R in a Circle (Airport Surveillance Radar) on VFR charts

How far from the airport with the R are radar services provided?

I don't know. But suppose I did (and suppose the answer were 30nm). I'd need
to look at my airport of intended landing (no (R)) and then every airport
within 30 nm (probably only the towered ones though) looking for the (R) symbol
to see if there was a radar unit close enough to my intended. Then I'd have to
guess or assume that my intended would be covered by this distant radar
(terrain may prevent this), or I'd have to go looking in some publication
(A/FD) to see if there were such a limitation.

How could [the (R) symbol] be made more useful?

By putting it at every airport which had (specific) radar services, no matter
where the radar unit itself is located.

At least this would make it more useful to pilots in the cockpit, where leisure
is at a premium.

Actually, I've never used those symbols myself, and am not sure what "services"
I'd request from their hosts. However, I suspect that ASR approaches would be
available there (or, more accurately, would be unavailable elsewhere outside
ARSA, C & D). This is useful to know should all the gauges go in the poop at
the same time I hit the soup VFR, but a U-turn would be better.

Now, the symbol I find least useful is the C in a circle (indicating that the
frequency shown for the airport is a CTAF. I mean, aren't most of them?
(probably all of them)

Jose


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