Conical array studies

Present requirements for wide-band spread-spectrum techniques for many applications offer attractive potential uses for circular symmetric arrays. Since rigorous analytical techniques are not available to investigate conical array characteristics, experimental techniques can be used to simulate scanning of the conical array. This paper describes techniques that give some insight into the behavior of conical arrays of dipoles. A projected distribution is used to simulate array properties such as beamwidth, sidelobe level, and polarization. Comparisons with a similar cylindrical array are made. Element patterns are examined to determine if behavior is similar to known behavior of element patterns for the cylindrical array. Finally, a conical sector experimental array is used to simulate selected "scanned" beam positions to determine array behavior, i.e., beamwidth, scan limits, polarization, and sidelobe level. Experimental and calculated array patterns, element patterns, and polarization data are given.