Harmonic radar tag measurement and characterization

Conventional radar systems transmit and receive at a single, fundamental frequency. It is sometimes challenging to identify a small object against a large background with these radars due to the relatively large return from the background. In effect, the background represents a clutter environment. Harmonic radar tags can be attached to an item, such as insects, and then used to track that item against the background. To do so, the radar must transmit a signal at the fundamental frequency but receive at twice that frequency. Since the clutter return is at the fundamental frequency, the radar is able to discriminate the return from the tag. This paper describes equipment constructed at Michigan State University to conduct research on harmonic tags.