The Pulse Repetition Frequency conversion calculator determines the pulse repetition frequency (PRF) and pulse repetition time (PRT) for radar systems based on the desired unambiguous range. These values are critical in radar design, as they control how often radar pulses are transmitted and how far targets can be detected without range ambiguity.
Formulas
PRF (Hz) = c / (2 * Rmax)
PRT (s) = 1 / PRF
Formula Explanation
- c is the speed of light (3 × 10⁸ m/s).
- Rmax is the maximum unambiguous range of the radar in meters.
- PRF represents the number of pulses transmitted per second.
- PRT is the time interval between consecutive radar pulses.
- A higher PRF allows faster updates but reduces unambiguous range, while a lower PRF increases range but slows updates.
Uses of this calculator
- Designing radar systems with specific range and resolution requirements.
- Analyzing trade-offs between detection range and update rate.
- Configuring pulse timing for air traffic control, weather, and defense radars.
- Evaluating system parameters for signal processing and clutter rejection.
What is the PRF for a radar with a 150 km unambiguous range?
Input: Rmax = 150 km
Output:
- Rmax = 150,000 m
- PRF = 3 × 10⁸ / (2 × 150,000) = 3 × 10⁸ / 300,000 = 1000 Hz
- PRT = 1 / 1000 = 0.001 s (1 ms)
- Pulse Repetition Frequency = 1000 Hz, Pulse Repetition Time = 1 ms