Optimal Digital Beam Splitting for Radar Beacon Systems

Beam splitting for a radar beacon system that scans in azimuth is investigated from a theoretical viewpoint. The video output is quantized into two levels corresponding to a detection and no detection. Further, the antenna sensitivity profile is described by sin ϕ/ϕ. For this system, a digital method of beam splitting that minimizes angular error is developed. Prior information about the probable location of targets can be included. Both Bayesian and minimax approaches are developed. The minimax estimate of the target azimuth is the average of the angles at which beacon signals are detected. The antenna beam can be interpolated by a factor of 10 when the signal power is 3 dB above the noise and without prior azimuth information The interaction of beam splitting and detection is discussed.