Radar Basics Page 1 of 2
Classification of Radar systems (1)
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Depending on the desired information, radar sets must have different qualities and technologies. One reason
for these different qualities and techniques radar sets are classified in:
Radar Set
Imaging Radars Secondary Radar
Primary Radar Non-Imaging Radars
Pulsed Radar Continuous Wave Radar
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Imaging Radar / Non-Imaging Radar
An Imaging Radar forms a picture of the observed object or area. Imaging radars have been used to map the
Earth, other planets, asteroids, other celestial objects and to categorize targets for military systems.
Typically implementations of a Non-Imaging Radar system are speed gauges and radar altimeters. These are
also called scatterometers since they measure the scattering properties of the object or region being observed.
Non-Imaging Secondary Radar applications are immobilizer systems in some recent private cars.
Primary Rada r
A Primary Radar transmits high-frequency signals which are reflecte d at targets. The arised echoes are received
and evaluated. This means, unlike secondary radar sets a primary radar unit receive it's own emitted signals as
an echo again.
Secondary Radar
At these radar sets the airplane must have a transponder ( trans mitting res ponder ) on board and this
transponder responds to interrogation by transmitting a coded reply signa l. This response can contain much
more information, than a primary radar unit is able to acquire (E.g. an altitude, an identification code or also
any technical problems on board such as a radiocontact loss ...).
Pulsed Radars
Pulse ra dar sets transmit a high-frequency impulse signal of high power. After this impulse signal, a longer
break follows in which the echoes can be received, before a new transmitted signal is sent out. Direction,
distance and sometimes if necessa ry the height or altitude of the target can be determined from the measured
antenna position and propagation time of the pulse-signal.
Continuous- Wave Radar
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Radar Basics Page 2 of 2
Modulated CW- Radar
The transmitted signal is constant in the amplitude but modulated in the frequency. This one gets possible after
the principle of the propagation time measurement with that again. It is an advantage of this equipment that
an evaluation is carried out without reception break and the measurement result is therefore continuously
available. These radar sets are used where the measuring distance isn't too large and it's necessary a
continuous measuring (e.g. an altitude measuring in airplanes or as weather radar/windprofiler).
A similar principle is also used by radar sets whose transmitting impulse is too long to get a well distance
resolution. Often this equipment modulate its transmitting pulse to obtain a distance resolution within the
transmitting pulse with the help of the pulse compression.
Bistatic Radar Sets
A bistatic radar consists of a separated (by a considerable distance) transmitting and receiving sites.
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