JMA-912 RAINWATCHER

X-Band Polarimetric Radar

Rainfall Sensor with
Fully Solid State technology

RAINWATCHER is very compact in size

and provides very high performance
based on polarimetric processing and
pulse compression technology.

High Accuracy rainfall sensor which can be used for various applications in our everyday society.

For Disaster Prevention & Early For Safety of Airport / Railway

For River Water Level Control For Road Management
Warning Operation

Operation and maintenance cost can be drastically reduce due to very low power
consumption, no replacement parts, and long life design.

Easy installation, mobile transportable application.

Open
file
J-BIRDS Software Package format

Included product screen of J-

BIRDS™
 JMA-912 X-Band Polarimetric Radar Rainfall Sensor RAINWATCHER
SYSTEM RADOME
Type Polarimetric radar with solid state technology Type Sandwich, fiberglass with polyurethane foam core
Operating Frequency 9.70 - 9.80 GHz (Option: 9.35 - 9.70 GHz) Size Approx. 1.8 m (= 6 feet) diameter
Scan Mode PPI, RHI, CAPPI Weight Approx. 200 kg
Pulse Width Short (P0N): 1.0usec, Long (Q0N): 50usec Transmission Loss ≦0.3 dB (one way, dry surface)
Pulse Repetition Frequency (PRF) 2000 Hz max. Survival Wind Speed (gust) ≦60 m/s
TRANSMITTER / RECEIVER
Maximum Doppler Velocity 12, 24, 36 or 48 m/s (depend on PRF)
Solid State Power Amplifi er (no transmitting tube),
Observation Range 80 km @ 23 dBz, 120 km @ 27.8 dBz Transmitter Type
Simultaneous H/V
T/R Duplexer Circulator with Diode Limiter (no TR tube)
Peak Power 125 W (H) + 125 W (V)
Received power PrH[MTI ON], PrH[MTI OFF], Occupied Frequency Bandwidth ≦4 MHz, V0N (P0N+Q0N)
Received power PrV[MTI ON], PrV[MTI OFF], Receiver Type Double Superheterodyne with Image reject mixing
Output Raw data Minimum Detectable Signal ≦-110 dBm @ 1.0 μsec pulse width
Doppler Velocity (V), Spectral Width (W)
Linear Dynamic Range ≧85dB with STC
Correlation Coefficient (ρhv), Differential Phase (φDP)
IF DIGITAL RECEIVER/SIGNAL PROCESSOR
Outdoor: 0℃ to +50℃ (Option: -20℃ to +50℃) Type Multi-channel Digital Receiver & Signal Processor
Operating Temperature
Indoor: +5℃ to +35℃ IF Sampling 16 bits, 96 MHz, each per polarization
Outdoor≦95 % @ < 40℃, ≦75 % @ ≧ 40℃ Pulse Compression Ratio < 150
Operating Relative Humidity Maximum No. of Processed Range Bins 534
Indoor: 20 % to 80 % @ 25℃
Power Consumption ≦450 VA @ 100 - 240 VAC, 1φ2W, 50/60 Hz Minimum Processing Resolution 150 m
ANTENNA / PEDESTAL Processing Mode FFT
Range Correction, Velocity De-aliasing, 2nd Trip Echo
Type Parabolic, prime-focus refl ector Various Processing Functions
Suppression,
Reflector Diameter Approx. 1.2 m (= 3.9 feet)
RADAR WORKSTATION
Antenna Gain ≧38 dB Operating System Linux
Half Power Beam Width (Typical) ≦2.0 ° - Radar control, monitoring and observation schedule
Linear Horizontal & Vertical - Quick graphical overview of the status of the Radar units
Polarization
Dual Polarization (Simultaneous H/V) Application Software - Presentation of BITE
Side Lobes (max) ≦-23 dB - Calibration with sun tracking
XPD (Cross Polarization Discrimination) ≧30 dB - Radar supervise on remote Web image
Angle Span AZ: Full 360 °, EL: -2 to +182 ° (0.1 °step)

AZ: 0 - 6 rpm (0.1 rpm step)

Scanning Speed
EL: 0 - 3 rpm (0.1 rpm step)
Positioning Accuracy +/-0.1 °
Antenna & Pedestal System Weight ≦150 kg (include radar equipments inside)

Center System for Master Station (not included in JMA-912)

Computer System Commercial Off-the-Shelf PC, Core i5 or higher spec.
Operating System Linux
Application Software J-BIRDSTM Software Package
- PPI, RHI, CAPPI
- Echo Top, Echo Base & Echo Thickness
- Remote radar supervision on Web image - Standard Meteorological products - Vertical Maximum Radar Reflectivity
　　- Radar control, monitoring and observation - Arbitrary Vertical Cross Section & Multi Line Cross Section
　　 schedule - VAD, VVP, Wind Direction and Wind Speed
　　- Alarm monitoring and reset function - Precipitation Intensity by Z-R or Dual Polarization Parameter
- Extended Meteorological products
　　- Quick graphical overview of the radar - Surface Rainfall Intensity by Z-R or Dual Polarization Parameter
Radar Product Server
unit status - Vertically Integrated Liquid (VIL)
- Customizable geographic display maps and - Arbitrary N-hours Rainfall Accumulation by Z-R or Dual Polarization Parameter
- Hydrological Products
text annotation - Point Rainfall Total and Rainfall Intensity Histogram
- Data zooming, animation & screenshot utility - Graphical Indication by Region, Basin or Route *
- Data Transfer Type: FTP - Archive radar data temporarily on a PC hard disk by appropriate method
- Data Archival and Retrieval Server - Archival data: Raw data, Product Data, System Log and BITE Messages
- Open data structure and the file format of archived raw and products data

© 2013.8 2019.2 CAT.No.Y8-19 (No.41-7-0.5) JG Printed in Japan

3.3.1 X-band Radar Rain Gauge Equipment (2) Equipment Specifications (b) Sensitivity

The specification of RAINWATCHER for sensitivity is following. Table 1 shows the

radar constants of the short pulse and the frequency modulation pulse (chirp pulse).
Converting from received signal power to radar reflectivity, pulse width differs between
short pulse and chirp pulse, so prepare two radars for each pulse.

Table 1 Specifications of RAINWACHER for sensitivity.

Parameters Unit Short Pulse Long Pulse Remarks
H pol.:125W
Peak Power Pt (kW) 0.125 0.125
V pol.:125W
Pulse Width τ (μs) 1 50
Sampling Volume Width h = C･τ 299.792 14989.623 C:Speed of light
Transmitting Frequency f (MHz) 9700 9700
Wave Length λ (m) 0.031 0.031
HorizontalBeam Width θ (degrees) 1.9 1.9
VerticalBeam Width φ (degrees) 1.9 1.9
Antenna Gain G (dB) 38.7 38.7
Complex Dielectric Factor |K|^2 0.93 0.93
Constant Factorof Radar Equation 0.044 0.044 (= π^3/(2^10 * ln2))
Two way loss
Cable Loss L (dB) 4.49 4.49
(=Tx Loss + Rx Loss)
Pulse Compression Gain (dB) - 2.37
Included cable loss and pulse
Radar Constats Rc (dB) 105.3 120.0
compression loss

Radar equation indicates the relation between radar specifications and radar
reflectivity of the target. Radar observes the received signal power from the target Pr
and calculates the radar reflectivity.
Radar equation for weather is following;
10 log 20 log 2 150 (1)

Z : Radar Reflectivity [dBZ] ([mm6/m3] is linear value of radar reflectivity)

Pr : Received Signal Power [dBm]
Rc : Radar Constant [dB]
r : Distance from radar to the target [m]
L : Total Losses (Included cable loss, pulse compression loss) [dB]
Kg : Specific attenuation due to air ( = 0.01 [dB/km] )
Remarks: “150” is unit conversion from [m6/m3] to [mm6/m3]
 Radar constant “Rc” for weather is calculated as following,
∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙
| | (2)

2. Minimum Radar Reflectivity

In order to detect the target, received signal power of the target is larger than that of
noise level. In this document, minimum radar reflectivity defines the radar reflectivity
calculated from the received signal power of noise level.
The noise level is mainly contributed thermal noise which is -111.83 [dBm].
Bandwidth of receiver(B) is 1.0MHz, temperature(T) is 300K, and noise figure(F) is
2.0dB. Boltzman constant (k) is 1.38 10 .
Thermal noise level [dBm] = 10log (kTBF) + 30
.
10 log 1.38 10 300 10 10 30

= －111.83 [dBm]
Remarks: “30” is unit conversion from [dBW] to [dBm]

Summarizing the above, the relation between minimum radar reflectivity and
distance from radar to the target is following;

105.3 20 log 2 0.01 150 for short pulse (-10km) (4)

120.0 20 log 2 0.01 150 for long pulse (10-80km) (5)

(3) and (4) indicate the function Z(r)

Figure 1 shows the minimum sensitivity curve of the radar reflectivity. We are
observing short pulse within 10 km from radar and long pulse at more than 10 km.
Minimum radar reflectivity curve indicates 15.0 dBZ@60km and 17.9 dBZ@80km.
 Minimum Radar Reflectivity of  RAINWATCHER
30

25

20
Eq. (3)
15
Eq. (4)
10
Radar  Reflectivity (dBZ)

5 15.0dBZ@60km
0

‐5 17.9dBZ@80km
‐10

‐15

‐20 Zmin 23dBZ

‐25
0.00 10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00 60.00 70.00 80.00
Distance(km)

Figure 1 : the minimum sensitivity curve of the radar reflectivity.

Blue line shows radar reflectivity for MDS. Red dot line shows 23dBZ
3.3.2 Radome (2) Equipment Speifications (d) Transmission loss
2014/6/13

This report is the measurement result of transmission loss and difference of loss between H/V.

Fig.1 The photo of Internal of radome

Fig.2 The photo of measurement of transmission loss

1
Measurement Result

Table1 The measurement result of transmission Loss and difference of loss between H/V

Specification:
Transmission loss (Difference between horizontal and vertical): within 0.1 dB

Difference of loss between

Height (cm) Direction(deg) Transmission Loss <H> (dB)* Transmission Loss <V> (dB)*
H/V (dB)*

0 -0.22 -0.16 0.06

90 -0.19 -0.19 0.03
87
180 -0.21 -0.11 0.10
270 -0.26 -0.3 0.04
* Worst value of frequency 9.35～9.8GHz

Fig.3 Measuring height of radome

2
 0

-0.2
Loss (dB)

-0.4
通過損失(dB)

Hp,φ=0度
deg
Transmission

-0.6 Hp,φ=90度
deg
Hp,φ=180度
deg
Hp,φ=270度deg
-0.8 Vp,φ=0度
deg
Vp,φ=90度
deg
-1 Vp,φ=180度deg
Vp,φ=270度deg

-1.2
8 9 10 11
Frequency
周波数(GHz) (GHz)

Horn ホーン高さ87cm,
Height 87cm, H & VＨ＆Ｖ偏波
polarization
Fig.4 Transmission loss in horn height：87cm

3
3.3.3 Antenna (1)Equipment Specifications (e) VSWR
2014/5/21
VSWR of parabolic antenna is measured by network analyzer.

The procedure is following.

① Calibrate a network analyzer in the range of center frequency ±1GHz.
② Terminate the vertical port.
③ Connect the network analyzer to horizontal port of antenna.
④ Measure the VSWR (return loss).
⑤ Terminate the horizontal port.
⑥ Connect the network analyzer to vertical port of antenna.
⑦ Measure the VSWR.

Fig.1 VSWR Measurement

1
The measurement results of VSWR with cable is following.
Horizontal Port：1.09
Vertical Port：1.23
(The worst case between 9.7- 9.8 GHz)

2
1.9
水平ポート
Horizontal Port
1.8 垂直ポート
Vertical Port
1.7
ＶＳＷＲ

1.6
1.5
1.4
1.3
1.2
1.1
1
9.70 9.72 9.74 9.76 9.78 9.80
周波数(GHz)
Frequency (GHz)

Fig.2 VSWR Measurement Result (with cable)

パラボラアンテナＶＳＷＲ測定結果（ケーブル含む）

2
 3.3.5 Transmitter (2) Equipment Specifications (d) Modulation

The transmission power of RAINWATCHER is 125 W. To obtain the sensitivity necessary for
detecting rain up to the maximum observation range of 80 km, the radar applied pulse
compression technology by pulse frequency modulation.

Linear (linear) frequency modulation as shown in Fig. 1 (a) is applied to the transmitted wave,
(chirp pulse). Chirp pulse has spreads frequency field shown in Fig.1 (a’).
Figure 1 (b) shows the waveform of the chirped pulse multiplied by frequency. Waveform
shaping is performed for spurious suppression, and the envelope of chirped pulse is trapezoidal.
A steep pulse waveform as shown in Fig. 1 (d) is output when passing through a delay circuit
having the characteristics shown in Fig. 1 (c) for the received wave of the chirp pulse as shown in
Fig. 1 (b).

Freq.
(a) Frequency modulation

Δf

Time
T (a’) Spectrum of Chirp pulse
(b) Rx(t)
Received =I(t)+jQ(t) (=Tx(t))
signal：Rx(t)
(same as Tx
Chirp Pulse
Tx(t))

Freq.
(c) Compression Filter
Convolution
r(t) * h(t)
Δf

Time h(t)=(I(t)-jQ(t))
T = Tx*(t)
(d) Output

50μsec → 1μsec

Fig.1 Calculation Process of Pulse Compression

 3.3.6 Signal Processing Equipment (2) Equipment Specifications (a) Noise figure

1. Procedure

The block diagram for measurement is shown as following.

9545MHz
Out
Noise Figure
Meter
60MHz Noise
In J4 RX DL STC
Source
J3

2.7 dB Loss
Terminator J1

8700MHz CW
+10dBm
SG1 J6

640MHz CW
+13dBm Transmitter
SG2 J7
/ Receiver

Terminator J5 J2

CMN-827 ATT 1
Power Gate
Supply Unit Signal J10
(+5V) Generator
ATT 2

Power
Supply Unit
J9 Terminator
(+24V)

2. Test Result

Test Record
Test Item Specification
Measurement Value NF
with NF Meter (Not included loss)
NF (H Polarization) 4.95dB 2.25dB
≦2.5dB
NF (V Polarization) 5.05dB 2.35dB

Test record of NF should be removed the loss for circuit device between input of receiver and LNA.
The loss for circuit device is shown as following.

Circuit Device Loss

Directional Coupler 0.3dB
STC Circuit 1.0dB
Limiter Diode 1.0dB
Isolator 0.4dB
Total 2.7dB
3.3.6 Signal Processing Equipment (2) Equipment Specifications (f) Output data (RAW data)

2019/1
The sample of observation data image is shown in the following.

8 kinds of data is displayed and output by image in this equipment. In addition, save the settings of
legend about each data classification.
(1) Received power (MTI off, H polarization) [dBm]
(2) Received power (MTI on, H polarization) [dBm]
(3) Received power (MTI off, V polarization) [dBm]
(4) Received power (MTI on, V polarization) [dBm]
(5) Doppler velocity (H polarization After folding correction) VH [m/s]
(6) Spectrum width (H polarization) WH [m/s]
(7) Correlation coefficient (Rho-HV)
(8) Difference phase PhiDP [deg]