SEARCH AND RESCUE RADAR

TRANSPONDER (SART).
 The purpose of a Search and Rescue Radar Transponder (SART) is
to enable SAR vessels home on to the position of a persons in
distress they operate on the 3CM X band between 9.2 GHz-9.5 GHz
and transmit only when interrogated by SAR vessel’s radar within
5 nautical miles.
 The transmission produces a distinctive line on the radar of about
12 blips extending out from the sart’s position along its line of
bearing, this assists SAR vessels locate and approach the position
of persons in distress. The interval between each blip is 0.6
nautical miles; the blip closest to the centre of the sart’s radar is
the actual location of the sart.
 At 1 nautical mile the blip will change to wide arcs and then
become concentric circles when the sart vessel is at the sart’s
location, with a height of 1m at sea level should respond when
interrogated by sart vessel’s radar with a scanner height of 15
meters at a distance of about 10 nautical miles to distance of 40
nautical miles when interrogated by a X-band radar fitted to an
aircraft at a height of 3000 ft an audible alarm or a small light is
incorporated into the device to draw the attention of persons in
distress that a rescue ship or aircraft is in close range.
 The SART should:
 Be capable of operation by unskilled personnel
 Be equipped with audible visible indications that the sart has been
triggered by the radar
 Be capable of withstanding a drop into water from a height of 20
meters.
 Be water tight to a depth of 10 meters for at least 5 minutes.
 Not unduly affected by seawater or oil.
 Be resistant to deterioration.
 Be of highly visible yellow orange color on all surfaces to assist
detection.
 The battery should be able to operate for 96 hours on standby
operation.
(DON’T USE RADAR REFLECTOR WHEN USING SART AS IT WILL
CAUSE SHADOW SECTOR ON RADAR SCREEN).
 Its range is usually 5 nm for rescuing vessel and 30 nm for rescuing
aircrafts.
 It should be placed at the highest point on the survival craft.
 After switching on it shouldn’t be switched off until rescued.
 Wet sensors should be dry while handling SART.
 When receiving SART signal switch radar to 12 nm or more and
switch off STC (SLOW TIME CONSTANT) formerly Sea clutter and
FTC (FAST TIME CONSTANT) formerly Rain clutter.

 SART test and routine maintenance should be done once a

month in order to ensure proper operation:
1. Switch SART to test mode.
2. Check that the visible indicator light operates.
3. Check that audible beeper operates.
4. Set sart to transmit check if concentric circles displayed on X-
band radar.
5. Check battery expiry date.