A microwave lens for a flat-plate DBS antenna

A flat-plate antenna may be a viable alternative to a parabolic dish for the reception of Direct Broadcast by Satellite (DBS) transmissions. The antenna could either be mounted flat on a wall and its beam steered to point at one satellite, or it could be configured to receive more than one satellite at a time. It is imperative, however, that such a device can be made using low-cost materials and production techniques so that is could compete with a parabolic dish in a consumer market. An experimental antenna has been designed, constructed and measured. It consists of a polariser, a planar array of linear elements, and a beamforming network to steer the beam of the array