SPx Radar Simulator FAQs

SPx Radar Simulator generates primary, secondary (IFF) and MTI radar video for each simulated radar, plus target tracks, AIS, ADS-B and platform navigation data, all as separate network outputs. Radar video is output as ASTERIX CAT-240, or as analogue signals through an HPx-310 card.

• Radar tracks or plots: ASTERIX CAT-48, CAT-10 or CAT-62
• AIS: NMEA-0183
• ADS-B: ASTERIX CAT-21
• Multilateration reports: ASTERIX CAT-20
• Weather: ASTERIX CAT-8
• Navigation data: NMEA-0183, when the radar platform follows a motion

The standard version simulates up to 2 radars and the extended version up to 4, each with its own properties and its own location or motion. See SPx Radar Simulator.

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In SPx Radar Simulator, each target can be configured to generate any combination of AIS, primary or secondary radar video, and track reports. For example, a target can be AIS only, or can generate AIS and primary radar, both as video and as a track.

• Targets can be static or follow user-defined motion paths.
• Target size, shape and RCS are programmable. Targets can be complex polygons rather than just length and breadth, so very high-resolution radars such as airport surface movement radars can be simulated; shaped targets rotate to present the correct aspect to the radar.
• Several targets can follow the same motion path, separated in time or by a fixed offset, with optional positional noise: useful for runways, vessel traffic channels, roads or railways.
• Target reports can also be output as ADS-B messages or multilateration reports.
• Targets can also be created from external track, AIS or ADS-B feeds.

See SPx Radar Simulator.

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Use SPx Radar Simulator with an HPx-310 radar signal output card. SPx Radar Simulator generates realistic radar scenarios with returns from terrain and moving targets, and the HPx-310 outputs them as analogue radar video in standard four-wire format: video, trigger, ACP and ARP.

This combination can drive existing radar display equipment, for example for console testing or operator training. The HPx-310 supports a wide range of rotation periods and variable or staggered PRF, and can emulate counter-rotating, sector scanning or random scan radars.

See SPx Radar Simulator and the HPx-310 radar signal output card.

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SPx Radar Simulator can take real radar video as an auxiliary input and add simulated targets to it. The auxiliary source can be a Cambridge Pixel recording (CPR) file, a network input in SPx or ASTERIX CAT-240 format, or live video from an HPx radar input card.

This is why SPx Radar Simulator accepts radar as an input as well as generating it: simulated targets can be inserted into existing radar recordings or live video, for example injecting a rogue target to test an operator's reactions or a tracker's behaviour.

When an auxiliary source is used, simulated radar properties such as period and end range are taken from that source. A test pattern can also be used as the auxiliary source.

See SPx Radar Simulator and HPx radar interface hardware.

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Yes. SPx Radar Simulator has a built-in scenario generator, but you do not have to use it. SPx Radar Simulator can instead convert target positions from your existing scenario generator into radar video, tracks or AIS, provided the scenario generator reports changes in target positions at regular intervals.

External inputs accepted include platform navigation data, target tracks, AIS and ADS-B, so simulations can also be driven from real, possibly replayed, data.

See SPx Radar Simulator.

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Yes. SPx Radar Simulator has an API for remote control, so a separate application can control it as a server.

All aspects of a simulation, including targets and motions, can also be saved to and loaded from configuration files. Target and motion data are kept in separate text files that can be edited externally and shared between scenarios, for example to run the same targets under different radar noise conditions or radar locations.

See SPx Radar Simulator.

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No. SPx Radar Simulator does not model the RF characteristics of real radars. Instead, SPx Radar Simulator provides a controllable source of realistic-looking radar video, with high-level settings such as beamwidth and pulse length that you adjust until the video picture looks as wanted.

SPx Radar Simulator does account for some physical effects:

• Terrain obscuration and radar end range are applied when generating target returns.
• Each target's RCS sets the amplitude of its return as a function of range from the radar.
• Altitude is taken into account, and there are settings for sea clutter and radar sensitivity.

See SPx Radar Simulator.

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Load better terrain data. SPx Radar Simulator uses NASA SRTM terrain elevation data by default, covering most of the world's landmass at 3 arc-second resolution, but you can use your own DTED data instead, configured in the terrain configuration dialog.

Important structures missing from the terrain data can be added as buildings, either drawn manually as polygons or loaded from ESRI Shapefiles (.shp), when a static radar is being simulated. Buildings contribute to the generated radar returns in the same way as terrain and targets.

See SPx Radar Simulator.

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SPx Radar Simulator can simulate background noise and near noise in the generated radar video, plus noise in detected target positions, detected target size, and measured platform position, course, heading and speed. Sea clutter can also be simulated.

See SPx Radar Simulator.

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Open the visibility status dialog from the target configuration dialog in SPx Radar Simulator. If a target is not visible, one of its indicators will be red, and a tooltip explains how to resolve the issue. When several radars are simulated, each radar has its own visibility indicators.

Reasons can include terrain blocking the line of sight or the target being beyond the radar's end range. See SPx Radar Simulator.

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No. SPx Radar Simulator is currently available for Windows only.

See SPx Radar Simulator.

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Yes. SPx Radar Simulator works on air platforms as well as moving land and sea platforms: the radar origin can follow a user-defined motion path or be driven by external navigation data, and the simulation takes altitude, pitch and roll into account.

Multiple radars can be simulated on multiple platforms, each static or following its own motion, and several radars can be attached to one moving platform at different offsets, for example at different positions on a ship. When the platform moves, SPx Radar Simulator outputs matching NMEA-0183 navigation data. Course-up and heading-up modes are supported.

See SPx Radar Simulator or contact Cambridge Pixel.

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Yes. SPx Radar Simulator uses terrain elevation data to calculate radar returns from land for the platform position, and can include line of sight along each azimuth, so land or targets obscured by terrain at shorter ranges are not displayed. Buildings also contribute to the returns.

The simulation also takes altitude into account. If a target is hidden, the visibility status dialog in the target configuration dialog shows the reason.

To plan radar sites from line-of-sight coverage alone, use the free Radar Coverage Tool. See SPx Radar Simulator.

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Request the SPx Radar Simulator user manual through the form on the SPx Radar Simulator product page.

Existing customers can also email [email protected]. See SPx Radar Simulator.

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