Digital controller for the Wave Propagation Laboratory's VHF and UHF wind-profiling radars

Principles are described for operation of a digital system that is used to control the operations of a multiple beam stratospheric-tropospheric (ST) radar system. The digital system, referred to as the radar controller, contains the digital logic for generating the necessary pulse sequences for modulation of the radar transmitter, gating the radar's receiver channels, and sequencing the antenna beams. The radar controller also performs digital-to-analog conversion and coherent averaging of the receiver necessary for signal detection in ST radars. The radar controller is controlled internally by a Z80 microprocessor, and the entire system functions as a peripheral device to a host minicomputer. Block diagrams and detailed circuit schematics for all the custom designed electronics are included.