Radar Basics

Duplexer

The duplexer alternately switches the antenna between the transmitter and receiver so that only one antenna need be used. This switching is necessary because the high-power pulses of the transmitter would destroy the receiver if energy were allowed to enter the receiver.

Mixer Stage

The function of the mixer stage is to convert the received rf energy to a lower, intermediate frequency (IF) that is easier to amplify and manipulate electronically. The intermediate frequency is usually 30 op to 74 megahertz. It is obtained by heterodyning the received signal with a local-oscillator signal in the mixer stage. The mixer stage converts the received signal to the lower IF signal without distorting the data on the received signal.

IF-Amplifier

After conversion to the intermediate frequency, the signal is amplified in several IF-amplifier stages. Most of the gain of the receiver is developed in the IF-amplifier stages. The overall bandwidth of the receiver is often determined by the bandwidth of the IF-stages.

Automatic Frequency Control

As in all superheterodyne receivers, controlling the frequency of the local oscillator keeps the receiver tuned. Since this tuning is critical, some form of automatic frequency control (afc) is essential to avoid constant manual tuning. Automatic frequency control circuits mix an attenuated portion of the transmitted signal with the local oscillator signal to form an IF signal. This signal is applied to a frequency-sensitive discriminator that produces an output voltage proportional in amplitude and polarity to any change in IF-frequency. If the IF signal is at the discriminator center frequency, no discriminator output occurs. The center frequency of the discriminator is essentially a reference frequency for the IF-signal.

The output of the discriminator provides a control voltage to maintain the local oscillator at the correct frequency.

Stable Local Oscillator

As the receiver is normally a super heterodyne, a stable local oscillator known as the StaLO down converts the signal to intermediate frequency.

Most radar receivers use a 30 up to 74 megahertz intermediate frequency. The IF is produced by mixing a local oscillator signal with the incoming signal. The local oscillator is, therefore, essential to efficient operation and must be both tunable and very stable. For example, if the local oscillator frequency is 3,000 megahertz, a frequency change of 0.1 percent will produce a frequency shift of 3 megahertz. This is equal to the bandwidth of most receivers and would greatly decrease receiver gain.

The power output requirement for most local oscillators is small (20 to 50 milliwatt) because most receivers use crystal mixers that require very little power.

The local oscillator output frequency must be tunable over a range of several megahertz in the 4,000-megahertz region. The local oscillator must compensate for any changes in the transmitted frequency and maintain a constant 30 up to 74 megahertz difference between the oscillator and the transmitter frequency. A local oscillator that can be tuned by varying the applied voltage is most desirable.

Phase-sensitive Detector

The IF-signal is passed to a phase sensitive detector (PSD) which converts the signal to base band, while faithfully retaining the full phase and quadrature information of the Doppler signal. This means, the phase-sensitive detector produces a video signal. The amplitude of the video signal is determined by the phase difference between the coho reference signal and the IF echo signals. This phase difference is the same as that between the actual transmitted pulse and its echo. The resultant video signal may be either positive or negative.

Signal Processor

The signal processor is that part of the system which separates targets from clutter on the basis of Doppler content and amplitude characteristics.

Directional Coupler

The directional coupler provides a sample of the transmitter output on every pulse. This signal adjusts the STALO frequency via the AFC but more importantly, it adjusts the phase of the COHO, locking it to the phase reference from the magnetron. The phase synchronization of the COHO by means of a sample of the magnetron output is mandatory because there is no phase correlation between two successive RF pulses of the magnetron.

Mixer Stage

The function of this mixer stage is to convert the sample of the transmitter output to the intermediate frequency. This coho lock pulse synchronize the coho to a fixed phase relationship with the transmitted frequency at each transmitted pulse.

Coherent Oscillator

The Coherent Oscillator (COHO) provides a low-power continuous RF-energy. It enables the down conversion process into the phase sensitive detector, whilst maintaining an accurate phase reference. The coho lock pulse is originated by the transmitted pulse. It is used to synchronize the coho to a fixed phase relationship with the transmitted frequency at each transmitted pulse.

The COHO takes over the phase of the transmitter tube and provides it to the receiver part of the system. This is the reason why the pseudo-coherent radar is also called “coherent on receive”.

Modulator

The oscillator tube of the transmitter is keyed by a high-power dc pulse of energy generated by this separate unit called the modulator.

Antenna

The Antenna transfers the transmitter energy to signals in space with the required distribution and efficiency. This process is applied in an identical way on reception

Indicator

The indicator should present to the observer a continuous, easily understandable, graphic picture of the relative position of radar targets

Synchronizer

The synchronizer supplies the synchronizing signals that time the transmitted pulses, the indicator, and other associated circuits