ARPA

[Tugted]

When you take arpa does it still count as a renewal for your radar observer as well??

[Ea$y Money]

All classes are not created equal. You will have to ask the school that you are attending. My experience was that there was an option to get a renewal but it included a couple of extra days attendence. Been a while so don't quote me on that but, I am certain that an ARPA class only, without extra days, does not suffice for a RADAR renewal.

[Tugted]

In taking the class @ the Star center.

[Jeffrox]

Renewal doesn't take days, more like hours. If memory serves, when I did ARPA at PMI, most of the first day was RADAR renewal, the rest of the course concerned ARPA. The course discription will state the course objectives, check the schools website

[CaptAndrew]

Many schools do the renewal first to make sure you have the basics BEFORE starting the ARPA. Just ask and they will tell.

[jdcavo]

When you take arpa does it still count as a renewal for your radar observer as well??

Taking an ARPA course alone has never counted as a renewal of a radar observer endorsement. A few schools offer, or have offered, a combined ARPA and radar renewal course. A small few. As many more mariners need to renew radar than need an ARPA course, most schools have separate courses, although they may choose to offer the two consecutively. You need to check the approval given to a specific course to determine if it will cover both, or just ARPA. If the course is for no more than 28 hours or 4 days, it is not approved for both. As the approval given to courses is n o longer available from the NMC web page, you'll either need to contact the NMC and ask, or contact the school. If you contact the school, ask to see a copy of the most recent approval letter for the course from the NMC (ask for the letter, not the certificate). That letter will tell you whether or not it's approved for radar renewal. If the ARPA course isn't approved for radar renewal, ask if the school offers radar renewal either immediately before, or immediately after the ARPA course, many schools do.

[dougpine]

At PMI, ARPA is a four day class, Radar Renewal is a one day class. Most people do both in a five day week. Monday is Radar renewal, the rest of the week is ARPA.

[Tugted]

It's just the four day class.

[Ea$y Money]

It's just the four day class.

No, it's not included.

[cappy208]

In this time of increasing fiscal distress some of the RADAR recert places (and ARPA) are specifically making you pay for both.

When I went and did my ARPA at MSI the guy asked if we wanted to renew RADAR while there. We said, sure, and he did it the first day, really the first hour! Then we went on to the ARPA class. But recently when my Mate went there for ARPA they told him definitely NOT, and it was another fee and another day of attendance. They want MONEY now. No being nice.

I guess this is what happens when you get to approach old dinosaur age. You start to see the changes you DON'T like, as well as the changes you do.