How to Characterize Radar Pulses
Characterizing modern digital modulated radar pulses with a signal analyzer
Characterizing radar pulses requires understanding the signal's waveform, frequency, duration, power, and angle of arrival. The evolution of radar, especially the shift from analog to hybrid analog / digital designs, has introduced complexities involving complex modulated waveforms, wide frequency bands, and high pulse repetition frequency (PRF). A loud pulse transmits in radar systems and the system listens for echoes and uses the time delay of the echoes to determine the object’s distance.
A signal analyzer equipped with pulse profiling measurement software is indispensable to characterize modern radar pulses. Since radar pulses can span a wide range of gigahertz of frequencies, analyzing large data sets becomes necessary to identify individual pulses and quantify various performance metrics. The measurement must accommodate different modulation schemes, including continuous wave, linear FM (frequency modulation), triangular FM, Barker Phase, binary phase-shift keying (BPSK), quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK), Frank Code, P1 Code, P2 Code, P3 Code, and P4 Code.
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M9484C VXG Vector Signal Generator
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89601BHQC PathWave VSA Radar Pulse Analysis
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N9042B UXA Signal Analyzer, 2 Hz to 75 GHz
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