Beacon Target Enhancement.

Abstract : The report describes theoretical and experimental work directed toward development of a low-cost solid-state target-enhancement device. The purpose of the device is to increase the detectability, at 2700 to 2900 MHz, of light aircraft by existing airport surveillance radars at distances of 30 nmi with a detection probability of 0.8. The basic concept studied was that of a retrodirective antenna array, having a two-way gain of about 20 dB, supplemented by negative-resistance, inverted-common-collector-connected transistor amplifiers terminating each array element and having about 11 dB of reflection gain. (Modified author abstract)