Mock radio halos taken from the simulations of R1a (left), R2 (middle) and R6 (right) by Xu et al. (2012). Total intensity (top) and polarized (bottom) surface brightness images are shown as they would appear when observed at 1.4 GHz with a bandwidth of 300 MHz, at a resolution of 15′′, a noise level (1-σ) of 10 μJy/beam in I, and 5 μJy/beam in Q and U. These resolutions and sensitivity values are in line with that expected in future sky surveys at 1.4 GHz performed with SKA precursors and pathfinders.