Frequency & Radiative Analysis of Random Yagi-UHF/VHF Phased Array

TL;DR

This paper explores a novel phased array ground station design with a pseudo-random layout, analyzing its beamforming, steering, and spectral properties for multi-source tracking at UHF/VHF frequencies.

Contribution

It introduces a dual-polarized Yagi-UHF/VHF phased array with a pseudo-random element layout and provides comprehensive analysis of its beamforming, steering, and spectral characteristics.

Findings

Analysis of side lobes across elevation and azimuth

Evaluation of array scaling effects on performance

Assessment of electronic, mechanical, and electro-mechanical beam steering

Abstract

This paper investigates a phased array ground station capable of tracking multiple sources, multi-beamforming, electronic steering, easy scaling, and low cost. The project will develop a 20-pair dual-polarized yagi-UHF/VHF phased array with a pseudo-random layout, comparing parameters of random and uniform distributions. We will present several analyses: general analysis for side lobes across both elevation and azimuth, analysis of scaling with number of elements ("element sweep"), electronic beam steering analysis, mechanical beam steering analysis, electro-mechanical beam steering analysis, array density analysis, and reception/transmission spectra analysis.