Using a discarded garage door opener, an old cordless drill, and a collection of surplus microwave parts, a high resolution X-band linear rail synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging system was developed for approximately $240 material cost. Entry into the field of radar cross section measurements or SAR algorithm development is often difficult due to the cost of high-end precision pulsed IF or other precision radar test instruments. The low cost system that will be presented is a frequency modulated continuous wave radar utilizing a homodyne radar architecture. Transmit chirp covers 8 GHz to 12.4 GHz with 15 dBm of transmit power. Due to the fairly wide transmit bandwidth of 4.4 GHz, this radar is capable of approximately 1.4 inches of range resolution. The dynamic range of this system was measured to be 60 dB thus providing high sensitivity. The radar system traverses a 96 inch automated linear rail, acquiring range profiles at any user defined spacing.

SAR imaging algorithms developed for this system include the Polar Format Algorithm (PFA), a range stacking algorithm, and the Range Migration Algorithm (RMA). Downrange and cross range motion compensation (MOCOMP) algorithms have been developed. An autofocus algorithm has also been developed. SAR imaging results prove that this system could easily image objects as small as pushpins and 4.37 mm diameter steel spheres. This machine is the latest in a series of small radar systems developed in an effort to understand SAR imaging and apply that technology to the eventual application of through lossy dielectric imaging.