DEVELOPMENT OF ANTENNA SYSTEM FOR S-BAND MOBILE SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS AND BROADCASTING

ABSTRACT: ASC is studying an antenna system for future S band mobile satellite communication and broadcasting. This system uses a GEO satellite and is composed of a large deployable satellite antenna with a 10m diameter mesh reflector and a mobile antenna for vehicles and hand-held terminals. In this paper, we present our deployable satellite antenna program and discuss the radiation characteristics of the antenna. These characteristics include a shaped multi beam synthesis for communications, and a shaped beam synthesis for broadcasting. We also describe a switching plane array antenna for vehicles.

INTRODUCTION: Recently, focus has been placed on the development of mobile satellite communications using GEO, LEO and ME0 satellites. Future S-band mobile satellite communications and broadcasting systems are being developed at ASC. These systems enable anyone to access mobile satellite communications from anywhere at a reasonable cost, as well as to receive high quality (CD class) audio programs by utilizing mobile satellite broadcasting.

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To realize these systems, ASC has been developing both on-board equipment and mobile equipment. The on-board equipment includes large antennas, high power transmitters and signal processors, and the mobile equipment includes such as antennas for vehicles and hand-held terminals [l]. This paper describes the current developments in our antenna system, and the radiation characteristics of both a large deployable satellite antenna with a 10m mesh reflector and an antenna for vehicles. The satellite antenna utilizes a deployment called Hexa-Link Truss, composed of 19 hexagonal prism modules.

We will first present the satellite antenna's configuration, and its radiation pattern with an offset parabolic antenna which uses an 11 -element feed for the communication and broadcasting system, and a feed system using a Hybrid Matrix Amplifier. We will then present a switching plane array antenna for vehicles on the ground. Finally, we offer our conclusions regarding the satellite antenna program.

LARGE DEPLOYABLE SATELLITE ANTENNA: A. Configuration This antenna utilizes a deployment called Hexa-Link Truss,composed of 19 hexagonal prism modules. The stored energy of a helical coil spring built into the vertical ribs performs the reflector deployment. The deployment is synchronized by a pantograph attached to the side plane of the hexagonal post.

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B. Radiation Characteristics We used an offset parabolic antenna with an 11-element feed. The radiation patterns for a communication and broadcasting system were synthesized by optimizing the amplitude and phase distribution of the 11 elements. Figure shows the parameter and component beams of this antenna. We applied the Minimax gain optimization method [2] to obtain the optimum distribution.

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To create the communication beam coverage, we divided the Japanese mainland into five coverage areas and synthesized a shaped multi beam corresponding to each coverage area, as shown above fig. A26dB isolation between every third beam was obtained to facilitate frequency reuse. As an example, a detail of the radiation pattern with the isolation area 5 is shown in below Fig. These results indicate that a minimum gain of 42.5dB and a minimum isolation level of 26dB are achieved by using three to five component beams, as shown in Table.

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To construct the broadcasting system, we used a shaped beam, considering the radiation characteristics of a switching plane array antenna for vehicles (we describe the details of this array antenna later in this paper). Because its gain at low elevation angles is 3dB less than at high elevation ingles, we designed a shaped beam with a 3dB slope to compensate for these radiation characteristics, as shown in Fig. This shaped beam makes it possible to provide uniform service quality throughout the Japanese mainland.

The figure shows the excitation amplitude and phase distribution to synthesize the shaped multi beam and shaped beam. These distributions were given to the Beam-forming Network (BFN) in the feed system, as described in Section C.

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C. Feed System To realize the radiation patterns discussed above, and the flexibility of power delivered to each element, we utilized a feed system using a Hybrid Matrix Amplifier (HMA) [3] and BFN. The feed system consists of two types: 1) a High Level BFN consisting of BFN at the output side of HMA, and 2) a Low Level BFN consisting of BFN at the input side of HMA. The former, used in M-SAT [4], has the advantage of simple design and adjustment, because the electrical characteristics of BFN and HMA are individually evaluated. The disadvantage is the feed loss increase incurred by processing signals at high power levels. The features of type 2 are just the opposite. Fig shows type 2, which is being developed at ASC [5]. In this feed system the amplifiers in each HMA can be uniformly operated because the correlated signals are not inputted to the same HMA [6].

ARRAY ANTENNA FOR VEHICLES: The broadcasting system assumes a vehicle antenna capable of the required gain of over 7dB throughout the coverage area, corresponding to an elevation angle of 37 degrees to 59 degrees. Various antenna types can be used, including a helical antenna, a polyhedron antenna [7], a phased array antenna, and a switching array antenna. We used a switching array antenna because it has the significant advantage of: 1) fitting to the vehicle's shape; 2) obtaining low profile and high gain; 3) being produced at a reasonable cost, since it doesn't require a phase shifter.

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Fig shows a switching planer array antenna composed of 12 circular micro strip antenna elements on the ground plane with a thickness of 0.2 inches. These elements were arranged to form a cross so that we could obtain a simple tracking mechanism. An interrupted line of Fig shows the coverage area in the azimuth, divided into four areas and changed by a switch. When the excitation phase is dynamically optimized, the array antenna reaches the required gain of over 7dB throughout the coverage area. The value of excitation phase Pi of the i-th elements given as:

For example, if = 0 then equation (1) provides a general beam scanning phase. To make the array antenna achieve the required gain of more than 7dB throughout the coverage area, we must identify the correct offset angle. The relationship between a and the minimum gain in the coverage area is given in Fig, which indicates that a 7dB gain was obtained at = 35. Fig shows the relationship between the angle of elevation and the gain, and Fig shows the radiation pattern at the cut plane of = 90.

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CONCLUSION: A large deployable satellite antenna with a 1 Om diameter mesh reflector and an antenna for vehicles is being developed for future S-band mobile satellite communications and broadcasting. We have demonstrated in this paper that both of these antennas are capable of achieving the gain or isolation levels necessary to satisfy the system requirements.

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