The combination of pulse compression with frequency scanning for three-dimensional radars

Within-pulse frequency scanning can be combined with pulse compression to achieve long-range radar performance combined with high values of data rate, range resolution and height resolution. The basic principles of a three-dimensional radar of this type are discussed. Scanning is achieved by feeding a beam-squinting array from a frequency-modulated transmitter and pulse compression is applied to all received signals. Height resolution depends upon the aerial´s beam-width and range resolution depends upon the aerial group delay. The concept of a dispersive aerial is introduced and it is shown that this can be used to reduce the bandwidth requirements. Possible design procedures are examined and an example is given of an S-band radar design which has a high data rate and is virtually free from precipitation clutter effects. Future applications are discussed briefly. Mathematical appendices analyse the more important spectral relationships of this type of radar.