Immediately after the transmitter fires, sensitivity time control (STC) reduces the receiver gain to what level?

Immediately after the transmitter fires, sensitivity time control (STC) reduces the receiver gain to what level?

• A. Zero
• B. Low
• C. Medium
• D. High

Answer: (A)

Sensitivity time control is used to protect the receiver from the transmitter’s own pulse and the strong near-field echoes right after transmission. Immediately after the transmitter fires, STC drops the receiver gain to zero so the front-end isn’t driven into saturation by the powerful energy of the pulse and the immediate clutter. This “dead time” prevents overload, and then the gain is ramped back up as the system moves into ranges where echoes are weaker, allowing detection of distant targets. Any nonzero gain at that moment could overwhelm the receiver with the transmitter’s energy, so zero gain is the correct behavior.

Sensitivity time control is used to protect the receiver from the transmitter’s own pulse and the strong near-field echoes right after transmission. Immediately after the transmitter fires, STC drops the receiver gain to zero so the front-end isn’t driven into saturation by the powerful energy of the pulse and the immediate clutter. This “dead time” prevents overload, and then the gain is ramped back up as the system moves into ranges where echoes are weaker, allowing detection of distant targets. Any nonzero gain at that moment could overwhelm the receiver with the transmitter’s energy, so zero gain is the correct behavior.