The OEM Radar System Component Maintenance Manual refers to RD-301A option 1 (Range 1 x 500 pulse width multiplier modification) being required to be fitted under service bulletin #1. Is this necessary for new units ordered?
A:
This is not required for new units, as this modification has been adopted into the current production build as standard.
Q:
I have a weather radar connected to the RD-301A but the RD-301A isn’t tracking the radar signal very well, if at all. What is wrong?
A:
The first thing to check is how much RF input power the radar is sending to the RD-301A. The minimum input power required for the RD-301A to work correctly is 250 watts. If the radar’s output power is less than this, then there is a very good chance the RD-301A will not track it. This is different from the older RD-301 unit which usually had no problem tracking radars down to 100 watts. The higher minimum input requirement on the RD-301A is due to a detector board that allows the RD-301A to check the radar’s effective power using the EFF function on the unit.
