What is MARPA and when would you use it?

• A. Automatic ARPA; used to automatically track a target.
• B. MARPA is a weather radar feature used to track storms.
• C. Manual ARPA; used to manually track a target.
• D. MARPA stands for Magnetic ARPA.

Answer: (C)

MARPA means Manual ARPA, a radar plotting mode where you take control of tracking a target rather than letting the system automatically manage it. You select the target, and the radar displays a track and predicted future positions based on the data you’ve entered (including your own ship’s speed and course). This mode is used when you want direct, hands-on control of the target’s track—useful if automatic tracking is unreliable, if you’re dealing with clutter or maneuvering targets, or when you want to verify or maintain a specific target’s track yourself. The other options describe automatic ARPA, weather radar tracking, or a non-existent Magnetic ARPA, so they don’t fit MARPA.