will appear as “shadowed” or gray area on the radar display. Proper use of the antenna tilt control can also help detect radar shadows.

Attenuation can also be due to poor maintenance or degradation of the radome. Even the smallest amount of wear and tear, pitting, and pinholes on the radome surface can cause damage and system inefficiency.

4.10.2Radar Signal Reflectivity

4.10.2.1Precipitation

Precipitation or objects more dense than water, such as earth or solid structures, will be detected by the weather radar. The weather radar will not detect clouds, thunderstorms or turbulence directly. It detects precipitation associated with clouds, thunderstorms, and turbulence. The best radar signal reflectors are raindrops, wet snow or wet hail. The larger the raindrop the better it reflects. The size of the precipitation droplet is the most important factor in radar reflectivity. Because large drops in a small concentrated area are characteristic of a severe thunderstorm, the radar displays the storm as a strong return. Ice, dry snow, and dry hail have low reflective levels and often will not be displayed by the radar. A cloud that contains only small raindrops, such as fog or drizzle, will not reflect enough radar energy to produce a measurable target return.

Figure 4-69 Precipitation Type and Reflectivity

Foreword

 

 

System

Sec 1

 

PFD

Sec 2

 

Sec 3 MFD

 

Sec 4 Hazard Avoidance

Features

Additional

Sec 5

& Alerts

Annun.

Sec 6

Symbols

Sec 7

 

Glossary

Sec 8

 

Appendix A

 

 

Index

Appendix

 

 

B

 

190-00601-02 Rev. E

Garmin G600 Pilot’s Guide

4-83

Page 243
Image 243
Garmin G600 manual Radar Signal Reflectivity, Precipitation