Sensitivity Calibration of a Dual Beam Vertically Pointing FM-CW Radar

A method of calibrating a fixed vertically pointing radar is presented. The technique involves the firing of B-B shot of known radar cross-section through the beam while making successive corrections for trajectory until the absolute maximum signal is attained. The results agree closely with an independent calibration of antenna gain. The approach is particularly suited to an FM-CW radar with high range resolution because the bee-bees reach heights well in excess of the minimum range and errors in range are negligible. Corrections are presented for the reduction in maximum two-way gain resulting from intersecting beams whose full gain is attained only at the point of intersection. (Author)