Measurement and analysis of corner reflector backlobe levels

Pattern range and real world measurements have been made on a corner reflector antenna to determine the effect the environment has on the back lobe protection. Side and back lobe augmentation can be implemented which provides 37 dB average front-to-back protection on the pattern range. Without augmentation, the average front-to-back protection on the pattern range was 25 dB, and in the real world it was 24 dB. Analysis of these measurements and other data which will be presented permits us to conclude that scattering objects in the main lobe of the antenna when on a good site in the real world limit the average front-to-back protection to about 33 dB. Therefore, the scatterers do not present a limitation when the augmentation techniques are not used, but do set a limit on the ultimate protection which can be provided.