Accurate boresight measurements of large antennas and radomes

A laser-mirror system incorporated into an antenna pattern range is capable of aligning the antenna tower to measure the radome boresight error of large antennas to within 0.1 mrad angular accuracy. The simplicity of the alignment system makes it relatively easy to position the antenna, with or without its radome to a preestablished mechanical reference plane. Hence, deflection of the antenna tower system due to different loadings can be determined which otherwise would be undetected with most range facilities.