Fast switching antenna diversity a means for bit-error-reduction with mobile satellite digital broadcast reception

Summary form only given. The most challenging task in designing antennas for SDARS (satellite digital audio radio services) is to satisfy a variety of requirements for automotive applications. Besides meeting the SDARS-antenna specification, styling conditions must be considered. For many vehicle models, the recommended mounting location to meet the required radiation pattern is considered inconvenient and there is a strong desire to design inconspicuous antennas. This constraint would cause intolerable high bit-error-rates resulting in too many interruptions in poor signal areas, even though multiple satellite signals and a terrestrial signal are made available at any time. Reduction of the bit-error-rate depends on the diversity efficiency describing the number of decorrelated antenna signals being made available, either from a multiport antenna at an appropriate location on a car or from a variety of dislocated inconspicuously arranged SDARS-antennas. On the basis of a variety of antenna-diversity arrangements, the estimated diversity efficiency is considered. Ways of correcting phase detection errors are also considered.