FAA "Centers" have primary radar?

wrote:

In rec.aviation.piloting Eeyore wrote:
Danny Deger wrote:

In another thread I am in a discussion on radar capability for FAA
"Centers". My recollection is that they typically have no primary radar,
thus no capability to paint weather.

There is no connection whatever between 'primary radar' and 'weather radar'.

The ability to detect storm clouds is related purely to the wavelength of the
radar transmission. A radar that was swamped by cloud returns would be utterly
useless as a primary radar !

Bzzzt, wrong answer.

The ablility of radar to detect weather is related to frequency, antenna
polarization, antenna sweep rate, type (as in pure pulse versus doppler)
and signal processing (if any).

Mainly frequency actually. If not ENTIRELY frequency. The effect was found by
accident during WW2 btw.

Graham

In rec.aviation.piloting Eeyore wrote:


wrote:

In rec.aviation.piloting Eeyore wrote:
Danny Deger wrote:

In another thread I am in a discussion on radar capability for FAA
"Centers". My recollection is that they typically have no primary radar,
thus no capability to paint weather.

There is no connection whatever between 'primary radar' and 'weather radar'.

The ability to detect storm clouds is related purely to the wavelength of the
radar transmission. A radar that was swamped by cloud returns would be utterly
useless as a primary radar !

Bzzzt, wrong answer.

The ablility of radar to detect weather is related to frequency, antenna
polarization, antenna sweep rate, type (as in pure pulse versus doppler)
and signal processing (if any).

Mainly frequency actually. If not ENTIRELY frequency. The effect was found by
accident during WW2 btw.

Nonsense.

When you have a few years with L, S, X, and Ku band radars come back
and tell me what you have learned about the real world.

While you're at it, read up on linear polarization versus circular
polarization.

--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

Eeyore wrote in
:



wrote:

In rec.aviation.piloting Eeyore
wrote:
Danny Deger wrote:

In another thread I am in a discussion on radar capability for
FAA "Centers". My recollection is that they typically have no
primary radar, thus no capability to paint weather.

There is no connection whatever between 'primary radar' and
'weather radar'.

The ability to detect storm clouds is related purely to the
wavelength of the radar transmission. A radar that was swamped by
cloud returns would be utterly useless as a primary radar !

Bzzzt, wrong answer.

The ablility of radar to detect weather is related to frequency,
antenna polarization, antenna sweep rate, type (as in pure pulse
versus doppler) and signal processing (if any).

Mainly frequency actually. If not ENTIRELY frequency. The effect was
found by accident during WW2 btw.


You're sitll wrong


Bertie

On Aug 6, 12:10 pm, Eeyore
wrote:
Danny Deger wrote:
In another thread I am in a discussion on radar capability for FAA
"Centers". My recollection is that they typically have no primary radar,
thus no capability to paint weather.

There is no connection whatever between 'primary radar' and 'weather radar'.

The ability to detect storm clouds is related purely to the wavelength of the
radar transmission. A radar that was swamped by cloud returns would be utterly
useless as a primary radar !

Graham

No...the least useful measure of what kind of radar a device is is its
frequency.

the "innards" mostly are what determines what kind of radar a
particular device is.

Robert

Eeyore wrote in
:



Danny Deger wrote:

In another thread I am in a discussion on radar capability for FAA
"Centers". My recollection is that they typically have no primary
radar, thus no capability to paint weather.

There is no connection whatever between 'primary radar' and 'weather
radar'.

The ability to detect storm clouds is related purely to the wavelength
of the radar transmission. A radar that was swamped by cloud returns
would be utterly useless as a primary radar !

Graham





Wrong


Bertie

Danny Deger wrote:

In another thread I am in a discussion on radar capability for FAA
"Centers". My recollection is that they typically have no primary radar,
thus no capability to paint weather. Someone is telling me they do.
Anybody out there have the answer. Maybe some do and some don't, and the
ones I used in the past don't.

The answer is "it depends." Many enroute U.S. radar sites DO have primary
radar coverage. However there are also plenty so-called "beacon only" sites
that only interogate transponders. These sites are less expensive to install,
particularly in remote areas where installations and electric is at a premium.
The long term trend of FAA was to have less and less full blown primary radar
coverage, similar to what many other countries were already doing for their
civil aviation. The FAA's strategy changed in September, 2001. Primary
coverage will be with us to stay, and may even be expanded in some areas.

Air traffic control radar is optimized and sized for finding airplanes, not
rain drops. Newer center facilities use weather radar (Nexrad) to provide
their weather information on their screens.

I highly recommend taking a tour of any local TRACON and ARTCC facilities. You
will need a pre-approved appointment and may have to provide your information
well in advance. Participating as part of a small group (such as an instrument
ground school course) may be helpful.

The new center and approach faciltiies have wonderful equipment and radar
displays. I cringe whenever I hear a politician say that we haven't invested a
penny in air traffic control for forty years. It took a long time, yes, but
the upgrades are paying dividends. Now to redesign the airspace maps......

Owen wrote:
The FAA's strategy changed in September, 2001.


Yes.



Primary
coverage will be with us to stay, and may even be expanded in some areas.


Radar's days are limited. After ADS-B gets rolled out radar sites will
be decommissioned.

"Newps" wrote

Radar's days are limited. After ADS-B gets rolled out radar sites will be
decommissioned.

So, will all GA aircraft be required to have an ADS-B system onboard?
--
Jim in NC

In article ,
Newps wrote:

Primary
coverage will be with us to stay, and may even be expanded in some areas.

Radar's days are limited. After ADS-B gets rolled out radar sites will
be decommissioned.

Primary radar will remain in the NAS until the US Air Defense Sectors aren't
required to monitor the NAS. Civilian ATC might not use them, the NORAD, etc
will still require primary radars.

--
Bob Noel
(goodness, please trim replies!!!)

On Aug 6, 10:29 pm, Newps wrote:
Owen wrote:

The FAA's strategy changed in September, 2001.

Yes.

Primary

coverage will be with us to stay, and may even be expanded in some areas.

Radar's days are limited. After ADS-B gets rolled out radar sites will
be decommissioned.

Maybe but my guess is maybe not. Air Traffic Control might "primary"
off of some other form of "radio direction and ranging" but 9/11
pointed out that "primary" still does its job. I am 40...if I Live as
long as my Father has (so far) or my Great Grandfather (106) I suspect
that "primary" is still radiating.

Robert