Which condition indicates that your radar needs maintenance?

Serrated range rings indicate that your radar may require maintenance because this phenomenon suggests that there is an issue with the radar's operational system, often related to calibration or equipment malfunction. Range rings, which are used to depict distances on the radar display, should appear as smooth and continuous circles. When they appear serrated or jagged, it can point to underlying problems such as a misalignment, interference, or a degradation in the radar's electronic components.

In contrast, indirect echoes can occur due to reflections from nearby objects or other sources, creating confusion in reading radar data, but do not necessarily imply a need for maintenance. Multiple echoes can also be a normal occurrence in the radar's function, especially in congested waterways, rather than an indicator of malfunction. A blind sector, which is an area that cannot be detected by radar, may be a result of the physical environment or the radar's installation, rather than an indicator of fault in the radar system itself.