Features of advanced polarimetric RCS-antenna measurements

The authors introduce a novel antenna measurement procedure that uses a wideband polarimetric RCS (radar cross-section) measurement system, together with a special antenna description, appropriate to this technique. A complete set of antenna parameters including input impedance, polarimetric gain, polarization decoupling, and scattering properties is obtained. All parameters can be determined with a single measurement setup, no RF line is necessary, and no standard gain antennas are needed for absolute gain measurements. Using the scattering matrix approach and knowing all the components of the matrix, it is possible to describe the antenna behavior when it is terminated with any desired load. Because the measurements are taken over a very broad frequency range, specifications for frequency bandwidth can be made in terms of input impedance as well as in terms of gain, polarization, or cross-polarization properties.<>