Frequency-Modulated Continuous-Wave Radar
Frequency-Modulated Continuous-Wave Radar
Frequency-Modulated Continuous-Wave Radar
transmitted signal
received
echo signal
Figure 2: Strip-line patch antenna of maritime FMCW- navigation radar operating in X-
Band
As a result of the proceedings (simultaneous transmission and receiving), a ferrite
circulator shall make the separation of transmit and receive path, when using a single antenna.
But using of separate transmitting and receiving antennas is much cheaper in today's common
used patch antennas in strip-line technology. On a common substrate transmitting and receiving
antenna are mounted directly above each other as an antenna array. The direction of the
linear polarization is rotated against each other by 180 degrees. An additional shielding plate
reduced a direct "cross talk" (i.e. a direct coupling of both antennae) often. Since the
measurement is performed to as a frequency difference between transmit and receive signal, the
signal that arises from this direct coupling is suppressed due to the same frequency.
This radar method is used in so-called Broadband Radar™ as a navigation radar for maritime
applications. Here, the frequency sweep after reaching the maximum measuring distance is,
however, stopped. The transmitted signal looks more like the signal from a pulse radar using
intra pulse modulation therefore. This break, however, has no direct effect on the maximum
measuring distance, in contrast to the pulse radar. However, it is necessary to read the very
many measured data from a memory buffer, and to transmit this data without loss through a
narrow-band line to the radar scope. Because of its principle of operation – frequency
comparison of the received echo signal with the transmitted signal, which is available over the
whole range sweep – it remains an FMCW radar. The transmitter is switched off for a few
milliseconds only, as more data are simply not needed.
An imaging radar carries out a distance measurement for each point or pixel on the monitor.
The radars range resolution depends more on the size of a pixel on this screen therefore, and
depends on the capacity of signal processing to provide the data in the required speed. With the
given as an example of frequency shift of 65 MHz per millisecond, the radar obtains good
values of range resolution. You need a high-resolution screen with the required number of
pixels. If it is possible to make a frequency comparison during a clock of the length of 15
nanoseconds, the imaging FMCW radar can achieve a range resolution of a slightly more than
2 meters.