[Go to TOC]
RADAR HORIZON / LINE OF SIGHT
There are limits to the reach of radar signals. At the frequencies normally used for radar, radio waves usually
travel in a straight line. The waves may be obstructed by weather or shadowing, and interference may come from other
aircraft or from reflections from ground objects (Figure 1).
As also shown in Figure 1, an aircraft may not be detected because it is below the radar line which is tangent
to the earths surface.
Some rules of thumb are:
Range (to horizon):
Range (beyond horizon / over earth curvature):
In obtaining the radar horizon equations, it is common practice to assume a value for the Earth's radius that is
4/3 times the actual radius. This is done to account for the effect of the atmosphere on radar propagation.
For a true line of sight, such as used for optical search and rescue, the constant in the equations changes from
1.23 to 1.06.
A nomograph for determining maximum target range is depicted in Figure 2. Although an aircraft is shown to the
left, it could just as well be a ship, with radars on a mast of height "h". Any target of height (or altitude) "H"
is depicted on the right side.
See also Section 5-1 on ducting and refraction, which may increase range beyond these distances.
This data was expanded in Figure 3 to consider the maximum range one aircraft can detect another aircraft using:
It can be used for surface targets if target = 0. It should be noted that most aircraft radars are
limited in power output, and would not detect small or surface objects at the listed ranges.
Other general rules of thumb for surface "targets/radars" are:
For Visual SAR:
For ESM:
Figure 4 depicts the maximum range that a ship height antenna can detect a zero height object (i.e. rowboat etc).
In this case "H" = 0, and the general equation becomes:
Where hr is the height of the radar in feet.
Table of Contents for Electronics Warfare and Radar Engineering Handbook
Introduction |
Abbreviations | Decibel | Duty
Cycle | Doppler Shift | Radar Horizon / Line
of Sight | Propagation Time / Resolution | Modulation
| Transforms / Wavelets | Antenna Introduction
/ Basics | Polarization | Radiation Patterns |
Frequency / Phase Effects of Antennas |
Antenna Near Field | Radiation Hazards |
Power Density | One-Way Radar Equation / RF Propagation
| Two-Way Radar Equation (Monostatic) |
Alternate Two-Way Radar Equation |
Two-Way Radar Equation (Bistatic) |
Jamming to Signal (J/S) Ratio - Constant Power [Saturated] Jamming
| Support Jamming | Radar Cross Section (RCS) |
Emission Control (EMCON) | RF Atmospheric
Absorption / Ducting | Receiver Sensitivity / Noise |
Receiver Types and Characteristics |
General Radar Display Types |
IFF - Identification - Friend or Foe | Receiver
Tests | Signal Sorting Methods and Direction Finding |
Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) / Reflection Coefficient / Return
Loss / Mismatch Loss | Microwave Coaxial Connectors |
Power Dividers/Combiner and Directional Couplers |
Attenuators / Filters / DC Blocks |
Terminations / Dummy Loads | Circulators
and Diplexers | Mixers and Frequency Discriminators |
Detectors | Microwave Measurements |
Microwave Waveguides and Coaxial Cable |
Electro-Optics | Laser Safety |
Mach Number and Airspeed vs. Altitude Mach Number |
EMP/ Aircraft Dimensions | Data Busses | RS-232 Interface
| RS-422 Balanced Voltage Interface | RS-485 Interface |
IEEE-488 Interface Bus (HP-IB/GP-IB) | MIL-STD-1553 &
1773 Data Bus |
This HTML version may be printed but not reproduced on websites.
Related Pages on RF Cafe
-
Introduction to Radar (Air University)
- Radar Equation, 2-Way
(another)
-
Radar Equation, 1-Way
-
Radar Equation, Bistatic
-
Radar Techniques - Primer (1945 QST)
- Radar
Postage Stamps
- RF Cafe Quiz #7 - Radar Principles
- AN/MPN-14 USAF Radar Shop
- AN/TPN-19 USAF Radar Shop
- EW/Radar
Handbook - Doppler Shift
- Doppler Shift Calculator
-
Identification Friend or Foe (IFF)
-
Radar Horizon / Line of Sight
- Radar Systems Vendors
-
NEETS Radar Principles
- Radar System Vendors
- Who Invented Radar?
-
Simple Modification Increases ATC Reliability
