weather radar

[maca11 2]

Dear all,

I am using AS16, however, I am somehow not able to really initiate weather radar.

When I switch on wxr on panel I get blue signs on display (wxr, -2A, VAR), however no coloured map of clouds...

When I switch button TEST (on wxrd panel) I can see red test colours on display, but then again only black display with navigation directions but no clouds... Any thing wrong I do ?

many thanks !

[skelsey 765]

Hi Jan,

Remember that radar energy is reflected by precipitation, not clouds. If there is no precipitation about, you will not see any weather radar returns.

[Budbud 227]

10 minutes ago, maca11 said:

Any thing wrong I do ?

Hi,

My first guess would be misconception about WX radar. Have a look at the Introduction manual p. 0.00.155.

[maca11 2]

36 minutes ago, Budbud said:

Hi,

My first guess would be misconception about WX radar. Have a look at the Introduction manual p. 0.00.155.

yes, I read that, but no clue what I do wrong....

[Budbud 227]

Probably nothing. Flying into clouds doesn't mean that there is precipitation in the clouds.

Radar waves are reflected by the water drops (edit: also ice and snow). In a cloud, suspended water may not be in the shape of drops large enough to reflet the radar waves.

You may be fully surrounded by clouds without seeing a single spot on the ND. 

[maca11 2]

OK, many thanks !

[Budbud 227]

You are welcome.

[Chock 17,769]

Load up a metar of bad weather in AS (or create one manually) and test it, I'm pretty sure you'll see some radar returns if you do that.

[Tabs 2,790]

To add to what's already been said - if you do not see precipitation on AS16's map view, then there will be nothing on the airplane's ND either. ASN/16 outputs a 3D precipitation model that our radar uses - not a map of clouds. Real weather radars will show absolutely nothing unless there's actual precipitation within the clouds or falling from them. In addition, the tilt of the radar and the gain also play into what is shown - if you point the radar vertically in a place where there's no precip, you won't see anything, even if there's precip above or below that slice of space. Turn the gain down and the radar will start to filter out weak returns too, think of it like a squelch control on a radio.