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To: Vermont Lt
Dont the radars on ships have a “Bitchin’ Betty?”

I assume you mean some kind of advanced collision warning system....something to alert the bridge watch that a collision might be imminent.

To my knowledge, this doesn't exist on Navy ships (probably not many others, either.) I could see such a warning going off so frequently in some locations that it would drive the watch standers insane. Not to mention, you could have a lot of "false positives," alarms indicating the possibility of a collision, when in fact none existed. Such a system could also lead to more confusion--do they trust "Betty," or their own eyes and ears?

The real "Bitchin' Betty" is the organizational structure of the underway watch teams. The Bridge, Combat, lookouts are all supposed to back each other up to form a nearly fool-proof system.

280 posted on 06/28/2017 9:31:59 AM PDT by Lou L (Health "insurance" is NOT the same as health "care")
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To: Lou L

The bitchin Betty is the automated system on aircraft.


283 posted on 06/28/2017 2:49:04 PM PDT by Vermont Lt
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To: Lou L
To my knowledge, this doesn't exist on Navy ships (probably not many others, either.)

On the contrary, such a thing is readily available on boats and ships if the owner wants it. If you can receive AIS signals from other vessels, many chartplotters such as the one I have can be programmed to alarm at a set distance. The manual calls it:
AIS Alarm: Sets the collision alarm.

I do not have AIS reception, so do not use it obviously. No need when 99% of the other boats in the area do not transmit AIS.

284 posted on 06/28/2017 4:26:56 PM PDT by doorgunner69
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