Radar: Advantages and Disadvantages

This page explores the advantages and disadvantages of basic radar systems. Keep in mind that different types of radar exist for various applications. Here, we will focus on the pros and cons of a basic radar setup.

Advantages of Radar

Radar offers several significant advantages:

• Visibility Through Obstacles: Radar can effectively “see through” various mediums that would obscure normal vision, including fog, snow, rain, darkness, and clouds. This makes it invaluable in situations where visibility is limited.

• Penetration of Insulators: Radar signals can penetrate and see through insulators.

• Target Parameter Identification: Radar can determine the following parameters of a target or object:

  • Range (distance)
  • Angular Position
  • Location
  • Velocity

• Target Discrimination: Radar can distinguish between fixed (stationary) and moving targets, which is crucial in many applications.

Disadvantages of Radar

Despite its advantages, radar also has some limitations:

• Limited Resolution for Closely Spaced Targets: Unlike the human eye, radar struggles to distinguish and resolve multiple targets that are very close to each other. The signals can become blurred or indistinguishable.

• Lack of Color Recognition: Radar cannot recognize the color of targets. It primarily relies on signal reflection and processing, not visual identification.

• Inability to Detect Submerged Targets (at Depth): Radar cannot detect targets that are submerged in water, especially at significant depths. The water attenuates the radar signal.

• Blocked by Conducting Materials: Radar cannot “see” targets that are placed behind conducting sheets or materials, as these materials block or reflect the radar signals.

• Difficulty Recognizing Short-Range Targets: Recognizing targets at very short ranges can be difficult due to limitations in the radar system’s processing and the time it takes to switch between transmitting and receiving.

• Duplexer Switching Time: The switching time of the radar duplexer (the component that switches the antenna between transmitting and receiving) is critical when targets are very close. If the switching time is too slow, reflected pulses may arrive before the receiver is connected to the antenna, resulting in the reflected pulse not being received by the radar. This situation can lead to missed detections.