Pulsed operation of traveling-wave monopulse arrays utilizing phase comparison techniques

Use of traveling-wave sources in a monopulse system requires that the signals feeding the antennas be properly phased in order to insure that the correct portion of the array factor pattern coincides with the direction of maximum radiation from the individual source. This direction of maximum radiation does not necessarily coincide with the line normal to the antenna aperture. Therefore, perfect cancellation of the signals in the difference arm of the hybrid junction occurs at only one frequency. This paper presents a simple means of evaluating the level of the difference signal at the null point relative to the maximum value of the reference signal as a function of the parameters involved in the pulsed operation of monopulse array. This result is used to estimate the angular inaccuracy introduced by the pulsed operation of the array. Also shown is the fact that if pure phase comparison is used, then the system sensitivity is proportional to the sine of the scan angle.