Apparatus and method(s) for wet radome characterization and radar calibration

An apparatus, comprising:

• a radome having an inner surface defining a space sized and adapted to receive a radar antenna;
• a probe positioned within the space defined by the inner surface of the radome, the probe comprising:
• a probe antenna constructed of a dielectric material connected to a waveguide, the probe antenna having a far field region;
• a transmitter coupled to the probe antenna;
• a receiver coupled to the probe antenna;
• and
• circuitry configured to enable the transmitter to direct a pulse of electromagnetic energy to the probe antenna at first instants of time whereby the dielectric material of the probe antenna emits at least a portion of the pulse of electromagnetic energy in the far-field region of the probe antenna, and to enable the receiver to receive a reflection signal from the probe antenna at second instants of time following the first instants of time using time domain gating in which the receiver is only enabled to receive the signal from the probe antenna during the second instants of time, the circuitry configured to determine a material property of a radome within the far-field region of the probe antenna by analyzing the reflection signal;
• and
• a moving guide connected to the probe antenna and configured to guide the probe antenna through a path within the space defined by the radome such that the probe antenna is spaced a distance from the radome and the radome is within the far field region of the probe antenna as the moving guide guides the probe antenna through the path.

A method for characterizing a radome during operation of a radar system, comprising the steps of:

• operating a radar antenna encompassed by a radome having an interior surface;
• during operation of the radar antenna,
• transmitting an electromagnetic pulse of energy toward the radome from a probe antenna within the radome;
• receiving a reflection signal indicative of a reflection of the electromagnetic pulse from the interior surface of the radome;
• analyzing the reflection signal to determine at least one material property of the radome;
• and
• modifying the operation of the radar antenna based upon the at least one material property of the radome determined from the reflection signal.