On the removal of blindness in phased antenna arrays by element positioning errors

The effects of random errors in positioning the elements of uniform phased arrays on the scanning pattern are investigated. Expressions for the mean and variance of the element pattern and the complete array pattern are given and a typical computer-simulated array is also studied. The curves show that the sharp dips which occur at some scan angles in the case of the hypothetical error-free array are filled in, and the blindness is completely removed for large values of the error parameter . A simple feeding system is presented to partially correct the element phasing for the element positioning errors.