Enhanced CODAR Coverage with Multistatic Software
Release Date: 22 April 2009

CODAR's new bistatic / multistatic software option expands and improves current mapping coverage inside a network of CODAR SeaSondes. In their existing monostatic mode, HF radars co-locate the transmit and receive antennas, resulting in surface-current radials. Two or more radial patterns are required to calculate total current vectors. In CODAR's new bistatic configuration, two or more units are still required to obtain total vectors, but the transmitter is located tens of kilometers away from the receiver, which results in surface-current ellipticals. This technique permits, for example, locating a SeaSonde bistatic transmitter on an offshore buoy or platform. The latest issue of the CODAR newsletter provides sample images of comparitive results.

With CODAR's optional multistatic configuration, a receiver simultaneously receives and processes signals from more than one transmitter, thereby substantially increasing data density and potentially the system's range. In this configuration, each unit produces both current radials, using its own co-located transmitter, and ellipticals. With existing networks, this option can be implemented with a software upgrade.