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FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR INTEGRATED ANTENNA-AMPLIFIER NETWORK

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Army
Contract: N/A
Agency Tracking Number: 9764
Amount: $525,000.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 1991
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
50 Vermont Ave - Ft Ethan Alle
Winooski, VT 05404
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Frederick H Raab
 (802) 655-9670
Business Contact
Phone: () -
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

OPERATION OF A JAMMER TRANSMITTER FROM A SMALL PLATFORM (RPV OR JEEP) NECESSITATES THE USE OF ELECTRICALLY SHORT ANTENNAS SUCH AS SHORT WHIPS AND SMALL LOOPS. THE CONVENTIONAL APPROACH USES A POWER AMPLIFIER DESIGNED FOR A 50-OHM LOAD AND AN ANTENNA TUNER THAT MATCHES THE ANTENNA-INPUT IMPEDANCE TO OHMS. HOWEVER, THE RAPID FREQUENCY CHANGES REQUIRED BY JAMMERS PRECLUDE THE USE OF ANTENNA TUNING. THE PROPOSED PROGRAM IS A FEASIBILITY STUDY AND SYSTEM DESIGN FOR A NOVEL APPROACH THAT INTEGRATES THE POWER AMPLIFIER (PA), ANTENNA, AND MATCHING NETWORK. THE ANTENNA ITSELF IS OPTIMIZED TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE (GIVEN SIZE CONSTRAINTS) FOR MINIMUM VSWR. THE FILTER/MATCHING NETWORK ATTENUATES HARMONICS FROM THE PA AND BRINGS THE VSWR TO A REASONABLE LEVEL (E.G., <2:1) WITHIN ITS FREQUENCY BAND. A PIN-DIODE NETWORK SELECTS THE APPROPRIATE FILTER/MATCHING NETWORK FOR THE FREQUENCY OF OPERATION. AN OVERRATED PA DELIVERS THE SPECIFIED POWER INTO THE APPROXIMATELY MATCHED LOAD IMPEDANCE. THE FET PA ACHIEVES MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY BY OPERATING IN CLASS D AT HF AND SATURATED CLASS C AT VHF. A SWITCHING REGULATOR AND CONTROL UNIT MAINTAIN THE SPECIFIED OUTPUT POWER AND MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY IN SPITE OF VARIATIONS IN ITS LOAD IMPEDANCE.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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