Radome crosspolarisation on Intelsat standard 'A' communication satellite antennas

The reduction in size of Intelsat standard 'A' satellite communication antennas from 30.5 m to 15 m in diameter has necessitated the computation of depolarisation effects when the smaller antennas employ metal and dielectric space frame radomes for hardening and protection. Using the standard 15 m antennas enclosed by appropriately scaled-down metal and dielectric space frame radomes, the crosspolar discrimination (XPD) and the boresight shift (BS) have been computed close to antenna axis at 4 and 6 GHz. Comparison with the larger 30.5 m antennas enclosed by 45 m radomes have been made. It is reported that within 0.1 degrees of antenna boresight, the XPD introduced by the radomes does not exceed 33.0 dB as the worst case at 4 GHz. In particular, the Intelsat Specification of 30.7 dB for the XPD within the antenna's tracking beamwidth in clear weather conditions for frequency re-use satellite communication systems is satisfied. The BS is negligibly low.<>     

Broadband low-cost planar sector antenna element for WLAN applications

A novel planar antenna element for applications in sector antennas is proposed. The antenna element consists of three patches coupled both electromagnetically and through the feeding network to ensure 90deg beamwidth in a wide frequency range. A suspended microstrip technique has been used to ensure simultaneously low production costs and low losses within the feeding network. The designed antenna element operates within a frequency range of 5.1-5.9 GHz.     

Effect of Pointing Errors and Range on Performance of Dual-Pencil-Beam Scatterometers

Short-range FM scatterometers with single antennas are plagued by interference set up by feedthrough and internal reflections. Dual-antenna systems have much lower internal interference, but there are problems associated with pointing the antennas at the same spot. This note quantifies these problems for Gaussian-shaped beams. The use of antennas with beamwidth ratios of up to 5: 1 is shown to improve performance significantly over that obtained with identical beamwidths. For an angle between antenna centers (as viewed from the beam intersection) that is three times the beamwidth of the narrower antenna, the usable spread of range for equal beamwidths is only about 1.85:1, while for an angular ratio of 5, the usable spread of range is > 20:1.     

Design of a Compact Millimeter-Wave Microstrip Antenna with Wide Bandwidth and Broad Beamwidth

Design of a novel compact millimeter-wave microstrip antenna with wide bandwidth and broad beamwidth is presented. In the structure, multiple layers and a parasitic element as well as a coupling aperture are used to achieve wideband, while a conducting cylinder and the coupling aperture are used to obtain broad beamwidth. Finally, phased array with eight present elements has been designed as an example. Compared to traditional microstrip antennas and arrays, present antenna and array are of smaller dimension and broader beamwidth as well as wider bandwidth.     

Pointing losses in single-axis and fixed-mount earth-station antennas due to satellite movement

There are substantial cost advantages in the use of single-axis or fixed-mount earth-station antennas, thus reducing or eliminating the need for autotracking in earth-stations operating with quasi-stationary satellites. Such cost advantages are more relevant in small antennas where the tracking system represents a larger percentage of the overall cost. In addition, small antennas are particularly suitable to be operated without autotracking, owing to their wider half-power beamwidth. This paper describes a model for calculating the antenna pointing loss as a function of the antenna diameter, operating frequency band, satellite station-keeping tolerances, and the relative geometry between the earth-station and the satellite. The model has been extensively used in the development of INTELSAT's IBS and VISTA services as well as in domestic leases. Although the model has been developed based on orbital mechanics equations, its emphasis is towards earth-station and systems engineering applications. Some example calculations and results obtained through an HP-41 CV programmable calculator are also provided.     

Comparative study of high-performance GPS receiving antenna designs

The FAA decision allowing the use of the global positioning system (GPS) as a radio navigation and landing help system in the United States commercial airports boosts the need for a high-performance GPS receiver which provides the demanded precision. The design of the receiving antenna is one of the most important parts in the design process, as it has to face significant challenges including uniform coverage of all satellites and the rejection of the multipath signals. The rejection of the multipath signals is accomplished by specifying restrictive criteria to the GPS antenna. This includes a high rejection of the cross-polarized signals and a radiation pattern with a sharp slope for low-elevation angles; that is, near the horizon. The feasibility of using different types of antennas to satisfy restrictive criteria such as dual-frequency coverage (L1 and L2 frequencies), -15 dB cross-polarization rejection, and a beamwidth of more than 130° is discussed. The antenna designs examined in this study include patch antennas, helical antennas, and conical spiral antennas. Two different receiver designs were also examined including a single-antenna system with a hemispherical coverage and an antenna array which may provide independent sectoral coverage or the desired beamwidth. It is shown that a design based on a conical spiral antenna backed with absorbing material may be used to satisfy all the desired specifications. This result was confirmed experimentally     

Experimental evaluation of the spherical near field test range

In aircraft manufacturer firms there is the need for measuring antenna patterns of large beamwidth communication/navigation antennas with the scale modeling technique. A series of tests has been carried out to verify the use of the spherical near field (SNF) test range for this purpose. The comparison is made between measured and calculated data of stub and waveguide antennas installed on a cylinder. From the results it appears that the agreement is reasonable. The advantages and disadvantages of the SNF test range for this particular application are discussed.     

Scanning-beam microwave landing system--Multipath-errors and antenna-design philosophy

Multipath reception can cause guidance-angle errors in a microwave landing system (MLS). The antenna radiation-control problem for a scanning-beam MLS is defined and analyzed. "Centerline emphasis" is presented as a helpful design philosophy for the ground antennas. It is shown that the maximum guidance-angle error is proportional to 1) the amplitude of the indirect signal, 2) the antenna beamwidth, and 3) the time derivative of the indirect signal as the direct beam-peak scans by the receiver. This result is used in developing a rationale for the selection of the antenna beamwidth and sidelobe level (aperture size and excitation) for the azimuth and elevation guidance functions.     

支持空时分复用无线Mesh网络的微带阵列天线

支持空时分复用的无线Mesh网络采用多方向天线阵列技术,使用多个高增益定向天线进行多方向覆盖,具备通信距离远和天线自动扫描与对准的特性,便于快速部署。但现有的多方向天线阵列的设计从扩大通信距离的角度考虑,侧重于提高天线增益,使其垂直主瓣宽度仅为6°,这对于通信距离较近并且节点之间高程差较大的情况来说,覆盖性能不够理想。对多方向天线阵列的组成单元——微带阵列天线进行了优化设计,提出了一种支持空时分复用无线Mesh网络的微带阵列天线设计,其垂直主瓣宽度可达30°,并对设计的微带阵列天线进行了性能仿真和实际测试。     

Performance evaluation of a cellular base station multibeam antenna

Experimental test results are used to determine the performance that can be achieved from a multibeam antenna array, with fixed-beam azimuths, relative to a traditional dual-diversity three-sector antenna configuration. The performance tradeoffs between the hysterisis level, switching time, and gain improvement for a multibeam antenna are also examined. The multibeam antenna uses selection combining to switch the signals from the two strongest directional beams to the base station's main and diversity receivers. To assess the impact of beamwidth on overall system performance, the following two multibeam antennas were tested: a 12-beam 30° beamwidth array and a 24-beam 15° beamwidth array. Both multibeam antennas were field-tested in typical cellular base station sites located in heavy urban and light urban environments. Altogether, the system performance is evaluated by investigating three fundamental aspects of multibeam antenna behavior. First, the relative powers of the signals measured in each directional beam of the multibeam antenna are characterized. Then, beam separation statistics for the strongest two signals are examined. Gain improvements achievable with a multibeam antenna compared to the traditional sector configuration are determined in the second phase of the analysis. Results indicate that in excess of 5 dB of gain enhancement can be achieved with a 24-beam base station antenna in a cellular mobile radio environment. Finally, the effects of hysterisis level and switching time are characterized based on gain reductions relative to a reference case with no hysterisis and a 0.5-s switching decision time. Useful approximations are developed for the gain effects associated with varying hysterisis levels and switching times. The resulting design curves and empirical rules allow engineers to quantify multibeam antenna performance while making appropriate tradeoffs for parameter selection     

An adaptive low-angle tracking system

A system for source tracking down to a fraction of a beamwidth of a surface with unknown multipath reflecting properties is described. The system has three major features: 1) the multipath returns are decorrelated by frequency diversity; 2) an efficient broad-band multiple beam antenna design is employed such that the data are characterized by a highly symmetrical (Toeplitz) correlation matrix; 3) Burg's reflection coefficient technique is employed to obtain rapid convergence to the maximum entropy spectrum from which the target location is determined. Realistic simulations including imperfect decorrelation, antenna errors, and transient results show that the system can provide accurate low-angle estimates using a practical antenna and reasonable data-processing time.     

机载圆锥对数螺旋天线及两种馈电方式的研究

论述了机载圆锥对数螺旋天线及其两种馈电方式的设计方法.利用FEKO软件对圆锥对数螺旋天线和两种平衡馈电方式进行了优化仿真分析.结果说明,该天线的电特性能够满足实际工程应用要求.在此基础上,研制了天线实物样机,并对该天线实物样机进行了测试.测试结果表明该天线在2.5～8GHz的工作频率范围内,方向图3dB波瓣宽度为100°左右,轴比小于3dB,驻波系数小于2.测试数据说明该天线的测试结果和仿真分析结果吻合良好,同时也说明该圆锥对数螺旋天线具有宽频带圆极化及宽频带宽波束特性,进而说明该设计方法是有效可行的,并可以推广应用.     

MM-Wave integrated phased arrays with ferrite control

A new class of electrically scanned antenna arrays for the millimeter wave range is described. The antenna is based on a planar integrated ferrite travelling wave structure and is controlled by the magnetization of ferrite elements. Experimental antennas operating in the 8-mm wave range have the following electrical parameters: beamwidth 2 to 4°, two dimensional scanning ±20°, loss about 3 to 4 dB     

Gain enhancement of microstrip antennas with overlaying parasiticdirectors

The gain characteristics of rectangular microstrip antennas with one and two overlaying parasitic directors have been investigated experimentally. Results indicate that, when properly spaced, the parasitic directors can enhance the gain (dB) and reduce the beamwidth of the antenna by a factor of two or better     

Gigabit/s indoor wireless systems with directional antennas

The design of a high speed (>150 Mb/s) wireless local area network (WLAN), requires that many factors be considered, including technical, economic, and regulatory. A major technical factor is the channel response behavior (multipath) in the indoor environment as a function of the frequency band, building type and radio system architecture. The consequences of designing indoor wireless systems with directional antennas at one or both ends of a line-of-sight (LOS) link are investigated. We determine how narrow the beamwidth must be so that the maximum data rate is not limited by multipath effects. For such beamwidths, simple unequalized two-level frequency shift keying (FSK) or phase shift keying (PSK) modems can be used in place of the more costly and complex “anti-multipath” modems, and data rates above 1 Gb/s may be achieved. The channel impulse response in an empty room is estimated using geometrical optics, observing that with directional antennas, multipath rays must arrive from the same direction as the LOS ray. The link outage probability is then estimated as a function of the antenna beamwidth, and guidelines are established for the selection of the frequency band and antenna placement. Experiments using a 19-GHz 622-Mb/s binary phase shift keying (BPSK) link and 15° beamwidth horn antennas in an office building with plaster walls and large metallized windows have demonstrated error-free performance on both LOS and non-LOS (NLOS) links     

Omnidirectional pattern directivity in the absence of minor lobes:revisited

The article presents a simple, approximate formula for the directivity of an omnidirectional antenna without minor lobes. This problem has been treated before by Monser (1954), and the results have been cited by Levine and Monser (1961). In this earlier work, an approximate formula, showing antenna directivity as a function of the half-power beamwidth (HPBW), was determined by fitting a curve to data that had been obtained previously by numerically integrating across the half-power beamwidth spectrum: a process involving many integrations. Notwithstanding the evident good agreement between the “exact” and “curve-fitted” data in that instance, it is equally possible to return to the supporting sums and determine directly a very simple, alternative approximation to the defining integral and, hence, to the directivity of such antennas     

一种多功能反射面天线的设计

介绍了一种多功能反射面天线的设计方法,利用同一反射面实现跟踪和干扰的功能。跟踪采用副面为栅条形式的卡塞格伦天线,干扰采用前馈抛物面天线。2种天线正交极化,通过理论计算、仿真优化结合合理的结构设计,保证2种天线的电性能及相互之间的隔离度。     

The pointing calibration of the Haystack antenna

We have applied techniques of optical astronomy to calibrate the pointing of a high-resolution pencil-beam antenna by using radiometric measurements of cosmic radio sources. The Haystack antenna, a 120-ft paraboloidal reflector on an azimuth-elevation mount, was calibrated at a frequency of 15.25 GHz. The beamwidth at this frequency is 36 millidegrees; the rms residual pointing error after calibration was 2.90 millidegrees in azimuth and 3.45 millidegrees in elevation. A total of 172 measurements of pointing error were made on eight sources, and these data were fitted by the method of least squares to determine seven instrumental parameters that take into account axis-alignment errors and gravitational effects on the antenna structure. These techniques are not restricted to antennas used as radio telescopes, and they may be useful in the pointing calibration of other antennas.     

Gain and G/T of multielement receive antennas with activebeamforming networks

A basic system-level model for the gain and G/T of active multielement receive antennas is presented that covers arbitrary beamforming networks and direct radiating arrays, as well as array-fed systems with one or more focusing elements (reflectors or lenses). Since the model is based on measurable parameters and uses definitions, which are consistent with conventional communication system analysis terms, it can be applied directly to the analysis and design of systems using such antennas and can be used to support the specification, design, and test of such antennas as well, measurement possibilities for the basic parameters are discussed and the characteristic parameters of generic active beamforming networks are derived and compared. Finally, the impact of the different parameters on the overall antenna gain and G/T is illustrated by one application example that covers a reconfigurable multifeed reflector antenna with selectable beamwidth. The presented theory has been verified successfully in the frame of a classified EHF antenna development whose details cannot be reported here