The use of high-performance HF antenna arrays to optimize reception in urban noise environments

This paper presents a straightforward method to determine the sensitivity of an HF receiving system based upon the measured noise as specified in the antenna noise factor Fa or the measured noise field strength En. In using noise data to perform RF propagation analysis predictions for assessing the coverage capability of monitoring stations, noise has traditionally been described in rather generic terms such as urban, suburban, rural, and quiet rural. Also described is the development and deployment by the authors of HF antenna arrays that effectively eliminate the effect of man-made noise on receiving systems. The development of such high-performance antennas has also led to changes in HF RF propagation analysis software to account for antenna noise figure measurements.