New ERA in Performance of Soldier Worn Antennas

Today´s world demands information transfer, this is even more important on the digital battlefield. Communication devices are not just for calling in status. Today radios are used for data transfer from geo-location to live video all send over ad-hoc agile networks. Manpack (MP) radios have been reduced in size while retaining many of their features. Reduction in radio size and battery size results in lower output power to maintain useful mission life. To compensate for the reduce output power, Harris RF Communications Division has introduced a new family of soldier worn antennas which significantly improves the voice range and data-handling capabilities. The performance of a 5-W handheld (HH) radio with a soldier worn antenna has been shown to obtain better range than a 10-W manpack radio with a blade antenna. This paper discusses the development of the soldier worn antenna family and the flexibility from the typical deployment to urban use with low-profile configuration to extended range deployment. Three numerical codes were used for simulation: NEC, HFSS and ADS. Each used for optimizing the antenna´s parameters to obtain the desired impedance, current distribution, power gain, and radiation patterns. Validations of such results were obtained empirically in both controlled and field testing environments. A discussion of RF noise on the battlefield and how the soldier worn antenna design helps minimize its effects is also included.