Radiolocation Experiments in an Urban Environment

Many new urban applications of radiolocation technology in both cooperative and noncooperative forms are anticipated in law enforcement and urban planning fields. Until recently, virtually no data were available regarding passive radiolocation of urban targets by conventional techniques such as direction finding. Recent radiolocation experiments performed at 165 kHz and 100 MHz were used to measure transmitter locations with increasing urbanization. Urban radiolocation errors in range and azimuth as a function of urbanization are given for the downtown area of San Antonio, Tex., showing increasing error with increasing urbanization. Procedures to improve urban radiolocation performance are suggested.