AN AUTOMATED, VERTICAL LOOKING, X-BAND RADAR SYSTEM FOR CONTINUOUSLY MONITORING AERIAL INSECT ACTIVITY

The design, construction, calibration, and field performance of an aut omated, vertical looking, x-band radar system for continuously monitor ing aerial insect activity is described The system was comprised of a 1.83-m diameter circular parabolic dish antenna fitted with a noise-at tenuating shroud and a rotating feed, a 10-kW marine transceiver with a display that had seven-level signal detection circuitry, and a compu ter-controlled automatic data logging system. Calibration results indi cated noctuid-sized insect targets could be detected to a maximum rang e of about 2500 m, and the system provided data for estimating a size distribution for detected targets. Typical research data are presented to illustrate the field performance of the system. Radar.