The Mobile 449 is a development of a truck or trailer mounted 449 MHz radar wind profiler. The design goals of the new system are to have similar height coverage as the current MISS (Mobile ISS) 915-MHz profiler, but provide more rapid winds through its spaced-antenna configuration, and have greater mobility and flexibility for deployment. It is envisioned that the system will be deployed using different transport platforms depending on the needs of a field project. For example, for greatest mobility it could be deployed in the bed of a full-size pickup truck (pictured below) for storm chase operations, or on the current MISS trailer when extra instruments or lab space are required, or it can be fitted on a small trailer sized to fit into a standard sea-container for deployment overseas.
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The system consists of a complete radar wind profiler mounted on a frame that can be fork lifted onto the appropriate vehicle or trailer. The wind profiler is based on our 449 MHz Modular Wind Profiler, although will use a single antenna module divided into three receiving chains. The multiple receiver chains enables Spaced Antenna winds techniques to be used, which provides rapid wind measurements on time scales of 1 - 5 minutes (as compared with 10 - 30 minutes with traditional DBS wind profilers). Initial construction has been completed and the system is currently undergoing tests at NCAR. Refinements are underway including development of a new data system based on Zynq FPGA DSP cards and improvements to the power amplifier and RF chain.
For more information contact Bill Brown in EOL / ISF
