The Attainable Range Accuracy with a Tapped Delay Line Estimator

A theoretical expression is derived for the radar range accuracy attainable with an N-tapped delay line estimator. It is found that the range accuracy is a function of the signal-to-noise ratio and the number of taps. In the limiting case, as the number of taps approaches infinity, it is shown that the accuracy expression agrees with the ultimate attainable accuracy for a bandwidth-limited rectangular pulse. The results of a computer simulation of the delay line estimator scheme with two, six, and ten taps are reported and compared with the theory.