1. What is Radar Range?

Radar range (R) is the maximum distance at which a radar system can detect objects. It's determined by the time delay between transmission and reception of the radar pulse and the speed of electromagnetic waves (speed of light).

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the radar range equation:

Where:

• \( R \) — Radar range (meters)
• \( c \) — Speed of light (3 × 10⁸ m/s)
• \( \tau \) — Pulse width (seconds)

Explanation: The equation calculates the maximum unambiguous range by measuring the time delay between transmitted and received pulses.

3. Importance of Radar Range Calculation

Details: Accurate range calculation is crucial for radar system design, target detection, and avoiding range ambiguities in pulse radar systems.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter pulse width in seconds (typically microseconds or nanoseconds for radar systems) and speed of light (default is 3 × 10⁸ m/s). All values must be positive.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why divide by 2 in the equation?
A: The factor of 2 accounts for the round-trip time of the radar signal (to the target and back).

Q2: What are typical pulse widths in radar systems?
A: Pulse widths typically range from nanoseconds to microseconds depending on the radar application.

Q3: Does this equation work for all radar types?
A: This is the basic equation for pulse radar. Continuous wave (CW) radar uses different range determination methods.

Q4: What affects radar range besides pulse width?
A: Transmitter power, antenna gain, target radar cross-section, and atmospheric conditions also affect maximum detectable range.

Q5: What is the maximum unambiguous range?
A: The maximum range where echoes can be unambiguously associated with a particular transmitted pulse, determined by the pulse repetition frequency (PRF).