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s-band radar A radar employing microwaves with a 10 cm wavelength, corresponding to a frequency of 3,000 MHz. It is used for long range (open ocean) radar on ships. S-band radar is less sensitive to interference from rain and waves, but has a lower sensitivity to reflections from small targets (reflection is inversely proportional to the square of the wavelength). Small-craft radar do not use S-band microwaves, but instead use X-band radar. Ships also use X-band radar for navigation inshore or close to smaller targets.

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