Wideband harmonic radar detection

Abstract

Radio sites consist naturally of metallic structures. Metals are always covered by an oxide film due to the metal reacting chemically with the oxygen in air. The rate of this oxide formation depends largely on the environment. Any oxide film between metallic contacts will cause non-linearity. RF currents passing through these junctions would generate harmonics. When RF signals at two frequencies fl and f2 pass-through a non-linearity they create signals at their sum and difference frequencies. These are known as 'inter-modulation products'. This generation of inter-modulation products when radio waves interact with rusty parts is called as the 'Rusty Bolt Effect'. Radio spectrum is carefully controlled for optimal usage of the available frequencies so that different services operate in well-defined frequency channels. Ofcom has set some standards for radio site engineering. This set of standards is given in the document 'MPT 1331: Code of Practice for Radio Site Engineering'. Any transmission site which is not following these codes would likely cause interference to other users. It is important that radio engineers should check the sites for their compliance with these codes. If a particular radio site is causing interference due to the rusty-bolt effect, the corroded points must be located to minimize their effect using a Harmonic Radar. A 'Harmonic Radar' is a device that illuminates a region of space with RF waves and receives the harmonics of the transmitted frequencies. The received data can then be processed to find the exact location and mobility of the points causing the generation of these harmonics. It works on the principle of radar transmitting a chirp signal and receiving harmonics of the transmitting frequency. Work is currently being carried out at the 'Centre for Communication Systems' in Durham University funded by HMGCC on the design and implementation of a novel Wideband Harmonic Radar system. The radar system would employ advanced sub-systems i.e. a suitable waveform and multiple antenna arrays processing super-resolution algorithms for angular information.