Course on ATI's Antenna and Antenna Array Fundamentals

Dec 5-7, 2007

Location

Los Angeles, CA, USA

This three-day course teaches the basics of antenna and antenna array theory. Fundamental concepts such as beam patterns, radiation resistance, polarization, gain/directivity, aperture size, reciprocity, and matching techniques are presented. Different types of antennas such as dipole, loop, patch, horn, dish, and helical antennas are discussed and compared and contrasted from a performance/applications standpoint. The locations of the reactive near-field, radiating near-field (Fresnel region), and far-field (Fraunhofer region) are described and the Friis transmission formula is presented with worked examples. Propagation effects are presented. Antenna arrays are discussed, and array factors for different types of distributions (e.g., uniform, binomial, and Tschebyscheff arrays) are analyzed giving insight to sidelobe levels, null locations, and beam broadening (as the array scans from broadside.) The end-fire condition is discussed. Beam steering is described using phase shifters and true-time delay devices. Problems such as grating lobes, beam squint, quantization errors, and scan blindness are presented. Antenna systems (transmit/receive) with active amplifiers are introduced. Finally, measurement techniques commonly used in anechoic chambers are outlined. The textbook, Antenna Theory, Analysis & Design, is included as well as a comprehensive set of course notes.

More information can be found in http://www.aticourses.com/