T/RX Channel Design of X-band Shipboard APAA System for Mobile Communications via Satellite

A X-band active phased array antenna(APAA) system for satellite applications was developed and manufactured for commercial and military use. This system tracks satellite by using electronic beam-forming technology in elevation and azimuth direction. And mechanical operation was adopted in azimuth. This paper describes the architecture of this system, especially T/RX channel design, and details measured results of channel performances. In this system, TX-channel is primarily composed of active channel blocks(ACB) for transmit beam control and power amplification, multi-way power dividers and solid-state power amplifier(SSPA) having 50-Watt output power. And, RX-channel is composed of ACBs for receive beam control and low noise amplification, power combiners and beam forming blocks(BFB) for tracking beam control. Lastly, to confirm the system performances of APAA including the T/RX channel, communication test accomplished in the open air, and the result of it is presented.