This paper presents a novel calibration technique for circularly polarized active antenna array with improved axial ratio and polarization-agile systems. The proposed algorithm deals with the problem of calibration of active antenna arrays, proposing a calibration technique that can be implemented in offsite or on-site process depending on the system calibration and control design. The proposed calibration technique starts with the implementation of a complex circular polarization feeding network with the capability to change the response of each of the polarization circuits with signal attenuators. The expansion of equations of the proposed calibration algorithms is also presented. This algorithms deal with the compensation of mutual coupling effect and together with gain, phase and location errors.
In radioastronomy systems, polarizing grids are widely used for diverse purposes. The paper presents a study of the beam radiated by a conical corrugated horn which couples with an ideal polarizing grid; beam mode expansion, including fundamental and higher order modes, is taken into consideration. Therefore, the accuracy of the analysis is improved. A study of transmitted beams as functions of grid wires angle is included.
Dual-polarized antennas have been proposed as an interesting option to implement MIMO systems in realistic user terminals. In order to study the MIMO channel characteristics when multiple polarizations are considered, a measurement campaign was carried out by using a custom MIMO testbed. Both single and dual-polarized antennas were used, and several scenarios were measured, including indoor and outdoor transmitter location. The capacity analysis showed that the dual-polarized antennas offer a higher diversity for both indoor and outdoor to indoor scenarios when the receiver is moved along corridor routes. However, when the antenna gain is also considered, the achieved capacity for indoor office-like scenarios was slightly lower for the dual-polarized antennas, due to the lower antenna gain of the used elements.
Impulsive noise is known to be one of the most damaging types of wideband interference present in wireless communications systems, such as UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), Bluetooth and DVB-T (digital video broadcasting-terrestrial). In order to quantify how impulsive noise degrades the quality of service (QoS) of a particular system and evaluate the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) requirements of a practical receiver under realistic impulsive noise conditions, the use of a flexible and modular impulsive noise generator is necessary. The paper presents a low-complexity and highly flexible impulsive noise generator whose software module is implemented in a DSP (digital signal processor) platform. The software implementation preserves the statistical characteristics of measured impulsive noise parameters. The generator is especially suitable for performing QoS tests and EMC conformance testing in realistic impulsive noise scenarios, due to the flexibility of its software and hardware sections. The feasibility and achievable performance of the test-bed are presented.
Pico-terminals for digital communications satellite systems need compact reflector antennas with a high aperture efficiency but with a controlled side lobe level. Shaped reflectors with an also shaped splash-plate meet both conditions satisfactorily. Such a solution was selected for the antenna of the remote user terminal of a CDMA satellite system (PRODAT project). This paper discusses its design and features.
The GEOdesic Dome Antenna is an interesting design for efficient satellite-tracking prototypes based on 45 elements active antenna arrays manufactured by the Radiation Group of the Technical University of Madrid. Extensive measurement campaign in RF laboratories and in an anechoic chamber was performed for complete calibration and characterization of those active antenna arrays, resulting in the proposal of a new efficient procedure. To accomplish the calibration procedure, the expansion of equations of the proposed calibration algorithms, based on the proposed active antenna array model and the derivation of the scattering matrix from the active element pattern, is presented. These algorithms deal with mutual coupling effect and gain and phase errors, and in general, the overall procedure leads to a significant reduction in time and costs associated to the measurements of the antenna under test and the proposed calibration algorithm. Significant measurement results from the Certified Laboratory of Tests and Standardization of Antennas (LEHA) located in the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid are presented to validate the procedure.
This work presents significant improvement on Side Lobe Level optimization for self-supported sub-reflector fed systems of compact reflector antennas. The case study presented shows the experimental results of a 1200mm reflector system that operates at Ku band for Satellite Communication Systems. Besides, de sub-reflector is supported by a radome made of composite material of aramid kevlar and foam. The radome supports an elliptical sub-reflector that illuminates the main reflector with the field fed by a one choke feed horn. The technique used for the reduction of the Side Lobe Level consist on the reduction of the current of the fundamental and first higher mode that are scattered from the main and sub-reflector to the mast and sub-reflector metallic surfaces.
The performance of downlink power control model, based on a n-th power distance law, is evaluated for LEO satellite W-CDMA systems. The downlink pole capacity using this model is given for voice and data services.
In this paper, a modular technique is described for the analysis of dual-reflector antennas using a reflectarray as a subreflector. An antenna configuration based on a sub-reflectarray and a parabolic main reflector provides better bandwidth than a single reflectarray, and has a number of advantages compared with a conventional dual-reflector antenna. Examples include the possibility of beam shaping by adjusting the phase on the sub-reflectarray, and potential capabilities to scan or reconfigure the beam. The modular technique implemented for the antenna analysis combines different methods for the analysis of each part of the antenna. First, the real field generated by the horn is considered as the incident field on each reflectarray element. Second, the reflectarray is analyzed with the same technique as for a single reflectarray, i.e., considering local periodicity and the real angle of incidence of the wave coming from the feed for each periodic cell. Third, the main reflector is analyzed using the Physical Optics (P0) technique, where the current on the reflector surface is calculated by summing the radiation from all the reflectarray elements. Finally, the field is calculated on a rectangular periodic mesh at a projected aperture, and then a time-efficient fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm is used to compute the radiation pattern of the antenna. The last step significantly improves the computational efficiency. However, it introduces a phase error, which reduces the accuracy of the radiation patterns for radiation angles far away from the antenna's axis. The phase errors have been evaluated for two integration apertures. It has been demonstrated that accurate patterns are obtained in an angular range of ?6', which is sufficient for large reflectors. The method of analysis has been validated by comparing the results with simulations obtained from GRASP8. Finally, the theoretical beam-scanning performance of the antenna is analyzed.