Course Summary
This course will introduce you to basic radar principles and microwave systems. You will be familiarised with critical topics such as receiver sensitivity, dynamic range, jamming, and communication links.
The emphasis will be placed on airborne radars currently in service in applications ranging from long-range surveillance to environmental monitoring. The laboratory program will provide you with the opportunity to utilise modern CAD tools to design receivers and the latest in microwave test equipment to characterise your receiver designs.
The course will be strongly design oriented with a strong development of practical design skills.
Particular topics to be investigated will include:
- Basic mathematical concepts: dB values and equations.
- Introduction to radar systems and classification of radar: pulsed radar, CW radar.
- Receivers: crystal video receiver, IFM receiver, tuned radio frequency receiver, and superheterodyne receiver.
- Jamming: classifications of jamming, jamming-to-signal ratio, burn-through and cover jamming.
- Direction finding methods and synthetic aperture radar.
Please note that if you take this course for a bachelor honours program, your overall mark in this course will be one of the course marks that will be used to calculate the weighted average mark (WAM) that will determine your award level. (This applies to students who commence enrolment in a bachelor honours program from 1 January 2016 onwards. See the
WAM information web page for more information (
www1.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=eyj5c0mo77631).