Digital Signal and Target Simulators

To test the signal processor, evaluate its performance in response to weather targets, and train personnel, Ascope provides a digital simulators, which allow you to:

• Simulate weather and clutter targets in the host workstation using Ascope in order to develop operational processing strategies.

  You can configure the operational configuration in Ascope, then test it using signals from the simulator.

• Automatically download the simulated LOG, I, and Q signals to the signal processor where they are processed as usual.

• View the processed results in Ascope.

Only one range bin is simulated and the resulting I, Q and LOG time series are loaded in every range bin that is processed.

The technique is based on Sirmans and Bumgarner's (1975: Jour. Appl. Meteor., 14, 991–1003) signal simulation approach. A Doppler spectrum is constructed with magnitudes that have Poisson statistics and random phases. This is inverted to provide digital I and Q values. The Ascope simulation approach is extended to include ground clutter, transmitter/receiver instabilities, and second trip echoes.