Lesson 3 — The Radar Range Equation

How received power falls off as \(1/R^4\), what sets the maximum detection range, and why every term in the equation buys only fourth-root leverage over that range.

Reading

The Radar Range Equation

Received-power derivation, the maximum-range form, the per-term cost table, and a worked S-band example.

Flashcards

Review deck

Key terms and relations from the lesson, in a self-test deck.

Pre-flight

Pre-flight quiz

Five questions to work before class — anyone can be called to the board.

Slides

Lesson slides

The deck we work through in class — an HTML deck you can annotate in the browser, with a print view for saving a PDF.

Demo

Range Equation Explorer

Move each parameter and see \(R_\text{max}\) respond at one-quarter the dB change.