Staggered Costas Signals

A radar signal, based on coherent processing of a train of staggered Costas bursts, is suggested and investigated. The selection of sequences of each burst is based on a minimum number of collocation of their individual ambiguity function sidelobe peaks. The resulting ambiguity function combines qualities of both "thumbtack" and "bed of nails" signals. Comparison with linear-FM, V-FM, and complementary phase coded (CPC) signals is given, as well as comparison with hybrid signals consisting of both phase and frequency coding.     

Random Error in ARGOS and SARSAT Satellite Positioning Systems

ARGOS and SARSAT are two satellite Doppler navigation systems in which low cost ground beacons transmit bursts of stable frequency signals. The Doppler shifted signals received by the satellite provide the positions of the beacons. The positioning error is dominated by a random component, due mainly to the short-term frequency stability of the beacon oscillator. Theoretical analysis and explicit expressions of the random errors are given.     

Periodic ambiguity function of CW signals with perfect periodicautocorrelation

A periodic ambiguity function (PAF) is discussed which describes the response of a correlation receiver to a CW signal modulated by a periodic waveform, when the reference signal in the receiver is constructed from an integral number N, of periods T, of the transmitted signal. The PAF is a generalization of the periodic autocorrelation function, to the case of non-zero Doppler shift. It is shown that the PAF of N periods is obtained by multiplying the PAF of a single period by the universal function sin(Nπν T)/N sin(πνT), where ν is the Doppler shift, to phase-modulated signals which exhibit perfect periodic autocorrelation when there is no Doppler shift. The PAF of these signals exhibits universal cuts along the delay and Doppler axes. These cuts are functions only of t, N and the number M, the modulation bits in one period     

CW alternatives to the coherent pulse train-signals and processors

Continuous wave (CW) signals phase modulated by a periodic waveform, and their corresponding receivers, are discussed. The combined response in delay and Doppler is almost identical to the (ideal) response of the coherent pulse train. The receivers are matched to an integral number N of modulation periods of the transmitted signal. CW implies a duty cycle of 100%. However, the signal duration need not be longer than N+2 periods. The CW signals have the advantage that their peak power is equal to the average power. Their disadvantages are more complicated receiver processing and the need for two antennas     

Delay?Lock Repeater Tracking System Utilizing Superregenerative Interrogator

A unique delay?lock tracking system is described. The system includes an interrogator and a repeater operating on the same radio frequency, with a pulse repetition rate which is related to the distance. Single radio frequency operation allows utilization of a superregenerative radio frequency stage, which serves as both the receiver and the transmitter of the interrogator unit.     

Family of multicarrier bi-phase radar signals represented by ternary arrays

A K times L ternary array, comprised of the elements {0, 1, - 1}, with some unique features, represents a multicarrier radar signal with favorable autocorrelation and ambiguity functions. Constructing such an array using Galois fields is described. As in a Costas binary array, only one frequency is transmitted at any time slot, but in our array the same frequency is repeated in several time slots, yielding a signal with considerably larger pulse compression than a Costas signal that uses the same number of frequencies     

Ambiguity function of quadriphase coded radar pulse

Taylor's quadriphase coding (J.W. Taylor, Jr. and H.J. Blinchikoff, ibid., vol.23, no.2, p.156-70, Mar. 1988) is investigated for nonzero Doppler shifts. While the zero-Doppler cut of the ambiguity function (i.e. the autocorrelation) strongly resembles that of the corresponding biphase code, the remaining ambiguity function differs considerably. The ambiguity function of quadriphase code 13 is typified by a diagonal ridge as found in linear FM signals. The ambiguity function of quadriphase code 28A resembles the three parallel ridges of Frank code 16     

Nullifying ACF grating lobes in stepped-frequency train of LFM pulses

An effective way to increase the bandwidth of a coherent pulse-train is to add a frequency step /spl Delta/f between consecutive pulses. A large /spl Delta/f implies a large total bandwidth, hence improved range resolution. However, when the product of the frequency step times the pulse-duration t/sub p/, is larger than one (t/sub p/ /spl Delta/f > 1), the autocorrelation function (ACF) of the stepped-frequency pulse-train suffers from ambiguous peaks, known as "grating lobes." It is well known that replacing the fixed-frequency pulses with linear FM (LFM) pulses of bandwidth B can reduce those grating lobes. We present a simple analytic expression for the ambiguity function (AF) and ACF of such a signal and derive from it very simple relationships between /spl Delta/f, B, and t/sub p/ that will place s exactly where the grating lobes are located, and thus remove them completely.     

Modified Costas signal

A modification to the Costas signal is suggested. It involves an increase of the frequency separation /spl Delta/f beyond the inverse of the subpulse duration t/sub b/ combined with adding linear FM (LFM) with bandwidth B, in each subpulse. Specific relationships between /spl Delta/f and B will prevent autocorrelation grating lobes, that would normally appear when t/sub b//spl Delta/f>1.     

Quick position determination using 1 or 2 LEO satellites

We describe an approach for a medium accuracy position determination of a user terminal (UT) on the Earth surface, using one or two low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. The positioning approach is intended to meet the requirements of a worldwide personal communications system using LEO satellites. The basic two requirements are: (1) immediate positioning, and (2) horizontal position accuracy of the order of 10 km. Those requirements stem from the need of the system to know the user's approximate location before it connects his call. The approach makes use of the two-way communication with the UT, which can receive, transmit, and make its own measurements. Delay and Doppler measurements are used in order to enable instantaneous positioning with one satellite, and in order to achieve unambiguous positioning with two satellites. A simplified Globalstar satellite constellation and the expected Globalstar delay and frequency measurement accuracy are used to demonstrate the concept and to evaluate its performances