Across-the-road photo traffic radars: new calibration techniques

We discuss simulator units for calibrating across-the-road Doppler traffic radar transceivers used in enforcement of highway speed limits. Two units of very similar design were developed, one operating at K-band (24 GHz) and the other at Ka-band (35 GHz). The signal received from the radar transmitter is frequency-modulated at rates that correspond to the expected Doppler shift for approaching and receding vehicles travelling at speeds of 25 to 200 km/h. The modulated signal is subsequently retransmitted back to the radar receiver, which demodulates it and then displays the simulated speed. The required calibration accuracy is 1.6 km/h at 90 km/h.