Title :
A new approach to lightweight radar altimeters
Author :
Levanon, Nadav ; Stremler, Ferrel G. ; Suomi, Verner E.
Author_Institution :
University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisc.
fDate :
6/1/1974 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
Test results and key principles are given for a radar altimeter designed for meteorological balloons. The instrument, which weighs 160 g and consumes 0.7 W, will fill a gap in meteorological, sensing using balloons-an area where pressure altitude was formerly the preveiling reference. The instrument is basically a delay-lock radar utilizing a superregenerative RF stage. Long-term absolute accuracy of ±10 m and short-term stability of better than- 2 m rms were measured at altitudes of 20 km.
Keywords :
Costs; Delay; Instruments; Meteorological radar; Meteorology; Power engineering and energy; Radar tracking; Radio frequency; Satellites; Spaceborne radar;
Journal_Title :
Proceedings of the IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/PROC.1974.9518
