Null synthesis for mesh reflector antennas

Techniques have previously been developed to allow shaped satellite Earth-coverage patterns to be synthesized by either direct numerical optimization on the control point settings, or by synthesizing a rigid reflector profile to the same pattern specification, and then best-fitting the mesh surface to this to yield the control point settings for the mesh. This work has been extended by the authors to include the synthesis of nulls in the antenna pattern, so that in addition to the specification of the high-gain coverage region of the pattern, one or more angles may be specified at which the antenna pattern gain is to be minimized. An extension of this technique has also been developed, which allows low sidelobe levels to be enforced over specified areas of the pattern