Navigation General · Radar Principles

A false echo caused by radar energy reflecting off the vessel's own superstructure and then striking a target is called:

Explanation

An indirect (or ghost) echo appears when the main radar beam reflects off part of the vessel's own structure before striking an external target, causing the target to appear at a false bearing. Side-lobe echoes appear at the same range as a real target but at slightly different bearings. Multiple echoes are repeated returns from a nearby hard target. Second-trace echoes come from distant targets responding to a prior pulse.

Authority: Radar Navigation Manual (Pub. 1310), Ch. 3

Practice the full Navigation General bank

Free spaced-repetition quizzing across 2190 USCG exam questions — it schedules your reviews so the ones you miss come back until they stick.

Related Navigation General questions