ScandiNova’s technology powers the future of weather radar

Customer Story

Tackling the challenges of a changing climate.

Climate change is making weather more unpredictable, with an increasing frequency and severity of hazardous weather events. Weather radars play a critical role in detecting these phenomena and providing timely information to protect people, infrastructure, and the environment. For operators such as national meteorological institutes and airports, the requirements on radar systems are tougher than ever: they must deliver high-quality data 24/7, remain reliable in all conditions, and be supported by flexible, easy-to-maintain technology.

Vaisala – advancing weather radar since 2007

Vaisala, founded in 1936, is a global leader in measurement instruments and intelligence for climate action. Its journey in weather radar began in 2007, when the company launched its first radar system. Today, around 300 Vaisala radars operate in more than 50 countries worldwide, supporting critical decision-making in weather forecasting, aviation and road safety, hydrology, and severe weather warnings.

Ensuring quality through technology

The focus of Vaisala’s radar development is clear: ensure and continuously improve data quality. Hardware advances and sophisticated algorithms are applied to challenges such as filtering out interference from wind turbines or radio signals and improving precipitation estimation. Vaisala’s strength lies in combining reliable system design with continuous software innovation — supported by a global service network.

Vaisala Weather Radar

The role of the pulse modulator - M060

One of the most critical components in a magnetron-based radar system is the pulse modulator. It directly impacts the stability and quality of transmitted microwave pulses — and therefore the reliability of weather data. It is also a single point of failure, making its performance vital to overall system uptime.

For Vaisala, the requirements on a modulator supplier are clear: high reliability and quality, timely deliveries, and a willingness to collaborate closely to meet evolving customer needs.

Why ScandiNova?

ScandiNova’s solid-state pulse modulators are seen as a modern, flexible platform well suited to optimizing the performance of magnetron tubes. Widely used in other mission-critical applications, they bring the reliability and robustness that Vaisala demands.

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“We have been satisfied with the collaboration with ScandiNova so far. Their product platform is modern and of good quality, and ScandiNova’s ability to react and assist during system integration and testing has been highly appreciated,”

Juha Salmivaara
R&D Manager at Vaisala

Results and future outlook

By integrating ScandiNova’s modulators, Vaisala has been able to improve the performance of the magnetron transmitter, tackling the ever-growing demand for radar performance. The technology also includes more sophisticated features for handling the magnetron tube, improving recovery from fault situations and extending operational lifetime, features that help push the reliability characteristics of the radar system even further.

These advantages have already supported Vaisala’s success in major European weather radar network upgrades, where ScandiNova modulators are now part of the systems being deployed.

Looking ahead, Vaisala expects demand for weather radar to remain strong. “We trust that the collaboration with ScandiNova will only strengthen in the future, as the production of these new systems is fully ramped up at both ends,” concludes Juha Salmivaara.