radar beacon transponder

radar beacon system

A radar system in which the object to be detected is fitted with cooperative equipment in the form of a radio transponder (receiver/transmitter). Radio pulses are transmitted from the searching interrogator (transmitter/receiver) site, received in the cooperative equipment, and used to trigger a distinctive transmission from the transponder. This latter transmission rather than a reflected signal is received full strength back at the interrogator site. Also called a radar beacon transponder or a radar beacon.