Modeling of a Complex Beam Forming Network for a Phased Array Antenna

The increasing complexity of today´s telecommunications satellites, due to the incorporation of more and more components, coupled with the operators´ or user community´s desire for increased capabilities is driving the RE modelling of such satellite payloads to new horizons. Greater numbers of channels implies increased bandwidth for the system with a corresponding wider bandwidth of operation for the Beam Forming Network (BFN) and especially the element radiator. Moreover, there is a tendency for the element radiator to be a multi-frequency element resulting in yet more complexity. The beam forming requirements, and consequently the array excitations placed upon one of these antennas, is becoming ever more stringent such that RF modelling has become a critical aspect of the design process.