We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Engineering

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is a Monopulse Radar?

By Joe Williams
Updated: May 21, 2024
Views: 11,358
Share

A monopulse radar is a type of radar that includes additional information in the signal. This allows the radar to be less subject to difficulties caused by sudden changes in the strength of the signal. Monopulse radar is also more difficult to jam than conical scanning radar, which was in use until the 1960s.

Conical scanning radar transmits a single signal through a feed horn that is slightly off center. The lobe of the radar always illuminates the target when the radar is centered on it. The signal will be strongest when the radar is pointing directly at the target, allowing the conical scanning radar to determine the direction of the target. The primary difficulty with conical scanning radar is that other factors, such as the weather, can affect the strength of the signal.

The primary difference between monopulse radar and conical scanning radar is that monopulse radar splits its beam into two signals and transmits each signal in a different direction. The signals reflect off the target and are received by the radar, which then compares the two signals to determine which one is stronger. This allows the radar to determine the direction of the target with greater accuracy than the conical scanning radar. The radar performs this comparison during each pulse, hence the term “monopulse” radar.

A monopulse radar must be able to identify the different parts of the beam to compare the two signals. The radar typically polarizes each signal separately and transmits each signal through feed horns that are slightly off center. The signals are then received back from the target and separated again, using the difference in polarity to differentiate between the signals.

The display of monopulse radar typically consists of two overlapping lobes. This provides a high degree of targeting accuracy when the lobes are close together. Conical scanning radar generally has a targeting error of 0.1 degrees, and monopulse radar generally has an error of no more than 0.01 degrees. Advanced systems typically are accurate to within 0.006 degrees.

The fact that monopulse radar produces signals with different polarities makes it much more difficult to jam than conical scanning radar. The jamming radar must duplicate the polarization and timing of the signal. This generally is impractical, so electronic countermeasures for this type of radar typically consist of transmitting white noise rather than generating a false signal.

Share
All The Science is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.allthescience.org/what-is-a-monopulse-radar.htm
Copy this link
All The Science, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

All The Science, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.