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Post by RNRobert on Sept 23, 2015 19:37:50 GMT -6
I know that air search radars are used for detecting aircraft, and that surface search radars are used for detecting ships and land masses. I also know that some British shipboard air search radars during WWII had a rudimentary surface search capability. But what I am trying to figure out is what distinguishes them. I'm assuming it has something to do with the antenna array, but my online searches haven't shed much light on the subject.
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Post by oldpop2000 on Sept 23, 2015 20:46:31 GMT -6
I know that air search radars are used for detecting aircraft, and that surface search radars are used for detecting ships and land masses. I also know that some British shipboard air search radars during WWII had a rudimentary surface search capability. But what I am trying to figure out is what distinguishes them. I'm assuming it has something to do with the antenna array, but my online searches haven't shed much light on the subject. a Surface Search Radar has two primary functions: detect and determine the range and bearing of a surface object and a low flying aircraft. The beams on the radar are narrow in the horizontal to provide accurate bearing resolution and wide in the vertical to allow for the pitch roll and yaw of the ship, but more importantly to detect low flying aircraft.
The primary purpose of the air search is to detect the position, course and speed of air targets in a wide area. They search 360 deg. and usually over 300 miles. Most WWII radars were two dimensional meaning they provided range and bearing. To determine height you used a set with a narrow width and long vertical, we used to call them orange peels. The beams on these were narrow in the vertical but wide in the horizontal to accurately provide height information. They were call height finders.
Generally, the surface search sets were level with the earth, but air search were tilted about two to three degrees to put the beam up at an angle. In a radar set you have physical zero of the antenna and electrical zero. The two are different. With the air search tilted at an angle, you avoid the clutter from the sea and earth and increase the altitude and distance that you can see.
In today's world, we now have 3D radars, where all the functions are contained in one set.
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Post by RNRobert on Sept 24, 2015 8:41:40 GMT -6
Thanks, Dennis. So it seems my guess about the antennas being different was on the right track...
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