FreeScopes 7 allows students to read live raw data from radar sensors and to assemble their radar block diagrams on the screen, including A-Scopes, B-Scopes and the PPI.
SkyRadar completely reworked FreeScopes, giving radar students and researchers full liberty in the application of algorithms and filters. The software serves as User Interface and Training environment for the training radar SkyRadar NextGen 8 GHz Pulse.
NextGen 8 GHz is a series of training radars developed for qualification in Air Traffic Control as well as University education. FreeScopes is a control center which allows to manipulate live and prerecorded IQ data from this radar. The amount of students working on the radar concurrently is not limited.
The big novelty in FreeScopes 7:
Per drag-and-drop, students can now freely and individually assemble radar block diagrams (filters, algorithms and scopes) and work on live data just in time.
General Conception
The user interface of the NextGen 8 GHz Radar can be operated locally through wireless LAN, and with the help of the SkyRadar Cloud server through an Intranet (e.g. University or Academy Intranet) and the Internet. It is possible for multiple users to manipulate the radar raw data and operate different Scopes or filters concurrently. The number of users can easily exceed 100.
Pedagogical Value of floating Block-Diagrams
The pedagogical value of such a solution is immense.
For instance the student can build up a block diagram, and put an A-Scope or / and a PPI after each step. Now it is possible to experience live and in a comparative way, how the signal evolves. The student experiences in a hands-on way, comprehends, learns to apply, to evaluate and to create new, better solutions.
Effective and efficient for seminars and laboratory work
Each student computer receives the radar raw data (I Q data) individually. They all can build their own radar block diagram concurrently, and test in real-time on live radar data.
This is a cost advantage, but also a financial advantage.
Students can learn on pre-recorded data
Version 7 also allows to replay prerecorded raw data. For teachers and trainers, this is a perfect approach of allowing students to continue after classes, even through the Intra- or Extranet from home, when the radar is switched off.
The perfect tool kit for everyone from beginner to researcher
The modular FreeScopes solution blends into every curriculum and target group, from beginner to advanced researcher.
Tools and block diagrams for beginners
Beginners may want to get acquainted with the basic functions and scopes, e.g., learn how to reach a clean radar image.
Tools for Advanced Experiments
Advanced students and researchers need to dive deeper. Whereas basic manipulation of raw data can be limited on 1-dimensional data. These are vectors containing the data along the measured range.
A Comment for Radar Experts:
In SkyRadar's case, we have 180 range cells between the preset maximum range and the minimum range. To receive a great signal-to-noise ratio (meaning less noise), it is good practice in radar manufacturing to oversample the range resolution. In our case, per range resolution, we use N = 2 range cells.
Sophisticated algorithms work with matrixes. The windows functions like Blackman of the Fast Fourier Transform FFT require 2 dimensional data. Also our 2D CFAR algorithm, as it works with range and doppler cells.
We also provide special scopes like the 3D-Scope, able to display more advanced functions like the Doppler frequency.
The 3D-Scope is vital e.g., when showing correlations between frequency domain and time domain.
Special packages for ATC
The FreeScopes ATC I Module provides a set of features including:
- Radar Plots
- Radar Tracks
- Moving Target Detection (MTD)
- The visualization is done in compliance to the standards of ICAO and EUROCONTOL.
It takes the step from the theoretic understanding of the radar image to typical conventions on how target plots and tracks are displayed.
The included features are a landmark in practical radar training as they are missing in most of the training radars available in the market. But being qualified on plots and tracks is mandatory for ICAO 10057 oriented qualification.
The ATC II module adds a whole set of additional features like Doppler Filter, Clutter Maps, and the Kalman filter.
Both modules are also valuable for academic education.
Further going academic education
In addition to the above presented modules, there are many more features of high value for academic education. Examples are the NextGen Artificial Intelligence I including AI Solutions for image and pattern recognition.
Available Packages
FreeScopes 7 was developed for SkyRadar's NextGen 8 GHz Pulse radar.
The datasheet chapter on FreeScopes provides details on the solution.
To get more details on the available packages please look at
- FreeScopes Basic I (A-Scopes, B-Scopes, STC, CFAR (1d), FFT (1d), IQ data blocks, MTI, etc.)
- FreeScopes Basic II (3D-Scope, CFAR (2d), RCS, FFT (2d), Windows functions, Spectrogram, etc.)
Burst, etc.) - FreeScopes ATC I ( Plots, Tracks, MTD, etc.)
- FreeScopes ATC II (iMM, Kalman filter, clutter map, signal delay block, add and subtract, etc.)
Watch the video:
Open System Architecture and Web-API
The solutions are completely open. The radars provide the IQ raw data as JSON messages which can be exploited for research and analytics.
A MATLAB Programming Interface (Web-API) allows to use the data in MATLAB. Students can develop and apply algorithms. A second web API packages the IQ data in ASTERIX format, readable by standardized ATC systems.
Upgradability
No solution remains unchanged over time. To improve the radars' longevity, the radars are now easily upgradable with service packs and additional features. FreeScopes 7 provides easy to in stall upgrades. NextGen radars are delivered with a USB slot for Upgrades.
Affordability
Yes it is well know that we are positioned at about 30% of the costs of our major competitors. We do not put too much money into costly marketing and costly business trips of our sales personnel - but we put it into the development and product optimization.
But let us go one step further: Imagine you buy a system for 40.000 EUR. So if it only caters for 1 student at the time, the purchase price is a pretty high sum. However if you allow 10 students to access it concurrently, the costs go down drastically. If students have access after class through the university network, e.g. from their student's room or the ATCO in the frame of OTJ-training from his working position, the costs shrink enormously.
Given the upgradability, you can expect a usage during more than 10 years. For a normal ATC academy or university, this means that more than 10.000 students were educated and qualified on the system.
Additional information
Read more about FreeScopes 7:
- FreeScopes Basic I, introducing the new vector blocks
- FreeScopes Basic II, introducing multidimensional blocks.
Contact us ! It will be our pleasure to discuss your specific needs.
