Beam-waveguide antenna performance predictions with comparisons to experimental results

Author

Bathker, Dan A. ; Veruttipong, Watt ; Otoshi, Tom Y. ; Cramer, Paul W., Jr.

Author_Institution

Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Technol., Pasadena, CA, USA

Volume

40

Issue

6

fYear

1992

fDate

6/1/1992 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1274

Lastpage

1285

Abstract

An overview of a NASA/JPL antenna project, with specific focus on the methodology used to predict the microwave performance of a 34-m-diameter beam-waveguide (BWG) reflector antenna, designated DSS 13, is given. Microwave performance predictions are given, as well as a summary of test results for the antenna, which has Cassegrain and centerline BWG operating models at X-band (8.450-GHz) and Ka-band (32-GHz) frequencies. Predictions were used to identify critical and poorly understood areas needing further study and diagnostic testing, and assisted in planning, scheduling, and evaluating the final results of a detailed test program. Predictions were assembled for all known losses that contribute to antenna performance degradation. It was found that predictions and experimental results agreed reasonably well for beam-peak gain and corresponding efficiency, and for several (but not all) noise temperatures

Keywords

losses; reflector antennas; waveguide antennas; 32 GHz; 34 m; 8.450 GHz; Cassegrain model; DSS 13; Ka-band; NASA/JPL antenna project; X-band; antenna performance degradation; beam-peak gain; beam-waveguide reflector antenna; centerline BWG operating models; losses; microwave performance; noise temperatures; Assembly; Decision support systems; Frequency; Microwave antennas; Microwave theory and techniques; NASA; Performance loss; Predictive models; Reflector antennas; Testing;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9480

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/22.141361

Filename

141361