1. What is the Radar Horizon Equation?

The radar horizon equation estimates the maximum distance at which a radar can detect objects based on the height of the radar antenna. It accounts for the curvature of the Earth and provides an approximate distance for line-of-sight radar detection.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the radar horizon equation:

Where:

• \( d \) — Radar horizon distance (km)
• \( h \) — Antenna height above sea level (m)

Explanation: The equation calculates the distance to the geometric horizon for radar signals, considering standard atmospheric refraction.

3. Importance of Radar Horizon Calculation

Details: Knowing the radar horizon is crucial for radar system design, placement of radar stations, and understanding detection limitations due to Earth's curvature.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the antenna height in meters above sea level. The height must be a positive value.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why is the constant 17 used in the equation?
A: The constant accounts for the Earth's radius and standard atmospheric refraction. It's derived from the effective Earth radius concept.

Q2: How accurate is this calculation?
A: It provides a good approximation for standard atmospheric conditions. Actual detection range may vary with atmospheric anomalies.

Q3: Does this work for all radar frequencies?
A: Yes, the horizon calculation is frequency-independent, though actual detection range may be affected by frequency-dependent factors.

Q4: What's the difference between radar horizon and radio horizon?
A: They're similar concepts, but radio horizon might extend slightly further due to different propagation characteristics.

Q5: How does target height affect detection?
A: The total detection range is the sum of the radar horizon and target's horizon (calculated from target height).