Sector Search Pattern

This pattern is conducted when one is fairly sure of the location of the casualty.  It is a rapid search to conclude and is often used as the first search pattern as it searches the immediate area around the DATUM position.  

•A : The DATUM or START position which can come from

otype in your own coordinates (see Coordinate input in the Important information section) - this will give the point at which the pattern will start.

opreviously calculated Datum positions - when you click on the circle to the left of "Calculated Coordinate" a list of the last calculated Datum positions is displayed and you can select the one you need by clicking on it.  In this case the LKP position related to the Datum is displayed, as are the coordinates of the Datum position

•B : Distance from Datum : normally a Sector search is started at the Datum position, and so the default value of zero is fine.  If you want to

ostart closer to the LKP position (up-drift) then enter a negative number of nautical miles

ostart down-drift of the Datum position then enter a positive number of nautical miles

•C : The drift bearing which will guide the bearing of the pattern. 

oIf you entered your own Start Coordinates,  you must enter your own bearing which will define the direction the pattern will follow.  

oIf you selected a previously calculated Datum position then the drift bearing from that calculation will be displayed

•D : The speed the rescue vessel will average during the pattern execution.  This is used when calculating how long the pattern will take to execute.

•E : Search Minutes - this information is not used in the Sector search pattern

•F : The leg distance - this is compulsory for a Sector pattern

•G : Track spacing - not used in the Sector pattern

•H : Arc Angle - not used in the Sector search pattern

•I : clicking on this "Calculate" button will calculate the search patterns using the information in the header

•J : The sector search is the pattern that displays by default as long as there is a leg length, otherwise click on the circle next to the work "Sector" to display the information if it is possible to do so

•K : the details of each leg of the pattern

oUse - this column contains "y" by default and it means that the leg will be included in the GPX file that is created and sent to the vessel.  All the legs of a Sector should always be included in the GPX file

oLeg - the leg number

oDist - the distance of the leg in nm

oBear - the bearing of the leg from leg start point to leg end point

oMins - the number of minutes the leg will take to complete given the rescue vessel speed

oTot Mins - the total number to minutes that will have been used to get to the end point of the leg

oDD Coords - the coordinates of the turning point in Decimal Degrees

oDDM Coords - the coordinate of the turning point in Degrees and Decimal Minutes 

•L :  The Reverse check box only appears on the Sector Pattern.  The traditional sector pattern starts the search down-drift of the Datum and ends it up-drift of the Datum (closer to the LKP), but there are times that it is more logical to start the search closer to the LKP and end the search down drift (further away from the LKP) from the Datum.  To achieve this, click on the Reverse check box and you will see that the graphic on the form changes and so do the points in the table

•M : The statistics for the entire search pattern 

oTime in minutes

oTime in hours and minutes

oTotal distance traveled by the rescue vessel

oTotal area covered by the pattern

•N : Click on this button to create the GPX file that can be imported into Google Earth Pro and can be sent to the rescue vessel to be loaded into the navigational device on board the vessel

The GPX file can be imported into Google Earth Pro to check to see if it is reasonable before it is sent to the rescue vessel.  This is what it will look like - 

Created with the Personal Edition of HelpNDoc: Step-by-Step Guide: How to Turn Your Word Document into an eBook