Physically-Small VHF SAR Antenna

The challenge of transferring VHF FOPEN technology to small tactical platforms lies in achieving adequate antenna characteristics within the allowable size, weight, and mechanical constraints. The key elements of the FIRST RF innovative design include: innovative broadband beamforming concept to achieve the necessary gain and front to back ratio over the entire 20 - 90 MHz bandwidth (the proposed excitation has been simulated over the bandwidth demonstrating the required performance); an antenna design that is adaptable to a wide range of configurations and installations; an antenna design that has examined active and passive tuning techniques, single versus dual band approaches, and balanced versus imbalanced designs; and finally a test configuration that enables complete free space calibration of installed antenna performance. The antenna design baseline is backed by both physical models built in preparation for this proposal and detailed electromagnetic models including mutual coupling considerations.