Strange Radar Returns (I've got a picture too!!)
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Plumbum Pendular
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: Avionics Bay
Strange Radar Returns (I've got a picture too!!)
I took this pic of my PFD n the cruise the other day:
Can anybody explain that very strange radar return?
For years I have been flying around wondering what it is. Often seems to occur around central Europe.
Can anybody explain that very strange radar return?
For years I have been flying around wondering what it is. Often seems to occur around central Europe.
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 140
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From: Apparently canada
as far as i know it's a military radar signal. the weather radar picks these up or so i'm told. flying over iraq you get them frequently, its NOTAM'd to have your weather radar on at all times flying in and around that region so they can ditinguishe you as a civi flt.
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: UK
Yep its a military radar..Im told its lobe leakage caused by the primary radar bouncing off your own antenna.
Anywhere within 200 miles of Israel/Turkey..ie going to Cyprus or Egypt we get lit up like a christmas tree
Looks like you were somewhere near the Austrian/Italian/German border.
By the way FMCG..ewwww its a Scarebus!!
Anywhere within 200 miles of Israel/Turkey..ie going to Cyprus or Egypt we get lit up like a christmas tree
Looks like you were somewhere near the Austrian/Italian/German border.
By the way FMCG..ewwww its a Scarebus!!
Per Ardua ad Astraeus
Joined: Mar 2000
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From: UK
Known to the grey-haired interceptor pilots as a 'spoke' (not sure what the kids call it today ). Probably a mil radar on a bearing of 312 from you. It just wipes out that arc as if it were a strong return. Could be someone temporarily 'locked up' to you
or just a strong radar signal.
PS When I were young and clever we used to be able to carry out intercepts of airborne radars like that
). Probably a mil radar on a bearing of 312 from you. It just wipes out that arc as if it were a strong return. Could be someone temporarily 'locked up' to you or just a strong radar signal.PS When I were young and clever we used to be able to carry out intercepts of airborne radars like that
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Switzerland, Singapore
Very correct, this is a spoke. It doesn't necessarily have to be a military radar. It must be one on the same wave length. Obviously it could be a same type.
If a radar sends out an electronical signal, it happens from time to time that it "shines" into your radar for a split second. That's what you see on your radar. In heavy densitiy flying area like Europe or USA, thise spokes are not uncommon.
Dani
If a radar sends out an electronical signal, it happens from time to time that it "shines" into your radar for a split second. That's what you see on your radar. In heavy densitiy flying area like Europe or USA, thise spokes are not uncommon.
Dani
Joined: May 2006
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From: South Manchester
Question: I was watching discovery channel on the naval intercept of an aircraft on the pacific.
And they were worried as the aircraft was transmitting an enemy squawk and not an airliner squawk but why would they rely on sqwark after all, the enemy could easily pretend to have a civilian sqwark.
And they were worried as the aircraft was transmitting an enemy squawk and not an airliner squawk but why would they rely on sqwark after all, the enemy could easily pretend to have a civilian sqwark.
Joined: Apr 2000
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From: Middle East / UK
Just a thought, but if this really is a military radar, and I've seen them loads of times, doesn't that make it easy for an enemy to locate the mil radar head?? Thought mil radars wouldn't really give away their position. Although I have always understood these spokes to be just that. Just a thought, that's all.
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Australia
It's so common-place that I looked past the spoke when searching for the anomoly in the picture.
Only one spoke? On a well spoking radar there's so many that they can take up to about 50% of the picture.
Regards,
Old Smokey
Only one spoke? On a well spoking radar there's so many that they can take up to about 50% of the picture.
Regards,
Old Smokey
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,777
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From: Blighty
It's a spoke. In this case, it's highly likely to be a Soviet era SA2 'Guideline' Surface to Air Missile search radar. It's frequency is very similar to that of airborne weather radar which is why it shows up so often over Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
And does it make them easy for the enemy to spot? Sure does! In a battle, lighting up someone like that is a sure fire way to get an anti-radiation missile like HARM or ALARM to heading your way. These home onto the transmissions. This would make you switch off the radar, or lose it. But switching off the radar may not help either. The British ALARM missile climbs to height and pops out a parachute if it loses the signal. When the radar fires up again, off it goes again!
And of course, being able to receive radar transmissions is a useful defencive aid. If you're in a transport aircraft for example, recieving transmissions from enemy radars is a good cue to be somewhere else!
And does it make them easy for the enemy to spot? Sure does! In a battle, lighting up someone like that is a sure fire way to get an anti-radiation missile like HARM or ALARM to heading your way. These home onto the transmissions. This would make you switch off the radar, or lose it. But switching off the radar may not help either. The British ALARM missile climbs to height and pops out a parachute if it loses the signal. When the radar fires up again, off it goes again!
And of course, being able to receive radar transmissions is a useful defencive aid. If you're in a transport aircraft for example, recieving transmissions from enemy radars is a good cue to be somewhere else!
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Australia
Originally Posted by Eff Oh
Just a thought, but if this really is a military radar, and I've seen them loads of times, doesn't that make it easy for an enemy to locate the mil radar head?? Thought mil radars wouldn't really give away their position. Although I have always understood these spokes to be just that. Just a thought, that's all.
With nothing elso to do, I'd be playing with the tilt to try and get the biggest cherry red return
Then you can play with your 1 in 60's to get your eyeballs outside 
Joined: May 2002
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From: San Francisco Bay Area
Wild Weasel
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Earth
Originally Posted by fmgc
I took this pic of my PFD n the cruise the other day:
Can anybody explain that very strange radar return?
For years I have been flying around wondering what it is. Often seems to occur around central Europe.
Can anybody explain that very strange radar return?
For years I have been flying around wondering what it is. Often seems to occur around central Europe.
A WX Radar antenna will, often, act like a gyro and experience a level of momentary precession when acted upon by Acceleration, Deceleration, Turning or very light chop. Typically, it will happen when the change in motion is quite small.
If this WX Radar image was only momentary, it was probably the result of that precession phenomenon, and is in fact, a ground return.
Reference: Manufacturers WX Radar users manual
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Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Earth
Originally Posted by BOAC
I suspect this antenna is phased array, Cpt J? Cannot see AB having anything so ancient as a moving dish
