Measuring waves with a compact HF radar

Quality Assessment and Practical Interpretation of the Wave Parameters Estimated by HF Radars in NW Spain

“…The present model of these radars, the SeaSonde, can use electromagnetic waves of frequencies between 4.4-50 MHz, but in oceanography, the most typically used are 5, 12 and 25 MHz. One of the benefits of these radars is to have only one or two monopole antennas (for emitting and receiving) which facilitate the location and installation [15,16].However, HF radars have some limitations [17,18]; their work frequency determines a threshold of the ratio between the wave backscatter and the noise floor of the signal that limits the minimum wave height that can be measured by the radar, and determines also a maximum wave height that, when exceeded, ensures the second-order peaks are merged with the first-order ones, so the wave spectrum cannot be defined [19]. Additionally, for large surface current velocities, the first-order peaks increase their width, hiding the second-order peaks [14].…”

“…The present model of these radars, the SeaSonde, can use electromagnetic waves of frequencies between 4.4-50 MHz, but in oceanography, the most typically used are 5, 12 and 25 MHz. One of the benefits of these radars is to have only one or two monopole antennas (for emitting and receiving) which facilitate the location and installation [15,16].…”

Research on wave height cross-sections of UHF radio wave scattering from periodic water surface waves

“…Wyatt et al [5,6,7,8] studied wave measurements in different sea-states. Roarty et al [9,10] examined several wave-inducing factors to improving wave measurements. Zhou et al [11,12,13,14] proposed an inverse method by using the unsaturated property of the first-order Bragg spectral power in 2015.…”