Patent ID: 6859163
Filing Date: 2005-02-22
Classification: G01S,Y02A

Abstract:
1. A weather radar system, comprising: a. an energy pulse train generator for producing radio emissions adapted for weather radar use; b. a radio frequency power divider in electrical communication with said pulse train generator for splitting said radio emissions into simultaneous dual emission components; c. an antenna in electrical communication with said power divider for transmitting said simultaneous dual emission components into space in a controlled manner and for collecting reflected signals from objects of interest; d. an orthomode feed horn positioned on said antenna for altering one of said emission components to have a different phase relative to said other emission component during transmission and for collecting reflectivity signals of disparate phase relative to one another; e. a receiver subsystem in electrical communication with said antenna for processing reflectivity signals collected by said antenna, wherein said receiver subsystem is co-located with said power divider to reduce phase error introductions; f. a pair of channel circulators in electrical communication with said antenna, said power divider, and said receiver subsystem for isolating said dual emission components from said receiver subsystem; and, g. a bypass switch in electrical communication with said pulse train generator and said antenna to selectively allow full radio emissions transmission power to be transferred to said antenna.