Application and Maintenance Ability Training for Weather Radar in China

The observation method of weather radar and its echo data application in China are more complicated. Its operation is divided into different areas of application, according to the number of radar stations, the most of the three applications are public meteorological service, aviation meteorological security, and weather modification.

These three major applications, the radar systems with different models are from different manufacturers. Although each radar factory has carried out the training of radar using before the radar will be installed, but the factory training is not focused. This training generally is only on radar principle and system structure, and personnel positioning for electronic technical engineers. Calibration, maintenance and echo data analyzing are appeared nothing.

The education backgrounds of the current existing radar maintenance personnel are probably three kinds, electronic information engineering background (including computer, communication and control, etc.), (weather) radar principle and system background, and atmospheric science background.

Now the weather radar training has been carried out and is underway with radar echo analysis capability training and radar principles and hardware system maintenance skills training. The first one, including the training of the three applications, public meteorological service, the training of civil aviation meteorological guarantee and the training of artificial weather modification operation command, due to the particularity of their application, the training content and the emphasis are different. The second one generally employs radar training platform, radar fault diagnosis platform and actual radar as teaching aids.

Another high level training is technologic communication or seminar.

At present, the ability training in radar calibration and data quality control needs to be strengthened. In fact, the test of radar hardware specifications, especially in the radar site, is not representing the detection ability of radar observation for weather system. Some tests give only parts or unite parameters, not the performance of radar system. In the case of lacking technology, method and instrument, it’ll cause radar low quality data problem.

It is necessary to training the ability of analyzing radar echo data to find radar faults and problems, such as by computing the signal quality factor SQI to find radar performance and echo data quality. Another necessary to do for training is that how to obtain the ability to diagnose the failure by analyzing BITE information.

Because Doppler weather radars give only radial mean velocities, and there are almost no coverage areas between radars, so we can’t get the velocity vectors. And the application potential of the Doppler speed is underestimated, and the training about this application is extremely weakened. The function and application of Doppler velocity need to be recognized.

In the future, the training problem of dual polarization weather radar will be related to the radar hardware system and the application of radar output products. Due to the relative shortage of equipment and instrument in radar site, the method of relative or absolute calibration based on the method of solar and natural target may be an important part of hardware maintenance training. Another hand, the training of radar products analyzing and applications, we need to explore the physical characteristics of the target and the radar detection principle.

The current operational radar maintenance, observation methods and application technology can be gradually mastered through training. With the development of radar technology, the detection parameters and functions will be increased. Observation data application methods will be changed too. The education and training content and methods must keep up, this need to be studied.