The development and performance of the prototype coded ARC

The development and performance of a prototype coded Active Radar Calibration (ARC) in S-band, which is used as a ground calibration reference standard for Synthetic Aperture Radar(SAR), are described. The coded ARC uses phase shifting and delay techniques which affect the SAR signal in azimuth and range. The ratio of the ARC signal to the background signal is improved. An internal gain stabilization subsystem, which ensures the stability of the complete signal path and Effective Isotropic Radiated Power(ERIP), is included in the prototype coded ARC. An experiment was made in microwave chamber to prove the precision of the coded ARC's Radar Cross Section(RCS). The precision concluded from the result of the experiment is < ± 0.2 dB. And the whole performances fulfill the needs of the ARC's specifications.