A low frequency pulse compression radar system, capable of 0.75 km spatial resolution, has been developed. This system utilizes a linear frequency-modulated signal, and yields an effective peak power enhancement of 14.5 dB, over a conventional radar of equivalent resolution. The required instrumentation, as well as the development of the necessary signal processing software, are described in detail. It is shown that the resolution and peak power enhancement achieved by the system are consistent with those predicted by theory. The effectiveness of the pulse compression radar as a tool for ionospheric observation is demonstrated by comparing its performance to that of a conventional radar operating simultaneously.