Performance of a wideband (3-14 GHz) dual-pol array

A test array of 25×25 dual-pol flared dipoles ("bunny-ears") was built and tested. It was designed for 3-14 GHz applications with a low profile (1.2 cm thick). The egg-crate radiating aperture can be integrated with a thin radome and the multi-layer feed to form a load-bearing structure of an airborne platform. The array has an instantaneous bandwidth of 10 GHz, manifested by an impulse response with 100 ps rise time. Smooth well-behaved "active" element patterns in the E-, H-, and diagonal plane were observed. Cross-pol components were typically 30 dB below the co-pol at broadside and 20 dB on average at 60 degree off axis. Element gain over the band was measured and the data tracked fairly well with the theoretical curve defined by the element\´s unit area gain (4πA/λ²).