Pulse compression using linear frequency modulation technique

Abstract

Radar system uses Pulse compression techniques to provide the benefits of larger range detection and high range resolution. The transmitted signal undergoes modulation to obtain this and after that matching is carried out with the echo signal (received signal) and transmitted signal. In the past several pulse compression techniques are used, out of which the well known method is linear frequency modulation (LFM). This paper deals with the design to develop and simulate pulse compression and matched filter algorithm in MATLAB to study the LFM pulse compression technique. Matched filter is used as the pulse compression filter which provides high SNR at the output. Matched Filter is mathematically equivalent to convolving the received signal with a conjugated time-reversed version of the reference signal. The main application of pulse compression Radars includes tracking of launch vehicles, abdicable components in space, Missile guidance etc. Here, in this paper we are discussing the pulse compression application in tracking the launch vehicle so as to check whether it had followed the predetermined path or not.