Airport Radar Interference?

C

Captain Kangaroo

Member
Hi,

Does anyone know if airport radar will cause interference with a flight controller - more specifically GPS mode on a Wookong?

I'm talking about real close range airside stuff so within 100-200m of it.

Cheers
 

Old Man

Old Man

Active Member
Check the frequencies in use and make your call from there. If anywhere close to, IRRC, 1500Mhz and 1200Mhz you'll probably have issues. GPS is a very low power signal. Same with WiFi frequencies. 200m from airborne radar is pretty darn close to the full scale. Not something I'd recommend even if radar was not involved.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

gtranquilla

gtranquilla

RadioActive
Inverse square law applies to all radio transmission signals and no telling what frequencies are emitted when tower space is leased out to other radio systems. Radar uses a more powerful but beamed directional signal. We would often stand nearer to the bottom of a mountain top microwave repeater tower years ago because there were no mosquitoes there but also no birds!!! There is also the potential SNR related issues regardless of your supposed interference immune 2.4Ghz ss or fhss RC system. Some of these are effective radio jammers at closer range. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverse-square_law

Captain Kangaroo said:
Hi,

Does anyone know if airport radar will cause interference with a flight controller - more specifically GPS mode on a Wookong?

I'm talking about real close range airside stuff so within 100-200m of it.

Cheers
Click to expand...
 

C

Captain Kangaroo

Member
Thanks for the info....

I've just had confirmation of the freq in use which are:


  • 9.410GHz (Surface Movement Radar)
    2.881GHz (Primary Radar)
    2.781GHz (Primary Radar)
    1.030GHz (Secondary Radar)

Still not sure if this will cause any issues with 2.4ghz and or the IMU etc.

?
 

Old Man

Old Man

Active Member
Locate someone that flies RC aircraft on 2.4. Take the plane and transmitter to the location and turn them both on. Also take your video equipment and turn that on. If you see flight surfaces moving or receive video interference you'll have an answer that you can build on.
 

gtranquilla

gtranquilla

RadioActive
We had a microwave course at University back in the 70's including lab work. Whereas spurious emissions and/or harmonics can be minimized, the regulators recognize that they cannot be entirely eliminated such that regulations stipulate a legal threshold. The best way to examine for such emissions at extremely close range would be with the appropriate spectrum analyser but radar is in the microwave range such that there are also biological risks over time at very close range..... sterility and possible eye cataracts etc.

Radar work on the principle of stimulating the molecules in target object to vibrate at RF frequencies so as to send minute radio signals back to the radar receiving antenna.
 

Y

Yuri Tsivian

New Member
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C

Captain Kangaroo

Member
Thanks for all the great replies.I think my best option is the try it with a small flamewheel on the tether so if things don't go to plan it can be pulled down and won't cause an issue.I'll let you know how it goes!
 

dazzab

dazzab

Member
I have to ask. Who is letting you fly at an airport that close to their radar? I'm also interested in your question because a friend just told me a story about marine radar causing a film crew to crash their copter. I know marine is in the same range as our Tx but when I asked an Arducopter developer this question he wasn't sure but mentioned that radio interference is quite rare. I'd really like to know if it is or if it isn't. Cheers.
 


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