Innovative Soldier Conformal Antenna Suite

"Existing antennas connected to soldier-carried VHF/UHF radios are not conformal, visually covert or robust and their radiation patterns and dominant polarization are largely determined by the soldier's position. This limits, rather than enhances, awarfighter's mobility and ability to communicate. The objective of our proposed Phase II work is to extend the mostly theoretical Phase I efforts by conducting a series of carefully controlled experiments, prototype fabrication, MLLE integration,laboratory and antenna range testing as well as actual on-the-air tests and demonstrations. This is necessary to confirm the predicted favorable characteristics of: multiple, Tesla-series connected, bifilar-wound metal ribbons around flexible magneticcores worn around the back half of the waist at VHF, as well as the significant computed ability of shoulder-worn artificial dielectric ground planes to enhance the gain performance of short, vertically polarized elements at UHF. The optimum type ofsoldier-position dependent switching (mechanical, PIN diode or FET-MMIC) between several of these enhanced UHF antennas mounted on or near the shoulders will also be determined by additional analysis and experiment during the proposed effort."