rwgast
Member
So I want to make a higher gain antenna for EME and satcom. I dont really want to go the dish route at the movement. I went out and got like 50 1-3ghz 10 watt RF relays so I can do antenna switching and diversity I can scan S strengths and RSSI numbers from SDRs, and receivers, then choose the best antenna for the application.
I am having a heck of time figuring out phased arrays though, I just want to mount a bunch of patch antennas facing the same direction on a huge ground plane. I know they need to be a half wavelength apart, but what I dont understand is if all the feeders are the 1/4 wavelength will I get additive gain? What if I wanted to do a 6 patch array with the center phased normal and the 5 around the center phased at 9 degrees to cancel any side lobes? I think I a am really overly simplifying this, is there software to help with patch arrays that doesn't depend on microstrip feeds?
I am having a heck of time figuring out phased arrays though, I just want to mount a bunch of patch antennas facing the same direction on a huge ground plane. I know they need to be a half wavelength apart, but what I dont understand is if all the feeders are the 1/4 wavelength will I get additive gain? What if I wanted to do a 6 patch array with the center phased normal and the 5 around the center phased at 9 degrees to cancel any side lobes? I think I a am really overly simplifying this, is there software to help with patch arrays that doesn't depend on microstrip feeds?
