Signal Amplification

Sensor alignment: Position the sensor perpendicular to the measurement target to maximize signal strength and Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR). A higher SNR ensures more robust and stable measurements and reduces interference from unwanted reflections. Surface properties: Rough surfaces are advantageous for radar measurements, as they reflect more of the radar beam back to the sensor. Smooth surfaces allow less tilting before signal strength drops significantly. Impact of orientation: As the target’s surface tilts away from perpendicular, the reflected signal strength decreases. Signal enhancement: If your signal strength remains low, consider using a radar reflector to enhance the signal and improve detection accuracy.

The signal strength received by the radar sensor is crucial for reliable measurements. In OndoNet , it is visualized by the amplitude of the spectrum.

Optimizing Sensor Alignment

1. Roughly align the sensor towards the measurement target as seen in the left part of the figure below.

2. In the Spectrum chart, enable Add Hold to monitor whether the signal strength increases or decreases during alignment.

3. Manually adjust the sensor step by step and compare the current signal strength with the previous signal shown by the orange reference line.

4. Continue adjusting until you achieve the highest possible signal strength. If the target is perpendicular to the sensor the signal strength is maximized.

AutoGain: Once you are done, click on AUTO GAIN in the “Settings” section to further optimize the signal strength. This will automatically adjust the gain parameters of the amplifiers. If you have a changing distance to the target, please refer to the Raw Data chapter.