Ralph Jones wrote:

Signal strength is not the problem: a fiberglass ship with a one-foot
corner reflector inside it will look bigger than a metal sailplane.
The bad news: air traffic control radars are "moving target" systems,
which means they filter out returns that don't have any Doppler shift
to indicate a moving object. I don't know what the minimum detectable
speed is, but if you're under it, they just won't see you.

This is quite variable, depending on the radar and the operator, but if
you present a bigger primary return, your chances are improved. The
filtering may be adjustable, so if you contact them by radio, they are
more likely to get you on the radar.


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Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA