High-Frequency Over-the-Horizon Radar in Canada

Over-the-horizon radars (OTHRs) have recently been making a comeback in Canada. As the need for accurate long-range tracking becomes more important, less-expensive ground-based radars are once again being considered for more effective long-range surveillance of Canadian airspace. Ray tracing is a powerful tool and is, especially, useful in applications requiring a detailed knowledge of radio wave propagation through the ionosphere. In this letter, new methods are developed to determine the feasible radar parameters such as operating frequencies, elevation angles, and absorption for OTHR operation using a 3-D ray tracing technique and up-to-date ionospheric, magnetic, and absorption models. The results of these simulations can be used for frequency monitoring systems and other OTHR applications in Canada.