C-band weather radar

What is C band radar? C band radar uses microwave frequencies ranging from 4.0 to 8.0 (GHz) . The C band is used for many satellite communications transmissions, some Wi-Fi devices and cordless telephones as well as some surveillance and weather radar systems.

The different bands are L,S,C,X,K . The names of the radars originate from the days of WWII. L band radars operate on a wavelength of 15-30 cm and a frequency of 1-2 GHz. L band radars are mostly used for clear air turbulence studies.

The S band is used by airport surveillance radar for air traffic control, weather radar, surface ship radar, and some communications satellites , especially those used by NASA to communicate with the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. The 10 cm radar short-band ranges roughly from 1.55 to 5.2 GHz.

The x-band, being of higher frequency is used for a sharper image and better resolution whereas the S-band is used especially when in rain or fog as well as for identification and tracking.

X-band radars are installed on most large research vessels, and on many offshore installations. Their original use is for ship traffic control and navigation . However, with the addition of some hardware and software components, X-band radars can be used to measure waves and currents (e.g. [22]).