What does RADAR stand for?
RADAR stands for Radio Detection And Ranging. It can also be used to detect the speed and direction of an object.
What is RADAR?
- RADAR is an electronic device that uses microwave segments or ultra-high frequency to determine the position or range of an object. Countries started to develop the RADAR system during the second world war.
- The targets may be aircraft, vehicles, astronomical bodies, or even birds, insects, etc.
- The main objective of a RADAR is to locate and identify faraway targets under not favorable climatic conditions and determine their distance and range through precision.
- It has its own transmitter which is known as a place of illuminator for placing targets.
Where all can the RADAR system be used?
- It has a very wide range of usage in military options.
- In aviation, warns aircraft about the objects in their paths. It is also used for proper landing and takeoffs during adverse weather conditions.
- It is also used to detect and track satellites and spacecraft.
- It is used by geologists to determine the crust of the Earth.
- Some law enforcement agencies have extensive use of RADARS to keep a tab on a vehicle's speed and check for overspeeding.
- It is used by the weather forecast department to determine the weather.
- It is also used in marine transport to avoid collision with other ships.
How does RADAR work?
RADAR works by sending electronic signals which are transmitted through the atmosphere. Targets that are in the pulse path will disperse most of the energy but some of it will also be backscattering to the RADAR. Dispersed radiation will go back to the receiver. If there are more objects in the RADAR then the scattered signals will form a larger and stronger signal as all the distributed radiation will go into it. The values of range, position, direction, and altitude are determined by these dispersed signals.
When was the first RADAR system introduced?
The first RADAR system was developed in 1935 by British Physicist Sir Robert Watson Watt and by 1939 England had created their RADAR systems along its south and east coast to detect aggressions from air or water.
What are the essential parts of RADAR?
- A transmitter
- Waveguides
- Antenna
- Duplexer
- Receiver
- Threshold Decision
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What are the advantages of RADAR?
Penetrate mediums
The signals used by RADAR technology are not obstructed or limited by snow, clouds, fog, or mist. Even in very difficult conditions, data will be collected.
Penetrate Insulators
Materials that are considered to be insulators such as rubber and plastic do not obstruct or impede RADAR signals to collect data. It will go through these metals and acquire the necessary data.
3D images
The data acquired by the RADAR system can be used to map an area and provide 3D images of the data through various angles the data is captured.
Cost
RADARS are cheaper as compared to other instruments and are very affordable for large-scale projects.
Fast
RADAR Systems are quite fast if the area to be covered is not too large.
Flexible usage
The RADAR systems can be used by industries all across the world for various other usages.
What are the disadvantages of RADAR?
1. Time it takes to identify target
Radio signals travel freely in the air and space it takes slightly more time to reach a target and get back.
2. Range
They operate at a limited range of not more than 200ft.
3. Multiple objects
If there are multiple objects it becomes tough for a radar system to tell the objects apart.
4. Oversensitive
The signals from a RADAR system are often very oversensitive which may lead to inaccurate data.
5. Color
The RADAR can not decipher the color of the target.
6. Ionosphere
The radio signals released from a RADAR do no work beyond the ionosphere. If they go beyond the ionosphere they are reflected back to the earth.
Conclusion
The above article covers everything related to a RADAR system. The article covers everything such as what is RADAR and its full form, how does a RADAR system work, the history of RADAR, essential parts of RADAR, the advantages, and disadvantages of the RADAR system, and what are the application of a RADAR.
