Pulse width change occurs under what condition?

• A. When the range scale is changed
• B. When the ship changes course
• C. When the target speed changes
• D. When the radar power is increased

Answer: (A)

Pulse width is the duration of the transmitted pulse, so the actual timing of the pulse stays the same. What changes when you adjust the range scale is how time maps to distance on the display. The screen converts return time into range using the current range scale, so a fixed pulse duration will appear wider or narrower on the screen as you change the range scale. In other words, the displayed pulse width varies with range scale, even though the transmitter’s pulse duration hasn’t changed. Changing ship course, target speed, or radar power does not alter the transmitter’s pulse duration.