Loss-budget versus comprehensive analysis of gain loss for microwave reflector antennas

Microwave reflector antennas are often analyzed by utilizing a loss-budget technique in which the gain degradations due to various perturbations are individually analyzed and then added together to yield a total antenna gain loss. The comprehensive analysis technique described shows that the loss-budget technique may yield erroneous results since it fails to take into account the possible interrelations of the perturbations.