197223_REVISE_A 8/8/03 5:31 PM Page 20

The Official Magazine of IWCE

BROADBAND Andy Singer

High-performance antenna design
Choice of materials critical to operation
n the February issue of MRT, a the focus of the parabola. Ideally, all towards a sub-reflector. A back-fire feed

I
previous article discussed the basics of the energy radiated by the feed will be does not incorporate the dielectric lens
microwave antenna design and specifi- intercepted by the parabola and reflected and suffers from poor side lobe perfor-
cally feed design and selection for in the desired direction. To achieve max- mance relative to the Hybrid-Cassegrain
parabolic microwave antennas. In this imum gain, this energy would be distrib- style feed. This hybrid-Cassegrain design
article, we will discuss design and per- uted such that the field distribution over has several benefits over the button-
formance basics of high performance the aperture is uniform. Because the feed hook design, including higher antenna
parabolic microwave antennas. These is small, however, such control over the efficiency, a lower antenna profile and
high performance microwave antennas feed radiation is unattainable in practice. lower wind loading. A high performance
are a key element in high capacity Some of the energy actually misses microwave antenna will also utilize a
point-to-point microwave links. the reflecting area and is lost; this is shroud, absorber and a radome in
commonly referred to as “spillover.” addition to the components utilized
Microwave antenna basics Also, the field is generally not uniform in a basic standard performance
Modern microwave links are quite over the aperture, but is tapered: microwave antenna.
prevalent due to the cost effective nature of maximum signal at the center of the
utilizing microwave point-to-point links to reflector, less signal at the edges. This" High-performance antennas
relay traffic compared to wire-line rental taper loss" reduces gain, but the field Shrouds are added to parabolic micro-
rates and fiber usage. Wireless microwave taper provides improved sidelobe levels. wave antennas to reduce the sidelobe level
links also can serve as an excellent backup Optimum performance is generally being radiated. They appear to look like
to fiber-optic links. With such a high considered to be achieved with a -10 dB "drums" or a "tunnel" that has a diameter
demand for implementation of links, but edge illumination taper. about the same as the parabolic antenna
limited frequency spectrum, governments In 1988, Radio Waves introduced one and is bolted on to the surface.
have had to provide guidelines that of the first hybrid-Cassegrain (US Patent A picture of a high performance
assure pattern performance is such that # 5,943,024 “Feed Assembly Waveguide antenna utilizing a shroud can be seen in
interference is not caused by two links that Interface”) sub-reflector type feeds for Figure 3.
are geographically close. high frequency commercial microwave The shroud is also lined with flat
In the United States, the Federal antennas. This design is a modification absorber material to enhance pattern
Communications Commission has of the classical Cassegrain feed system. performance. Absorber material can be
developed two categories of standards for In a Cassegrain system a feed is mount- utilized for a number of applications,
microwave antenna performance. These ed in the dish and energy is radiated including reducing reflections in anechoic
are category A and category B, with A being
the more stringent standard. For certain
licensed links, the license holder must assure
that the microwave antennas utilized meet
these pattern standards.
Category A standards apply to all
stations operating in areas where certain
microwave frequency bands are congested,
or where there is a predictable risk of inter-
ference to other stations. Stations operating
in other areas may utilize category B anten-
nas. If interference problems arise in the
future, these stations may require changing
to a category A standard. The standard is
defined by a mask or radiation pattern
envelope (RPE) that defines the specific
allowable level of signal at a specific angle
from bore-sight. Figure 1 is typical high
performance antenna pattern with a catego-
ry A mask overlay. High performance
microwave antennas are required to meet
these more stringent pattern requirements.
A basic schematic for a microwave
antenna can be seen in Figure 2. A feed
system is placed with its phase center at Fig.1. Typical high-performance antenna pattern with a category A mask overlay.
197223_REVISE_A 8/8/03 5:31 PM Page 222

BROADBAND

Fig.3. High-performance antenna with

Fig.2. Basic schematic of microwave antenna. a shroud.

chambers, reducing the radar cross (10 GHz and above) rain can sheet on a improves the side lobe radiation and in
section of objects, shielding improvement nylon radome and cause significant particular improves the front-to-back
of enclosures and for improving attenuation of the signal level. In heavy ratio by several dB. A high performance
microwave antenna patterns. Absorber rain situations values of 15 dB or more antenna may have a typical front-to-
material is generally manufactured from a attenuation have been reported with back ratio of say 64 dB, where the ultra
carbon loaded foam material. By lining nylon radomes. At a rain rate of high performance version would have a
the inside of the shroud with absorber 10mm/hr several dB of attenuation at 10 front-to-back ratio of 70 dB. The ultra
material side lobe and back lobe radiation GHz has been observed with materials high performance antenna is required
can be dramatically decreased. Typical that do not exhibit good levels of on paths that require the maximum
reduction in back lobe radiation can be hydrophobicity. By using Teflon or other possible interference reduction off the
on the order of 12 dB. specialized coatings that provide a high main beam to minimize frequency
congestion.
Another specific feature that some
Most manufacturers of high performance microwave antennas manufacturers offer is a high cross polar-
ization discrimination version. These
antennas utilize a specially designed and
also offer an ultra high performance version of these antennas. tuned feed system that provides for cross
polarization discrimination of about 40
A high performance antenna may have a typical front-to-back dB. This level of cross polarization
discrimination is only achieved near the
boresight of the antenna. These antennas
ratio of say 64 dB,where the ultra high performance version are utilized on specific high capacity
digital links that require very high
would have a front-to-back ratio of 70 dB. isolation between polarizations. If this
high level of cross polarization discrimi-
nation is not required, the added cost
provides no system benefit.
The final additional component that is contact angle between the surface and When selecting high performance
added to create a high performance water droplets on the radome, a microwave antennas one should
microwave antenna is the radome. The hydrophobic surface is provided consider the company's reputation, the
radome serves two purposes. One is to that prevents water from filming on length of the warranty provided on the
protect the inside of the antenna from the radome. product and a review of the antenna's
the elements. The second purpose is to The extra cost for the Teflon coated patterns. An antenna needs to be
reduce what would otherwise be signifi- radome material is a wise investment at chosen which assures that interference is
cant wind loading on the antenna due to higher microwave frequencies in areas minimized on a particular link.
the shroud "catching" wind if not for the where heavy rain can be expected. Clearly high performance versions of
radome. Radomes for high performance microwave antennas assure that stringent
microwave antennas are generally made Ultra high pattern requirements are met for
from either nylon or Teflon coated performance microwave system links. The choice of
fiberglass. Manufacturers normally ship Most manufacturers of high perfor- materials utilized is critical and the
nylon radomes with the antenna and the mance microwave antennas also offer an investment in a high quality antenna will
customer can upgrade for an extra ultra high performance version of these provide superior link performance for
charge to a Teflon radome. The standard antennas. Generally the difference from years to come. ■
nylon radomes are suitable for lower the high performance antenna is that the
frequencies and areas with minimal rain ultra high performance version utilizes a Andy Singer is executive vice president
rates. At higher microwave frequencies specially designed feed system that and general manager of Radio Waves Inc.

Reprinted with permission from the May 2003 issue of Mobile Radio Technology ® (www.iwce-mrt.com)
Copyright 2003, PRIMEDIA Business Magazines & Media Inc. All rights reserved.
MRT-12-DH