The ocean wave-radar modulation transfer function (MTF) at 35 GHz (Ka band) was measured with a coherent pulsed Doppler scatterometer from a research platform in the North Sea. The Bragg waves corresponding to this radar frequency at intermediate incidence angles are capillary waves with a wave-length of about 0.5 cm. During the experiment the air-sea temperature varied between -1¿C and -5¿C, which implies that the boundary layer at the air-sea interface was unstable. The measurements at 35 GHz yield the following results: The modulus of the dimensionless MTF decreases with increasing wind speed and is larger for horizontal (HH) than for vertical (VV) polarization. The value of the dimensionless MTF for HH polarization varies between 3.5 and 9.5 in the frequency range between 0.11 and 0.14 Hz, and that for VV polarization varies between 2.5 and 7.5 depending on wind speed. The phase of the MTF for HH polarization is such that the maximum of the radar return originates from the leeward (forward) face of the long ocean waves between 0¿ and 15¿ away from the wave crests. The phase of MTF for VV polarization lies between -75¿ and -30¿ which means that the maximum of the radar return originates from the windward (rear) face of the long ocean waves. We conclude that the phase dependence of the Ka band MTF implies that the maximum of the hydrodynamic modulation for these capillary waves occurs at the windward face of the long ocean waves. The nonuniform distribution of the 0.5-cm waves with respect to the long ocean wave profile is probably caused by a wave-induced spatially variable air flow.