1st radar image

So after stacking 16 waveforms, still using the nonlinear frequency sweep, a metal reflector finally started to appear in the image. It was the 1st time any radar modulation showed anything. Also, when the metal reflector was moving, it disappeared. It only had 1 foot range & couldn't sense anything besides the reflector. Things would be better with a linear frequency sweep.


There is a point in averaging waveforms where increasing the number of averaged waveforms reduces the detected signal. There is a ripple in the frequency modulating which makes later waveforms cancel out earlier waveforms. More stacking also requires running the ADC faster.


It's not bad for a single chip radar, but reveals why radar guidance on this scale probably still isn't workable. After reviewing sample waveforms & experiencing what the imaging entails, the mane problem is power. The single chip solution doesn't put out enough power to do the 20 scans per second to construct a 1D image or the 400 scans per second for a 2D image.


Even weather & air traffic radar is limited to very slow scan rates by power.