UNIT-V, PART-A

MTI ANd PUlse

doPPleR RAdAR

1
 CONTENT
PART A:
• Introduction to Doppler and MTI Radar
• Delay Line Cancellers
• Staggered PRF
• Range Gated Doppler Filter
• Limitations to MTI Performance
PART B:
• Tracking with Radar
• Monopulse Tracking
• Conical Scan and Sequential Lobing
• Limitations to Tracking Accuracy
• Low Angle Tracking
• Tracking in range
• Comparison of Trackers.
2
3
 THINGS TO REMEMBER
• Pulsed Radar- Calculates RANGE accurately

• CW Radar- Calculates VELOCITY accurately

• Moving Target Indicator (MTI)

• Utilizes Phase Shift
• Pulse Doppler Radar
• Utilizes frequency Shift

4
 Continuous Wave Radar
• Employs continual RADAR transmission

• Separate transmit and receive antennas

• Relies on the “DOPPLER SHIFT”

5
Doppler Frequency Shifts

6
 Continuous Wave Radar Components

Transmit/Receive Antennas. Since must operate simultaneously, must be located separately

so receiving antenna doesn’t pick up transmitted signal.

7
Continuous Wave Radar Components

Oscillator or Power Amplifier. Sends out signal to transmit antenna. Also sends sample
signal to Mixer. (used as a reference)

8
 Continuous Wave Radar Components

Mixer.
a. A weak sample of the transmitted RF energy is combined with the received echo signal.
b. The two signal will differ because of the Doppler shift.
c. The output of the mixer is a function of the difference in frequencies.
9
Continuous Wave Radar Components

Amplifier. Increases strength of signal before sending it to

the indicator.
10
Continuous Wave Radar Components

Discriminator.
a. Selects desired frequency bands for Doppler shifts, eliminates impossible signals.
b. The unit will only allow certain frequency bands so won’t process stray signals.

11
 Continuous Wave Radar Components

Indicator. Displays data. Displays velocity or the component directly or indirectly.

Range is not measured

12
13
14
15
16
Moving Target Indicator

17
MTI RADAR
• If the Radar is used for detecting the movable target,
then the Radar should receive only the echo signal due
to that movable target.
• This echo signal is the desired one. However, in
practical applications, Radar receives the echo signals
due to stationary objects in addition to the echo signal
due to that movable target.

• The echo signals due to stationary objects (places) such

as land and sea are called clutters because these are
unwanted signals.
• Therefore, we have to choose the Radar in such a way
that it considers only the echo signal due to movable
target but not the clutters.

18
• For this purpose, Radar uses the principle of
Doppler Effect for distinguishing the non-stationary
targets from stationary objects.
• This type of Radar is called Moving Target Indicator
Radar or simply, MTI Radar.
• According to Doppler effect, the frequency of the
received signal will increase if the target is moving
towards the direction of Radar.
• Similarly, the frequency of the received signal will
decrease if the target is moving away from the
Radar.

19
T 𝒕 𝒕 𝒕

𝒓𝒆𝒄 𝒓 𝒕 𝑹
If target moving towards radar R=Ro−vr t

𝒓 𝒕 𝒐
𝐫𝐞𝐜 𝒓 𝒕
𝒅 𝒓
𝒅 𝒕 𝐫𝐞𝐜
ft λ=c used

20
Types of MTI Radars
• We can classify the MTI Radars into the following two
types based on the type of transmitter that has been
used.
MTI Radar with Power Amplifier Transmitter
MTI Radar with Power Oscillator Transmitter
• Now, let us discuss about these two MTI Radars one by
one.
MTI Radar with Power Amplifier Transmitter
• MTI Radar uses single Antenna for both transmission
and reception of signals with the help of Duplexer.
The block diagram of MTI Radar with power amplifier
transmitter is shown in the following figure.
21
MTI Radar with Power Amplifier Transmitter

fl +fc

fl +fc
fl +fc ±fd

fc ±fd fl

Reference
signal

fd
fc

22
The function of each block of MTI Radar with power amplifier transmitter
is mentioned below:
Pulse Modulator − It produces a pulse modulated signal and it is applied to
Power Amplifier.

Power Amplifier − It amplifies the power levels of the pulse modulated

signal.

Local Oscillator − It produces a signal having stable frequency fl. Hence, it is

also called stable Local Oscillator. The output of Local Oscillator is applied
to both Mixer-I and Mixer-II.

Coherent Oscillator − It produces a signal having an Intermediate

frequency, fc. This signal is used as the reference signal. The output of
Coherent Oscillator is applied to both Mixer-I and Phase Detector.

23
Mixer-I − Mixer can produce either sum or difference of the frequencies
that are applied to it. The signals having frequencies of fl and fc are
applied to Mixer-I. Here, the Mixer-I is used for producing the output,
which is having the frequency fl+fc.

Duplexer − It is a microwave switch, which connects the Antenna to

either the transmitter section or the receiver section based on the
requirement. Antenna transmits the signal having
frequency fl+fc when the duplexer connects the Antenna to power
amplifier. Similarly, Antenna receives the signal having frequency
of fl+fc±fd when the duplexer connects the Antenna to Mixer-II.

Mixer-II − Mixer can produce either sum or difference of the frequencies

that are applied to it. The signals having frequencies fl+fc±fd and fl are applied
to Mixer-II. Here, the Mixer-II is used for producing the output, which is
having the frequency fc±fd.

24
IF Amplifier − IF amplifier amplifies the Intermediate Frequency (IF) signal. The
IF amplifier shown in the figure amplifies the signal having frequency fc+fd. This
amplified signal is applied as an input to Phase detector.

Phase Detector − It is used to produce the output signal having

frequency fd from the applied two input signals, which are having the
frequencies of fc+fd and fc. The output of phase detector can be connected to
Delay line canceller.

25
MTI Radar with Power Oscillator Transmitter
The block diagram of MTI Radar with power oscillator transmitter looks
similar to the block diagram of MTI Radar with power amplifier
transmitter.
The blocks corresponding to the receiver section will be same in both
the block diagrams.
Whereas, the blocks corresponding to the transmitter section may differ
in both the block diagrams.

The block diagram of MTI Radar with power oscillator transmitter is

shown in the following figure.

The operation of MTI Radar with power oscillator transmitter is mentioned

below:

•The output of Magnetron Oscillator and the output of Local Oscillator are
applied to Mixer-I. This will further produce an IF signal, the phase of
which is directly related to the phase of the transmitted signal.

26
fd Reference
signal

27
•The output of Mixer-I is applied to the Coherent Oscillator.
Therefore, the phase of Coherent Oscillator output will
be locked to the phase of IF signal. This means, the phase of
Coherent Oscillator output will also directly relate to the
phase of the transmitted signal.
•So, the output of Coherent Oscillator can be used as
reference signal for comparing the received echo signal
with the corresponding transmitted signal using phase
detector.
The output of phase detector can be connected to Delay line
canceller.

28
 Delay line Canceller
• Delay line canceller is a filter, which eliminates the DC components of
echo signals received from stationary targets (clutter).
• This means, it allows the AC components of echo signals received from
non-stationary targets, i.e., moving targets.
• It delays the echo by a pulse time.
• Then the present echo will be compared with previous echo to indicate
moving targets.
• The bipolar resultant will be converted to unipolar using a Full Wave
Rectifier (FWR)
• Delay line circuit saves previous phase evaluation.

29
• Cancellation circuit subtracts previous phase from current
phase.
• Return from stationary targets will have same phase
comparison and be cancelled out.
• Return from moving targets will have different phase
comparison and will be retained/displayed.
• The video portion of the MTI receiver can be divided into two
channels,
• One is normal video and in the other is a time delay equal to
one pulse repetition period.
• The o/p of the two channels are subtracted. The o/p of the
subtractor is a bipolar video and is converted to unipolar
video by means of FWR.

30
• It is a time domain filter.
• It operates at all ranges and doesn’t require separate filter for
each range resolution cell.
• The output of subtractor is a bipolar video as the input.
• It is converted to unipolar video by means of a full wave
rectifier.

31
 Filter Characteristics
• This rejects the DC component of clutter.
• The video o/p is
•
• =constant phase=4πRo/λ, Ro=range at time
equal to zero.
• Signal from Previous transmission is V2
•
• o/p of the subtractor , V= -
• V= - =
• T=TP delayed by pulse repetition interval

32
 Filter Characteristics
• The amplitude of the waveform is 2K

It eliminates fixed clutter that is of zero fd. But having two limitation

33
Limitation (Delay line canceler):
1. Response is zero when fd = prf and = its harmonics.
2. Clutter spectrum at zero freq is not a delta function of
zero width, but has a finite width so that clutter will
appear in pass band of the delay line canceler.
• The result is there will be target speeds, called blind
speeds, where the target will not be detected.

• Blind speed: the relative velocity which produces zero

response and the targets will not be detected.
Vn=fd λ/2=nfp λ/2 n=1,2,3,………
• The blind speeds are one of the limitations of MTI radar which do
not occur with CW radar.
Q: An MTI Radar operates at a frequency of 6 GHZ with a pulse
repetition frequency of 1KHZ. Find the first, second and
third blind speeds of this Radar. Ans. 25, 50, 75 m/s.
34
 Multiple or Staggered PRFs
• Use of constant PRF waveform results in blind speed
problem.
• The use of multiple waveforms with different PRFs reduces
not only the effect of blind speeds but also allows a sharper
low frequency cut off in the frequency response.
• The blind speed of two radars operating at the same carrier
frequency will differ if their pulse repetition frequencies are
different.
• A single radar will also have blind speeds in succession if
the prf is staggered, with the successive prf’s not being the
same.

35
Multiple or Staggered Pulse Repetition Frequencies

36
 Range-gated Doppler Filter
• In order to separate moving target from stationary clutter, the
delay line canceller has been widely used in MTI radar.

• The loss of range information and collapsing loss can be

eliminated by quantizing the time into small intervals.

• This process is known as the range gating whose width

depends on the range accuracy desired.

• The loss of range information and collapsing loss can be

eliminated by quantizing the time into small intervals.

37
38
39
Range-gated Doppler Filter
Block Diagram

40
• Working
1. o/p of the phase detector is sampled sequentially by
range gates (quantizing the time into small intervals).
2. Each range gate acts as a switch which open and close
at the proper time.
3. Boxcar generator circuit is basically a sample and hold
circuit which stretch the output of the range gate.
Enhance modulation freq and eliminates harmonics of
PRF.
4. Doppler filter is nothing but a bandpass filter whose
bandwidth depends on the bandwidth of the expected
clutter spectrum. Used to reject clutters.
5. FWR is used to convert bipolar signal obtained from
previous stage into unipolar one.
41
6. Low pass filter is used to detect envelope of
unipolar signal obtained after FWR.
7. Thresholding procedure is applied to detect a
moving target and range is established by further
processing or display.
8. Only those signals which crosses threshold are
reported as targets and range can be obtained on
suitable display device (PPI or A scope).
• More complex than with single DLC.

42
Measure of Performance of MTI Radar
• Known as MTI improvement factor (If)
• And which includes the signal gain as well as the
clutter attenuation (CA).

• of clutter filter, averaged wrt fd.

• =CA × average gain

43
Limitation to MTI Performance
Degradation in performance caused by-

• Equipment Instability.
• Internal fluctuation of Clutter.
• Antenna Scanning Modulation.
• Limiting in MTI Radar.
• Envelope Processing in MTI Radar.

44
1. Equipment Instability
• Pulse- to- pulse changes in amplitude, frequency or
phase of the transmitter signal lower the If.
• IF Echo from stationary clutter on first pulse
= A cosωt
• From second pulse
= A cos (ωt + ∆ φ)
• Difference between the two
= A cosωt – A cos (ωt+ ∆ φ)
• Where ∆ φ is change in oscillator phase

• For small phase errors, amplitude of resultant difference

• ≈A ∆ φ

45
• So, limitation on improvement factor due to
oscillator instability.

• This would apply to Coho locking or to phase

change which is introduced by a power amplifier.

46
2. Internal Fluctuation of Clutter
• There are many types of clutter which are not absolutely
stationary like that due to buildings, water towers, hills,
mountains etc.
• Echoes from rain, sea, trees, vegetation etc. fluctuate with time
and these limit the performance of MTI radar.
• Most fluctuating target can be considered as a model consisting
of many independent scatters situated withing the resolution cell
of the radar.
• The Echo at the Receiver is vector sum of echo signal received
from individual scatters.
• Phase & Amplitude of Resultant echo signal will differ pulse to
pulse which results in different phase relationship at the RADAR
Receiver.

47
3. Antenna Scanning Modulation

• As the Antenna scans a target, it observes the target

for a finite time

Where:
• nB = number of hits received
• fp = PRF
• = antenna beam width
• =antenna scanning rate

48
• The received pulse train of duration to has a freq
spectrum whose width is proportional to 1/to.

• So even if clutters were perfectly stationary there

will be finite width of the clutter spectrum owing to
the finite time on the target.

• If clutter spectrum is too wide it will effect the

improvement factor If.

• This limitation is called as

" Scanning Fluctuation & Modulation"

49
4. Limiting in MTI Radar
• Before the MTI processor, a limiter is generally
employed in the IF Amplifier for preventing the
residue from large clutter echoes.

• An ideal MTI radar should reduce the clutter to a

level comparable to receiver noise.

• If limit level relative to noise is set higher than the

improvement factor, clutter residue obscures part
of the display while if it is set too low there may be
black hole effect.

50
5. Envelope Processing in MTI Radar
• If the envelope of the IF output is detected by an
envelope detector, the phase information of output is
of no use & such an MTI is also called an Amplitude
Processing MTI or Incoherent MTI.

• Adv is that Local Oscillator need not be as stable.

• However disadv is that S/N Ratio with envelope

detector is less therefore, clutter must be present in
relatively large amount in the envelope processing MTI
for the detection of a moving target.

51