Some Effects of Phased-Array Dispersion on Digital Error Rates

Some calculations of the effect of phased-array dispersion on degrading phase-shift-keyed (PSK) error rates are presented. The results are given in the form of curves of the bit error rate versus the ratio of array "fill-time" (propagation time across the array) to signaling interval. Values of this ratio in the range 0.5 to 0.8 are required to degrade the error rate by a factor of 2. These results were obtained for both linear and square arrays, and for rectangularpulse signaling over single-pole and two-pole Butterworth equivalent low-pass channels, as well as for impulsive signaling over an idealized channel with a raised-cosine frequency response.