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A novel application for contoured beam reflector antennas in wireless applications is described. The problem of wireless coverage planning using existing base-station antenna types is discussed, and a potential solution for these problems is demonstrated by examples. The implementation of this solution is made possible by using an inexpensive manufacturing technique involving a reconfigurable mould and a foam extrusion process. Index Terms--Contour beam, reflector antenna, wireless antenna.

Pyramidal- and wedge-absorber materials are used extensively in anechoic measurement chambers to attenuate stray signals. Typical absorber layouts result in large absorber walls in which the absorber tips and bases are roughly aligned in the same plane. Such a quasi-periodic configuration produces a strong coherent specular reflection which dominates the absorber scattered field. Based on the multisection impedance transformer concept, one can divide absorber elements into different levels (layers) so that this coherence can be destroyed to reduce the specular-absorber scattering level. The synthesis of this desired behavior can be implemented by the Chebyshev transformer technique, which provides the largest bandwidth given a passband ripple threshold. The resulting reflected field is then the product of the original absorber response times the Chebyshev reduction factor, which is independent of polarization and absorber properties. Various measured results are used to show that more than a 10-dB improvement can be achieved at the critical low end of the frequency band using this approach. This improvement cannot be achieved using conventional design concepts unless the absorber size is doubled. Index Terms - Anechoic chambers.

A data compression technique to efficiently compress the scattered fields from complex targets is presented. Since at high frequencies the scattered fields from complex radar targets exhibit a highly localized behavior, the data compression technique is based on extracting and then sampling the responses associated with individual scattering mechanisms. The compression technique preserves the angle as well as frequency variation of individual scattering mechanisms and, thus, leads to small reconstruction error. The proposed technique, however, is a lossy process in the sense that a tradeoff exists between the compression ratio and the data reconstruction error. The smaller the data reconstruction error, the smaller the compression ratio. The effectiveness of the technique is demonstrated by compressing measured scattered fields of a complex target. Index Terms - Data compression, electromagnetic scattering.

Compact range measurements with a serrated edge and a blended, rolled edge reflector are compared in this paper. This is done by using simulated antenna pattern and backscattered field measurements. The measurement errors caused by stray signals emanating from the edge termination of reflector are discussed. It has been found that different stray signal sources impact measurement accuracy from different aspect angles. In addition, the measurement accuracy achievable with different reflector systems is dependent on the characteristics of the antenna or scatterer under test. From these findings, one will be better able to understand how well these two types of reflectors will perform in terms of accurately providing the proposed measurements. Consequently, one will be able to choose the best reflector design for his/her application. Index Terms - Reflector antennas, measurements.

The performance trade-off between serrated edge and blended rolled edge compact range reflectors is investigated. The edge diffracted fields which contribute to stray signals in the quiet zone have to be minimized. Consequently, an iterative approach has been developed to design serrated edges such that the edge diffracted rays from the serrations can be kept as far away as possible from the desired quiet zone area. Performance of various designs based on the number and size of serrations have been studied using a physical theory of diffraction solution. In addition, an optimized blended rolled edge design with the same size as the serrated edge reflector has also been evaluated for comparison. Finally, numerical results are presented in this paper to address the performance trade-off issue among the various designs. It is clearly shown from this study that the blended rolled edge reflector performs significantly better, which should offset the increased cost needed to construct a rolled edge reflector versus a serrated one.

The UTD corner diffraction solution for a perfectly conducting corner is empirically modified for the case of a dielectric corner. The dielectric may be lossless or lossy, but is assumed to be homogeneous. This modified solution is used to calculate the bistatic scattering from the tip of a dielectric pyramid. Sample calculations display some features of the scattering from a single lossy dielectric pyramid. To verify the solution, calculations are compared with backscatter measurements of a single pyramid that is cut from a homogeneous lossless dielectric (polyethylene). Calculations are then compared with measurements for the more pertinent case of bistatic scattering from a wall of pyramidal radar absorbing material.

The presence of stray signals in an antenna measurement range can cause errors in the measured patterns. In order to measure low sidelobe antennas in an antenna range, the stray signals in the range should be very small (at least 8-10 dB below the sidelobe level). It may not be possible to achieve such low level stray signals in a real world antenna range. Thus, alternate methods for reducing these measurement errors are needed. In this paper, such a method is presented. Using simulated examples and experimental data, it is shown that this method significantly reduces the chamber related measurement errors. The method can also be used to identify the angular regions along which the stray signal errors are most significant. Thus, the range can be qualified and, if possible, improved.

A novel technique is presented to image stray signals in RCS measurement ranges. In this technique, the scattered fields of a flat plate in the diagonal plane are measured in a range for various frequencies and look angles. The scattered field data is then processed to generate an inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) image of the diagonal flat plate. It is shown that scattering mechanisms associated with various stray signals can be identified by using the ISAR image. This leads to better understanding of the range and possible chamber improvements. Scattering mechanisms as small as 90 dB below the plate broadside scattered field level have been observed in the image domain due to the high directivity and low sidelobe characteristics associated with the diagonal flat plate backscattered fields. The results obtained from evaluating the two compact range facilities at The Ohio State University ElectroScience Laboratory are presented to illustrate the virtues of this new range evaluation technique.

An ultra-wide-band antenna based on a slotline feed structure, a bowtie horn, and a rolled edge termination was developed, analyzed and measured. Empirical data showed that its beamwidths and bandwidth are dependent on its physical dimensions which are easily controllable by an antenna designer. Measured patterns of models with various radiation properties are shown to substantiate these design rules. A flat plateau-like main beam, low voltage standing-wave ratio (VSWR), the ability to produce both wide (60 [degrees]) and narrow (30 [degrees]) half-power beamwidths, low sidelobes and backlobe (40-50 dB down), low cross-polarized levels (20-25 dB down), and independent control of E- and H-plane beamwidths over an ultrawide bandwidth, say 2-18 GHz, are some of the strong points of this new antenna type.

The periodic moment method (PMM) solution for the scattering from two-dimensional lossy dielectric bodies is developed in this paper. The purpose is to design microwave wedge absorber for low reflectivity so that one can improve the performance of anechoic chamber measurements. With PMM, the reflection and transmission coefficients of periodically distributed bodies illuminated by a plane wave have been accurately calculated using a Cray Y-MP supercomputer. Through these studies, some wedge absorber configurations have been designed, fabricated, and then tested in the OSU/ESL compact range measurement facility. Two 8 in commercial wedges, a curved wedge, and a four-layer wedge are studied in this paper. In all cases, good agreement between calculations and measurements has been obtained.

Compact range reflector edge diffraction can be reduced by using an R-card fence. Well-designed R-cards placed in front of reflector edges reduce the field variations in the test zone. The keys to successful R-card design are proper choices of both the geometry and resistance profile. In this paper, a two-dimensional (2-D) version of the problem is attacked to show the basic concepts and essential considerations in designing R-cards. The complexity of a design is simplified by separating the different mechanisms associated with R-cards. Undesired mechanisms can be visualized by ray tracing and then eliminated by choosing the correct R-card geometry. The useful impact of this treatment is illustrated as it controls the transmitted energy level through the R-card; thus, the resistance of the R-card is defined based on an optimum aperture taper. Excellent performance in both the cross-range and downrange directions is presented, and the validity of the design is verified over a wide band of frequencies. The simplicity, flexibility, and low cost of this R-card fence concept provides a viable alternative to other edge treatments. Index Terms--Compact range, R-card, reflector edge, test zone.

A synthesis technique based on a mechanical finite-element (FEM) surface description of dual-offset reflector (DOSR) surfaces is described. This technique is used to implement a reconfigurable contour beam for a geostationary satellite application. The mechanical finite-element description of the surface takes into account the mechanical properties of the reflector surfaces and the effect of a finite number of forces applied at control points on the surface. Mechanical adjustment is achieved using high-deflection stacked piezoelectric actuators attached to the rear of a lightweight flexible subreflector surface. Both the main and sub-reflector surfaces are shaped for an initial required geographical coverage zone and then the main reflector surface is assumed to be fixed in shape. The variable shape subreflector is then synthesized to achieve the desired illumination for different geographical regions and different geostationary positions. Based on a study of the effect of the mechanical properties of the subreflector surface and actuator number and placement, a practical design has been completed and the ability to reconfigure the beam has been verified. Index Terms--Adjustable surface, reconfigurable contour beam, reflector antenna.

A novel stable beamwidth, ultrawide-bandwidth low-scattering antenna is presented in this paper. This antenna is a modified version of the conducting slotline bowtie hybrid (SBH) antenna with resistive sheets (Rcards) introduced into the guiding structure design. Since the resistive sheets can attenuate creeping wave fields, much smaller rolled edges are needed in the Rcard SBH antenna. Moreover, due to the Rcard's partially transparent nature with respect to electromagnetic fields, the radar cross section (RCS) associated with this new antenna is smaller than the original conducting rolled edge one. By employing an optimization process based on the concept of the genetic algorithm, one can easily design the Rcard SBH antenna to obtain a very stable antenna beamwidth and phase center in both the E- and H-planes across the entire operating frequency bandwidth. Because of its constant beamwidth, low RCS, and broad-band features, the Rcard SBH antenna is an ideal antenna for many applications such as a compact range feed. Calculated and measured results are presented to demonstrate the performance of this new antenna. Index Terms--Rcard, tapered, TEM horn antenna, ultrawideband.

This paper describes a standoff, focused-beam, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) for detecting buried antipersonnel (AP) mines. The radar features a 1 to 6 GHz, pulsed stepped-frequency microwave source with hardware range gate, an ultrawide bandwidth feed antenna, and an offset parabolic reflector. A focused-beam, created by feeding the reflector from an offset position, reduces the surface clutter and improves the detection of buried mines. A processing technique based on spectral analysis (Prony method) is developed in an attempt to reduce surface clutter. Tests conducted at the Fort A.P. Hill countermine test lanes showed excellent detection capability for both metallic and nonmetallic mines. Index Terms--Antenna, clutter, ground-penetration radar, land mine.