WSR-74
WSR-74 radars were Weather Surveillance Radars designed in 1974 for the National Weather Service. They were added to the existing network of the WSR-57 model to improve forecasts and severe weather warnings. Some have been sold to other countries like Australia, Greece, and Pakistan.
Radar properties
There are two types in the WSR-74 series, which are almost identical except for operating frequency. The WSR-74C operates in the C band, and the WSR-74S operates in the S band. S band frequencies are better suited because they are not attenuated significantly in heavy rain while the C Band is strongly attenuated, and has a generally shorter maximum effective range.The WSR-74C uses a wavelength of 5.4 cm. It also has a dish diameter of 8 feet, and a maximum range of 579 km as it was used only for reflectivities.
History
The WSR-57 network was very spread out, with 66 radars to cover the entire country. There was little to no overlap in case one of these vacuum-tube radars went down for maintenance. The WSR-74 was introduced as a "gap filler", as well as an updated radar that, among other things, was transistor-based. In the early 1970s, Enterprise Electronics Corporation, based out of Enterprise, Alabama won the contract to design, manufacture, test, and deliver the entire WSR-74 radar network.WSR-74C radars were generally local-use radars that didn't operate unless severe weather was expected, while WSR-74S radars were generally used to replace WSR-57 radars in the national weather surveillance network. When a network radar went down, a nearby local radar might have to supply updates like a network radar. NWS Lubbock received the first WSR-74C in August 1973 following widespread attention from the Lubbock F5 tornado of 1970.
128 of the WSR-57 and WSR-74 model radars were spread across the country as the National Weather Service's radar network until the 1990s. They were gradually replaced by the WSR-88D model, constituting the NEXRAD network. The WSR-74 had served the NWS for two decades.
The last WSR-74C used by the NWS was located in Williston, ND, before being decommissioned at the end of 2012.
No WSR-74S's are in the NWS inventory today, having been replaced by the WSR-88D, but some of these radars are in commercial use.
Radar sites in the US
WSR-74 sites include the following two categories:| WSR-74C Site | Commissioned | Decommissioned |
| Abilene, TX | August 27, 1977 | April 30, 1997 |
| Akron, OH | June 1, 1977 | November 15, 1995 |
| Albany, NY | July 27, 1977 | November 2, 1995 |
| Alpena, MI | June 8, 1977 | December 9, 1996 |
| Atlanta, GA Was atop the WSFO building at 3420 Norman Berry Drive | October 20, 1976 | February 1, 1996 |
| Augusta, GA | July 1, 1976 | July 30, 1996 |
| Austin, TX | April 9, 1976 | October 13, 1995 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | October 20, 1978 | May 14, 1996 |
| Beckley, WV | November 1, 1977 | January 12, 1996 |
| Billings, MT | April 18, 1978 | May 30, 1996 |
| Bismarck, ND | October 5, 1978 | February 28, 1996 |
| Burlington, VT | Late 1977 | January 29, 1998 |
| Charlotte, NC | February 28, 1978 | September 17, 1996 |
| Chattanooga, TN | Early 1980s | June 10, 1998 |
| Cheyenne, WY | September 15, 1976 | April 24, 1996 |
| Cleveland, OH | August 4, 1976 Replaced a WSR-3. | November 15, 1995 |
| Columbia, MO | November 9, 1977 Replaced a WSR-3. | June 19, 1996 |
| Columbia, SC | January 26, 1976 Replaced a WSR-1. | October 25, 1995 |
| Columbus, GA | April 2, 1979 | April 3, 1996 |
| Columbus, OH | June 9, 1977 Replaced a WSR-3. | December 1, 1995 |
| Concordia, KS | February 18, 1977 Replaced a WSR-3. | November 9, 1995 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | February 1, 1976 | , 1997 |
| Duluth, MN | 1977 | March 25, 1997 |
| Erie, PA | August 30, 1977 | January 15, 2000? |
| Fort Smith, AR | November 25, 1975 Replaced a WSR-3. | July 7, 1998 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | March 12, 1976 Replaced a WSR-3. | July 8, 1998 |
| Goodland, KS | June 6, 1978 Replaced a WSR-3. | October 25, 1995 |
| Harrisburg, PA Atop the Federal Building | June 28, 1977 | January 12, 1996 |
| Hartford, CT | April 1977 | November 2, 1995 |
| Houghton Lake, MI | February 1, 1977 | December 9, 1996 |
| 1977. Replaced a WSR-3. | December 15, 1999? Now the radar, still used by Local Media/NWS. | |
| Indianapolis, IN | September 28, 1977 | February 28, 1996 |
| Las Vegas, NV | 1976 | September 1, 1995 |
| Los Angeles, CA On top of the Federal Building in Westwood to this day. | May 15, 1995 | |
| Louisville, KY | April or May of 1978 | July 19, 1994 |
| Lubbock, TX | August 1973 | April 3, 1996 |
| Macon, GA | April 18, 1977 | April 3, 1996 |
| Madison, WI At Madison Airport. | June 19, 1979 Replaced a WSR-3 | May 7, 1996 |
| Marquette, MI | July 16, 1996 | |
| Meridian, MS | November 2, 1976 | December 26, 1996 |
| Mobile, AL | October 12, 1995 | |
| August 30, 1977 | January 19, 1996 | |
| Montgomery, AL | 1977 | June 4, 1996 |
| Muskegon, MI | March 25, 1976 | August 13, 1996 |
| Norfolk, NE | May 14, 1976 | March 25, 1997 |
| North Platte, NE | November 27, 1996 | |
| Omaha, NE | 1977 | July 10, 1996 |
| Paducah, KY At the Paducah Airport. | 1984 | February 23, 1996 |
| Phoenix, AZ | August 15, 1994 | |
| Portland, OR | January 30, 1996 | |
| Raleigh, NC | May 19, 1977 | December 22, 1995 |
| Rapid City, SD | November 4, 1996 | |
| Rochester, MN | April 1976 | January 9, 1997 |
| San Angelo, TX | October 1977 | April 22, 1997 |
| Savannah, GA | November 15, 1982 | February 11, 1997 |
| Shreveport, LA | June 1976 | June 5, 1996 |
| Sioux Falls, SD | 1976 | October 4, 1996 |
| South Bend, IN | October 22, 1982 | July 8, 1998 |
| October 16, 1980 | July 30, 1996 | |
| Topeka, KS | 1976 | November 2, 1995 |
| Tucson, AZ | January 1983 | March 14, 1996 |
| Tulsa, OK | March 12, 1976 | April 5, 1995 |
| Tupelo, MS | April 1, 1983 | December 6, 1995 |
| Waco, TX | November 8, 1976 | |
| Waterloo, IA | November 19, 1976 | January 17, 1997 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | February 5, 1977 | December 26, 1996 |
| Williston, ND | February 21, 1978 | December 31, 2012 |
| Worcester, MA | July 2, 1976 | April 5, 1995 |
| WSR-74S Site | Commissioned | Decommissioned |
| Alliance, NE | June 10, 1977 | January 17, 1997 |
| Binghamton, NY | March 8, 1978 | September 26, 1995 |
| Charleston, WV WSR-74S providing local coverage | May 16, 1977 | January 12, 1996 |
| Chatham, MA | May 6, 1983 | April 5, 1995 |
| Detroit, MI | March 9, 1984 Replaced a WSR-57. | November 9, 1995 |
| Fargo, ND | February 1, 1978 Was a WSR-74C from Oct. 9, 1976 to Nov. 27, 1977 | November 27, 1996 |
WSR-74S providing local coverage | April 1, 1981 | July 1, 1997 |
| May 9, 1983 Replaced a WSR-57. | October 20, 1998 | |
| Longview, TX | March 1, 1978 | March 14, 1996 |
| November 1, 1974. Replaced a WSR-57 at Chicago. | January 19, 1996 | |
At East Memphis/Agricenter site | January 1986. Replaced a WSR-57. | June 21, 1995 |
| Patuxent River, MD At Patuxent River NAS | Early 1980s. Replaced a WSR-57 at Washington, DC. | November 17, 1995 |
| Portland, ME | March 5, 1985 Replaced a WSR-57. | September 13, 1995 |
| San Juan, Puerto Rico WSR-74S providing local coverage | February 26, 1999 | |
| Volens, VA | April 12, 1977 | December 1, 1995 |
| West Palm Beach, FL WSR-74S providing local coverage. Became part of the national network after the WSR-57 at Miami was destroyed in Hurricane Andrew. | December 17, 1980 | October 13, 1995 |