Ultra-wideband (UWB) Over-the-Horizon (OTH) Radar Array

In Phase I, Q-Track assessed the feasibility of a variety of element and array designs for an Over-the-Horizon (OTH) radar array. Q-Track identified a capacitively coupled, connected curtain array as being most promising for the OTH radar application. This array can be implemented with relatively few towers so it will be simple and inexpensive to implement, yet the array concept appears to have the full flexibility needed to satisfy the Air Forces OTH radar requirements. In the proposed Phase II effort, Q-Track will obtain a full understanding of the design space and design trade-offs involved in meeting specific performance requirements for this wideband, high-performance array configuration. Q-Track will rely on a combination of numerical modeling, and measurements from a scale model to validate the numerical results. The end product will be a comprehensive design report that will allow the Air Force customer to understand the design and performance tradeoffs for capacitively coupled, connected curtain array antennas. BENEFIT: The Air Force customer will be able to apply the results of the present project to a new design for a OTH radar system. The results will also be applicable to military HF communications, and possibily even to the commercial shortwave market and for amateur radio operators.