System description of a shipboard wave height radar

A ship mounted radar was developed to measure the wave heights from a moving ship. The radar antenna beam is pointed toward the unperturbed ocean surface from the forward superstructure of the ship. The distance changes due to the ocean waves and ship's motions are tracked by a closed loop digital range tracker and the range measurements are recorded. Ship's forward speed, roll, pitch, and heave are independently sensed so that their effect can be subtracted from the total radar range measurement to obtain the true wave heights.