Surface wave HF radar simulator

A computer code is described which has been developed for the simulation of surface wave high frequency (SW-HF) radar. The aim is to investigate the problems related to the detection and tracking of surface targets at beyond the horizon ranges. In SW-HF radar target detection involves stochastic features such as target RCS fluctuations, atmospheric, galactic and/or man-made ambient interference components and the resonant Bragg returns of the sea clutter which affect target detection with SW-HF radar are all incorporated in our simulation model. A pulse-to-pulse frequency modulated transmitter signal is assumed and target detection and tracking are performed in both time and frequency (Doppler) domains after calculation of the noise floor, signal to noise (SNR) and clutter to noise (CNR) ratios and surface wave path losses over the smooth spherical Earth's surface with finite conductivity and including possible mixed-paths. Terrain data is fed via digital maps by means of a specially designed graphical user interface (GUI). Various performance tests are given representing typical scenarios.