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At least 91 records · Page 5

A Flat-Panel 8x8 Sequentially Rotated Wideband Microstrip Patch Phased Array Antenna for K/Ka-band 6U CubeSat Communications Applications

Flat-panel electronically-scanned phased arrays have recently become a mainstream technology in the areas of radar and satellite applications, particularly due to their low profile and not having to steer the beams mechanically, both of which helps in realizing a lightweight phased array solution that also occupies a smaller volume. Typically for satellite applications, circularly polarized element radiators are often employed in order to deal with the signal fading problem. In this project, the main objective was to design a flat-panel phased array solution for 6U CubeSat communication applications. As for the required specifications, the array should have two operating bands: 22.55–23.55 GHz and 25.5–27.5 GHz, which span part of the K and Ka bands. For both these bands, the panel should be able to radiate dual circular polarization, in both transmit and receive modes, and with a stable gain performance. Since the individual bands are very closely spaced, it was realized that a single wideband design would be a better solution than a closely spaced dual-band design. Thus, a stacked microstrip patch configuration was selected for the element radiator design, which is known to be wideband. Now, it is rather difficult to realize both wide impedance and axial ratio bandwidths simultaneously, and at high frequencies, without complicating the element stacked patch design.. As a result, a sequential rotation technique wasemployed to significantly improves the axial ratio bandwidth and circular polarization purity of an array, all the while improving the pattern symmetry (P. S. Hall, “Application of Sequential Feeding to Wide Bandwidth, Circularly Polarised Microstrip Patch Arrays,” IEE Proc. H (Microw., Antennas Propag.), vol. 136, no. 5, pp. 390–398, Oct. 1989). The designed element radiator is a circularly-polarized probe-fed stacked patch antenna, which has a 10-dB matching bandwidth of 22.3– 30 GHz, with only a 5.14% axial ratio bandwidth around the center frequency of the required band, i.e., ~25 GHz. However, the resulting array demonstrates a very low axial ratio (≪ 3 dB) over the entire bandwidth, due to the application of the sequential rotation technique. The 8×8 array was able to scan up to ±51° and ±40° at frequencies 23.05 GHz and 26.5 GHz (center frequencies of the lower and upper bands), respectively, while maintaining a ≤ 3 dB axial ratio and a ≤ 3 dB gain drop from the corresponding peak broadside value at both the principle and the diagonal radiation planes. The designed layout for the 8×8 phased array prototype is shown in Fig. 1, which is currently undergoing fabrication and RF assembly. The antenna will be tested in the far-field anechoic chambers of the Antenna and Microwave Laboratory (AML) at San Diego State University and at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC).

5G

Channel fading for mobile satellite communications using spread spectrum signaling and TDRSS

This paper will present some preliminary results from a propagation experiment which employed NASA's TDRSS and an 8 MHz chip rate spread spectrum signal. Channel fade statistics were measured and analyzed in 21 representative geographical locations covering urban/suburban, open plain, and forested areas. Cumulative distribution Functions (CDF's) of 12 individual locations are presented and classified based on location. Representative CDF's from each of these three types of terrain are summarized. These results are discussed, and the fade depths exceeded 10 percent of the time in three types of environments are tabulated. The spread spectrum fade statistics for tree-lined roads are compared with the Empirical Roadside Shadowing Model.

Jenkins, Jeffrey D.

A novel scheme to aid coherent detection of GMSK signals in fast Rayleigh fading channels

A novel scheme to insert carrier pilot to Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying (GMSK) signal using Binary Block Code (BBC) and a highpass filter in baseband is proposed. This allows the signal to be coherently demodulated even in a fast Rayleigh fading environment. As an illustrative example, the scheme is applied to a 16 kb/s GMSK signal, and its performance over a fast Rayleigh fading channel is investigated using computer simulation. This modem's 'irreducible error rate' is found to be Pe = 5.5 x 10(exp -5) which is more than that of differential detection. The modem's performance in Rician fading channel is currently under investigation.

Leung, Patrick S. K.

Fast Faraday fading of long range satellite signals.

20 MHz radio signals have been received during the day from satellite Beacon-B when it was below the optical horizon by using a bank of narrow filters to improve the signal to noise ratio. The Faraday fading rate becomes constant, under these conditions, at a level determined by the plasma frequency just below the F-layer peak. Variations in the Faraday fading rate reveal fluctuations in the electron density near the peak, while the rate of attaining the constant level depends on the shape of the electron density profile.

Heron, M. L.

LMSS modeling status report

The need to develop accurate models for secondary statistics of fading land mobile satellite signals has motivated a study of fading signal autocorrelations and multipath spectrum. Results of autocorrelations and power spectral densities from measured data are presented and comparisons to multipath spectrum models are made.

Stutzman, Warren L.

Methods and Apparatuses for Signaling with Geometric Constellations in a Raleigh Fading Channel

Communication systems are described that use signal constellations, which have unequally spaced (i.e. `geometrically` shaped) points. In many embodiments, the communication systems use specific geometric constellations that are capacity optimized at a specific SNR, over the Raleigh fading channel. In addition, ranges within which the constellation points of a capacity optimized constellation can be perturbed and are still likely to achieve a given percentage of the optimal capacity increase compared to a constellation that maximizes d.sub.min, are also described. Capacity measures that are used in the selection of the location of constellation points include, but are not limited to, parallel decode (PD) capacity and joint capacity.

Barsoum, Maged F.

Measurement of multipath delay profile in land mobile satellite channels

Mobile satellite communication channel has been evaluated mainly with fading statistics of signal. When bandwidth of transmitting signal becomes wider, frequency selectivity of fading becomes a significant factor of the channel. Channel characteristics, not only signal variation but multipath delay spread should be evaluated. A multipath measurement system is proposed and developed for mobile satellite applications. With this system and ETS-V satellite, multipath delay profiles are measured in various environments including Tokyo metropolis and Sapporo city at 1.5 GHz. Results show that the maximum excess delay is within 1 microsec and the maximum delay spread is 0.2 microsecs at elevation angles of 40 to 47 degrees. In wideband signal transmission of about 1 MHz and more, designers should consider the effect of selective fading due to the multipath of land mobile satellite channel.

Ikegami, Tetsushi

Methods and Apparatuses for Signaling with Geometric Constellations in a Raleigh Fading Channel

Communication systems are described that use signal constellations, which have unequally spaced (i.e., `geometrically` shaped) points. In many embodiments, the communication systems use specific geometric constellations that are capacity optimized at a specific SNR (signal to noise ratio). In addition, ranges within which the constellation points of a capacity optimized constellation can be perturbed and are still likely to achieve a given percentage of the optimal capacity increase compared to a constellation that maximizes d (sub min) (i.e. minimum distance between constellations) are also described. Capacity measures that are used in the selection of the location of constellation points include, but are not limited to, parallel decode (PD) capacity and joint capacity.

Barsoum, Maged F.

A 30/20 GHz FSS feasibility study

The near term feasibility of direct-to-subscriber services were determined using the 30/20 GHz Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) frequency bands. Those technologies which need to be further developed before such a system can be implemented, were identified. To determine this feasibility, dozens of potential applications were examined for their near-term viability, and the subscriber base of three promising applications were estimated. The system requirements, terminal design, and satellite architecture were all investigated to determine whether a 30/20 GHz FSS system is technically and economically feasible by mid-1990s. It was concluded that such a system is feasible, although maturation of some technologies is needed. This system would likely consist of one or two multibeam satellites serving hub/spoke networks of simple user terminals and more complex, mutli-channel terminals of the service providers. Rain compensation would be accomplished non-adaptively through the use of coding, nonuniform satellite TWT power that is a function of a beam's anticipated downlink fading, and signal regeneration of traffic to the wettest climate regions. It was estimated that a potential market of almost two million users could exist in in the mid-1990s time frame for home banking and financial services via Ka-band satellites.

Source record

Research in LMSS propagation

The Virginia Tech Satellite Communications Group has participated in the Land Mobile Satellite System (LMSS) program through JPL sponsorship since 1985. Involvement has mainly been in modeling and simulation of propagation characteristics and effects. Models developed to predict cummulative fade distributions for fading LMSS signals include LMSSMOD and the Simple Models which approximate LMSSMOD. Models to predict the mean and standard deviation of signal attenuation through roadside vegetation, namely the Average Path Model, were developed. In the area of simulation, efforts have centered around the development of a software simulator that uses data bases derived from experimental data to generate simulated data with arbitrary statistical behavior. This work has progressed to the development of an integrated analysis and simulation package, LIPS. The basic theory and results for the models and simulator have been previously documented in reports and papers. All LMSS activities are summarized and details of this year's efforts are given.

Barts, R. M.