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Figure 1: Block Diagram of Receiver Showing Automatic Frequency Control

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Radar receivers use automatic frequency control (AFC) circuits to compensate for frequency changes in the transmitter and local oscillator due to temperature and loading variations. There are two main types of AFC circuits used in radar sets. The first regulates the receiver's local oscillator frequency using a sample of the transmitted signal. The second regulates the transmitter's frequency using a sample of the receiver's local oscillator signal. Both systems compare the sample signal to a reference frequency to produce a control voltage that maintains the desired frequency stability. Fully coherent radar sets do not require AFC as they use a single master timing source for both transmission and reception.

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Figure 1: Block Diagram of Receiver Showing Automatic Frequency Control

Uploaded by

manjitkamal
90 views1 page
Radar receivers use automatic frequency control (AFC) circuits to compensate for frequency changes in the transmitter and local oscillator due to temperature and loading variations. There are two main types of AFC circuits used in radar sets. The first regulates the receiver's local oscillator frequency using a sample of the transmitted signal. The second regulates the transmitter's frequency using a sample of the receiver's local oscillator signal. Both systems compare the sample signal to a reference frequency to produce a control voltage that maintains the desired frequency stability. Fully coherent radar sets do not require AFC as they use a single master timing source for both transmission and reception.

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radar AFC

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Radar Basics - Automatic Frequency Control

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Radar receivers use automatic frequency control (AFC) circuits to compensate for frequency changes in the transmitter and local oscillator due to temperature and loading variations. There are two main types of AFC circuits used in radar sets. The first regulates the receiver's local oscillator frequency using a sample of the transmitted signal. The second regulates the transmitter's frequency using a sample of the receiver's local oscillator signal. Both systems compare the sample signal to a reference frequency to produce a control voltage that maintains the desired frequency stability. Fully coherent radar sets do not require AFC as they use a single master timing source for both transmission and reception.

Copyright:

© All Rights Reserved
Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
Download as pdf or txt
90 views1 page

Figure 1: Block Diagram of Receiver Showing Automatic Frequency Control

Uploaded by

manjitkamal
Radar receivers use automatic frequency control (AFC) circuits to compensate for frequency changes in the transmitter and local oscillator due to temperature and loading variations. There are two main types of AFC circuits used in radar sets. The first regulates the receiver's local oscillator frequency using a sample of the transmitted signal. The second regulates the transmitter's frequency using a sample of the receiver's local oscillator signal. Both systems compare the sample signal to a reference frequency to produce a control voltage that maintains the desired frequency stability. Fully coherent radar sets do not require AFC as they use a single master timing source for both transmission and reception.

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4/17/2016 Radar Basics ­ Automatic Frequency Control

 Radar Basics
Automatic Frequency Control
The radar receiver requires a limited tuning range to compensate for transmitter and local oscillator frequency changes because of
variations in temperature and loading. Microwave radar receivers usually use automatic frequency control (AFC) for this purpose.

AFC in radio receivers

AFC circuits are used in situations where you must accurately control the frequency of an oscillator
by some external signal. The AFC circuit senses the difference between the actual oscillator AFC
frequency and the frequency that is desired and produces a control voltage proportional to the Figure 1: Block diagram of receiver
difference. showing automatic frequency control
A varicap is used to keep the IF stable. The varicap application here produces an apparent
reactance, which is included in the oscillator frequency control circuitry. For example, let's assume the IF is 10,7 megahertz and the
local oscillator (LO) is tracking below the incoming frequency. When the LO output decreases slightly in frequency, the IF will rise. This
causes the output of the discriminator to increase the capacitive reactance of the varicap, which increases the oscillator frequency to
the desired value. Now let's assume the LO output increases. The IF will then decrease. This causes the discriminator output to decrease
the capacitive reactance of the varicap. This will cause the oscillator frequency to decrease.
This variant of AFC circuits are used in radio receivers, fm transmitters, and frequency synthesizers to maintain frequency stability. It
requires a relatively constant amplitude of the (received) input­signal. For pulse­radar sets this form isn't practicable therefore.

AFC in radar sets
Radar Receiver
Automatic frequency control circuits in a non­coherent or pseudo­coherent radar set uses two
different but similar systems.

1. The transmitters frequency readjust the receiver (Figure 2);
2. The receivers frequency readjust the transmitter (Figure 3).

Both systems retain a sample of the transmitted signal using a Directional Coupler fittet between AFC­System
the transmitter and the Duplexer. This RF­signal will be mixed with the local oscillator frequency to Figure 2: Circuit diagram of automatic
form an AFC­IF­signal. This signal is applied to a frequency­sensitive discriminator that produces an frequency control for a radar set (case 1).
output voltage proportional in amplitude and polarity to any change in AFC­IF frequency. If the IF
signal is at the discriminator center frequency, no discriminator output occurs. The center frequency of the discriminator is essentially a
reference frequency for the IF signal. The output of the discriminator provides a control voltage to maintain the local oscillator at the
correct frequency.
The Local Oscillator is adapted to the actual line frequency in this wiring. As a second variant the control circuit can control the
transmitters frequency instead of the LO frequency! In this case the transmitter­frequency would regulated to the more stable LO­
frequency.
Case one is the most used system in older or cheaper radar sets, using a self­oscillating magnetron
working at a constructively fixed frequency without any possibility to change the frequency. The Radar Receiver
second case is used, if the Microwave­tube can be regulated in frequency. This is often made
mechanically, while the geometric dimensions of resonance cavities determine the operating
frequency of the Microwave­tube.
Fully­coherent radar sets don't need similar stages. The frequencies used in transmitter and
receiver are generated by one master timing source, which provides the optimum phase coherence AFC­System
and an exact frequency stability for the whole system.

Figure 3: Block diagram of automatic
frequency control for a radar set (case 2).

http://www.radartutorial.eu/09.receivers/rx11.en.html 1/1

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