Method for generating a model of the effect of phase noise during use of a Doppler radar system including calculating, using a processor, an initial signal-to-clutter ratio (SCR) representing a ratio of power received from echoes from a target by the radar system to power resulting from clutter reflection received by the radar system. The initially calculated SCR is modified as a function of a range ambiguity and range resolution. A Doppler frequency of interest is calculated based on velocity of a target, target heading and radar frequency, along with a Doppler filter bandwidth, frequency components and a measure of clutter signal passing through the Doppler filter of interest by summing products of the phase noise for each frequency by the Doppler filter bandwidth. This measure indicates effectiveness of target detection by the Doppler radar system as a function of distance.