Passive VHF radar: Antenna design and optimization requirements

Passive radars are under investigation due to its interesting potentiality: the use of independent sources is possible for the large diffusion of high power broadcasting stations. VHF stations guarantees high power and wide coverage areas. Consequently to large wavelength in this band, the antenna systems design is fundamental. The study leads to the interferometry configuration of a passive radar, configured as a couple of antennas. In order to maintain the maximum accuracy of the radar system, it is fundamental the optimization of the antenna system, including all the embedded effects. The mathematical approach is discussed and the optimization target are defined. Example of design and optimization studies are presented.