A higher transmitted bandwidth improves range resolution because the range resolution is inversely related to bandwidth.

A higher transmitted bandwidth improves range resolution because the range resolution is inversely related to bandwidth.

• A. Higher bandwidth degrades range resolution
• B. Higher bandwidth improves range resolution
• C. Bandwidth has no effect on range resolution
• D. Bandwidth only affects velocity measurement

Answer: (B)

Range resolution is about how close two targets can be in distance and still be distinguished in the radar return. This ability improves when the transmitted signal has a larger bandwidth because a wideband signal corresponds to a shorter pulse in time, or, equivalently, a broader spectrum that gives finer time-domain detail. The fundamental relation is ΔR ≈ c/(2B), where c is the speed of light and B is the bandwidth. When you increase B, ΔR gets smaller, so you can separate targets that are closer together in range. That’s why higher bandwidth improves range resolution. Seeing the other choices through that lens: increasing bandwidth does not degrade range resolution; it enhances it. Saying bandwidth has no effect would ignore the direct link between time-domain precision and how we measure distance. The idea that bandwidth only affects velocity measurement mixes in Doppler concepts, which are related but distinct; the primary impact of bandwidth in this context is on range resolution.

Range resolution is about how close two targets can be in distance and still be distinguished in the radar return. This ability improves when the transmitted signal has a larger bandwidth because a wideband signal corresponds to a shorter pulse in time, or, equivalently, a broader spectrum that gives finer time-domain detail. The fundamental relation is ΔR ≈ c/(2B), where c is the speed of light and B is the bandwidth. When you increase B, ΔR gets smaller, so you can separate targets that are closer together in range. That’s why higher bandwidth improves range resolution.

Seeing the other choices through that lens: increasing bandwidth does not degrade range resolution; it enhances it. Saying bandwidth has no effect would ignore the direct link between time-domain precision and how we measure distance. The idea that bandwidth only affects velocity measurement mixes in Doppler concepts, which are related but distinct; the primary impact of bandwidth in this context is on range resolution.