B737-700
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human-Machine Interface
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Aircraft; Human Factors
During day VMC thunderstorm deviations; we were having a difficult time getting proper radar returns for weather that was clearly visible. Only after we were through deviating did I discover the GAIN on the weather radar was just out of the auto position; resulting in a MIN GAIN setting. The real issue; and the reason for the report; is that the CAL indication on the Map Display showing the GAIN was in MAN was masked by the airports also being displayed. The font and color of the two are nearly identical; making identification of the GAIN setting easily missed/masked. The hazards of being in MIN GAIN and not knowing are self-evident. The font and/or color of the radar status should be modified so as not resemble that of the airports on the map display.
B737 Captain reports not being able to detect obvious thunderstorms on the aircraft radar. The storms are avoided visually and it is later discovered that the gain is set to MIN instead of Auto.