What does primary radar detect?

What does primary radar detect?

• A. All aircraft by reflected signals with no cooperative data
• B. Relies on transponder replies from aircraft
• C. Provides altitude data via Mode C
• D. Forecasts weather patterns

Answer: (A)

Primary radar works by sending out a radar pulse and listening for echoes bounced back from objects in the air. It detects any aircraft that reflects the signal, without needing any cooperation from the aircraft itself, such as a transponder reply. This is why it can sees targets even if they aren’t transmitting data. Altitude data, when available, comes from secondary radar that relies on the aircraft’s transponder (Mode C), not from primary radar. Weather patterns are observed with weather radar, not with primary surveillance radar. So the core idea is that primary radar detects all aircraft by reflected signals with no cooperative data.

Primary radar works by sending out a radar pulse and listening for echoes bounced back from objects in the air. It detects any aircraft that reflects the signal, without needing any cooperation from the aircraft itself, such as a transponder reply. This is why it can sees targets even if they aren’t transmitting data. Altitude data, when available, comes from secondary radar that relies on the aircraft’s transponder (Mode C), not from primary radar. Weather patterns are observed with weather radar, not with primary surveillance radar. So the core idea is that primary radar detects all aircraft by reflected signals with no cooperative data.