing line.

Further reflectors with an equivalent radar cross-section of 1 m2 and 1 000 m2 shall be set up at an azimuthal angle to each other of at least 15 degrees, at the same distance of 300 m from the antenna.

Beside the standard reflector at 1 200 m, standard reflectors and a reflector with a radar cross-section of 1 m2 shall be set up at a distance of 30 m on both sides, at right angles to the bearing line.

4. The radar equipment shall be adjusted to the best quality of picture. The gain must be adjusted in such a way that, in the area immediately beyond the range of operation of the anti-clutter control, noise can no longer be seen.

The sea-clutter suppression control (STC) shall be set at minimum, while the rain-clutter suppression control (FTC) shall be switched off.

All controls that influence picture quality shall be left unchanged for the duration of the test at a specific antenna height and be fixed in an appropriate way.

5. The antenna shall be set up at any desired height between 5 and 10 m above the surface of the water or the ground. The reflectors shall be set up at such a height above the surface of the water or of the ground that their effective radar return corresponds to the value specified in paragraph 2.

6. All reflectors set up within the selected range shall, at all distances up to and including 1 200 m, be shown on the screen simultaneously as clearly separated targets, regardless of the azimuthal position of the test field in relation to the lubber line.

Signals from radar beacons as described in Article 3.11 shall be displayed clearly.

All requirements specified in these provisions shall be met at any antenna height between 5 and 10 m, with only essential adjustments of the controls being authorised.