Method for measuring the fill level (L) of a fill material (1) in a container (3) using an FMCW
radar level gauge, - which, during measurement operation, periodically and linearly, in particular according to a sawtooth function, sends frequency-modulated
microwave signals (S) in the direction of the filling material (1), - whose reflection signals (R) reflected from the surface of the contents are received after a
signal transit time that depends on the fill level (L), and - determines the fill level (L) based on the
signal travel time, at which - a
reference function (F) beforehand R , F' R ) is derived, which represents an amplitude profile of a reflection
signal (R) received by the level gauge when a known reference gas is located above the contents (1), - subsequently, auxiliary functions (F) are derived based on the reference signals (R) received during measurement operation. x , F' x) are derived, which represent the amplitude profile of the reflection signals (R) received by the level gauge while an unknown gas (X) is located above the contents (1), - the helper functions (F x , F' x ) with the
reference function (F R , F' R ) can be compared, and - the level gauge diagnoses a composition of the unknown gas (X) located above the contents (1) that differs from the reference gas, if the comparison shows a significant deviation (Δ x ) between an auxiliary function derived in measurement operation (F x , F' x ) and the
reference function (F R , F' R) results in - the level measuring device generates a measurement signal (M) by mixing the reflection signals (R) with the transmitted
microwave signals (S) and subsequent filtering, which contains those frequencies (Δf) that correspond to the differences of the frequencies (f) of the signals simultaneously present at the mixer (51), - the reference function (F R , F' R ) is an envelope that represents the amplitude profile of a measurement signal (M) as a function of time (t) that arises when the reference gas is located above the filling material (1), and - the helper functions (F x , F' x ) Envelopes are those that represent the amplitude profile of measurement signals (M) as a function of time (t) that arise during measurement operation when the unknown gas (X) is located above the filling material (1).