Low-Cost, High Resolution X-Band Laboratory Radar System for Synthetic Aperture Radar Applications

Entry into the field of radar cross section measurements or synthetic aperture radar (SAR) algorithm development is often difficult due to the cost of high-end precision pulsed IF or other precision radar test instruments. A low-cost entry-level alternative was developed in order to provide an intermediate step between high-end high precision radar systems and ad-hoc spare parts systems. The system developed is a frequency modulated continuous wave radar utilizing homodyne radar architecture. Transmit chirp covers 8 GHz to 10.5 GHz with 18 dBm of transmit power. Due to the fairly wide transmit bandwidth; this radar is capable of better than 12 inches of range resolution. The dynamic range of this system was measured to be 60 dB. Such a low-cost, high resolution X-band laboratory radar system could be utilized as a linear rail SAR, inverse SAR, or for motion compensation experiments