RadargrundlagenThe technical principle of weather radar is very similar to that of Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR) and it suffers from many of the same types of problems.

The most important difference consists that an aim only will be detected at a radar unit for the air surveillance (Target visible: yes/no). It will be measured only the coordinates of the aim location. However, at a meteorological radar the echo signal will be estimated. These data finally give information about this, in which intensity and in which consistency reflective objects exist in the observation room.

Several other major operating differences exist. This is often due to the fact that the shape of the „object of interest” is considerably different (weather is normally much larger and more fluid than moving targets for example) and the object velocity is normally considerably less than that of an aircraft or other flying „machine”. Best detection of „weather” objects takes place at different frequencies. (This one having another meaning in the meteorological radar than in a multi-frequency PSR system.)