Articles | Volume 19, issue 16
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-5401-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-5401-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
21 Aug 2026
Research article |
| 21 Aug 2026
| 21 Aug 2026
Magnetron or SSPA for weather radars? Evaluation of the data quality of a dual transmitter setup
Cornelius Hald
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Observatorium Hohenpeißenberg, Forschung und Entwicklung, Deutscher Wetterdienst, Albin-Schwaiger-Weg 10, 82383 Hohenpeißenberg, Germany
Maximilian Schaper
Observatorium Hohenpeißenberg, Forschung und Entwicklung, Deutscher Wetterdienst, Albin-Schwaiger-Weg 10, 82383 Hohenpeißenberg, Germany
Michael Frech
Observatorium Hohenpeißenberg, Forschung und Entwicklung, Deutscher Wetterdienst, Albin-Schwaiger-Weg 10, 82383 Hohenpeißenberg, Germany
Benjamin Rohrdantz
Technische Infrastruktur und Betrieb, Deutscher Wetterdienst, Frahmredder 95, 22393 Hamburg, Germany
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Cornelius Hald, Maximilian Schaper, Annette Böhm, Michael Frech, Jan Petersen, Bertram Lange, and Benjamin Rohrdantz
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4695–4707, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4695-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4695-2024, 2024
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Weather radars should use lightning protection to be safe from damage, but the rods can reduce the quality of the radar measurements. This study presents three new solutions for lightning protection for weather radars and evaluates their influence on data quality. The results are compared to the current system. All tested ones have very little effect on data, and a new lightning protection system with four rods is recommended for the German Meteorological Service.
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Weather radar data are the backbone of a lot of meteorological products. In order to obtain a better low-level coverage with radar data, additional systems have to be included. The frequency range in which radars are allowed to operate is limited. A potential radar-to-radar interference has to be avoided. The paper derives guidelines on how additional radars can be included into a C-band weather radar network and how interferences can be avoided.
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C-band weather radar data are commonly compromised by radio frequency interference (RFI) from external sources. It is not possible to separate a superimposed interference signal from the radar data. Therefore, the best course of action is to shut down RFI sources as quickly as possible. An automated RFI detection algorithm has been developed. Since its implementation, persistent RFI sources are eliminated much more quickly, while the number of short-lived RFI sources keeps steadily increasing.
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The 17 operational German weather radars regularly point vertical for calibration. We proof that this data also contains valuable scientific information. To demonstrate this, we use it to detect the melting level in clouds and strong snowflake riming. Riming is the collision of a snowflake with liquid droplets, which can create precipitation. We analyze the frequency and temperature dependence of riming for all German weather radar sites and relate it to the local precipitation climatology.
Michael Frech, Annette M. Boehm, and Patrick Tracksdorf
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 1711–1727, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1711-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1711-2026, 2026
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Wind turbine clutter (WTC) reduces the accuracy of weather radar measurements, as turbines may now be built closer to radar sites. A dynamic algorithm reliably detects WTC when wind turbine rotor speeds exceed 5 rpm. Beamblockage due to WT in the 5 km range is significant. A wind turbine-free 5 km radius is recommended.
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The study examines the use of the spheroidal shape approximation for calculating cloud radar observables in rain and identifies some limitations. To address these, it introduces the empirical scattering model (ESM) based on high-quality Doppler spectra from a 94 GHz radar. The ESM offers improved accuracy and directly incorporates natural rain's microphysical effects. This new model can enhance retrieval and calibration methods, benefiting cloud radar polarimetry experts and scattering modelers.
Cornelius Hald, Maximilian Schaper, Annette Böhm, Michael Frech, Jan Petersen, Bertram Lange, and Benjamin Rohrdantz
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4695–4707, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4695-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4695-2024, 2024
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Weather radars should use lightning protection to be safe from damage, but the rods can reduce the quality of the radar measurements. This study presents three new solutions for lightning protection for weather radars and evaluates their influence on data quality. The results are compared to the current system. All tested ones have very little effect on data, and a new lightning protection system with four rods is recommended for the German Meteorological Service.
Michael Frech, Cornelius Hald, Maximilian Schaper, Bertram Lange, and Benjamin Rohrdantz
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 295–309, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-295-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-295-2023, 2023
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Weather radar data are the backbone of a lot of meteorological products. In order to obtain a better low-level coverage with radar data, additional systems have to be included. The frequency range in which radars are allowed to operate is limited. A potential radar-to-radar interference has to be avoided. The paper derives guidelines on how additional radars can be included into a C-band weather radar network and how interferences can be avoided.
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Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 7315–7335, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-7315-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-7315-2022, 2022
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This study presents the new vertically pointing birdbath scan of the German C-band radar network, which provides high-resolution profiles of precipitating clouds above all DWD weather radars since the spring of 2021. Our AI-based postprocessing method for filtering and analyzing the recorded radar data offers a unique quantitative view into a wide range of precipitation events from snowfall over stratiform rain to intense frontal showers and will be used to complement DWD's operational services.
Maximilian Schaper, Michael Frech, David Michaelis, Cornelius Hald, and Benjamin Rohrdantz
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 6625–6642, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6625-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6625-2022, 2022
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C-band weather radar data are commonly compromised by radio frequency interference (RFI) from external sources. It is not possible to separate a superimposed interference signal from the radar data. Therefore, the best course of action is to shut down RFI sources as quickly as possible. An automated RFI detection algorithm has been developed. Since its implementation, persistent RFI sources are eliminated much more quickly, while the number of short-lived RFI sources keeps steadily increasing.
Silke Trömel, Clemens Simmer, Ulrich Blahak, Armin Blanke, Sabine Doktorowski, Florian Ewald, Michael Frech, Mathias Gergely, Martin Hagen, Tijana Janjic, Heike Kalesse-Los, Stefan Kneifel, Christoph Knote, Jana Mendrok, Manuel Moser, Gregor Köcher, Kai Mühlbauer, Alexander Myagkov, Velibor Pejcic, Patric Seifert, Prabhakar Shrestha, Audrey Teisseire, Leonie von Terzi, Eleni Tetoni, Teresa Vogl, Christiane Voigt, Yuefei Zeng, Tobias Zinner, and Johannes Quaas
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The article introduces the ACP readership to ongoing research in Germany on cloud- and precipitation-related process information inherent in polarimetric radar measurements, outlines pathways to inform atmospheric models with radar-based information, and points to remaining challenges towards an improved fusion of radar polarimetry and atmospheric modelling.
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Short summary
A solid state power amplifier (SSPA) was integrated into an existing C-band magnetron weather radar. This unique setup allows for an easy comparison of the data quality of both transmitters. Reflectivity, Doppler and Dual Pol moments are compared. The SSPA shows better data quality in areas with low signal strength. The gap between short and long pulse is treated well, range sidelobes around strong targets are an issue. SSPA is considered as a possible replacement for the magnetron transmitters.
A solid state power amplifier (SSPA) was integrated into an existing C-band magnetron weather...
