Design and evaluation of portable antennas for location of sources of radio noise emanating from power-line hardware

• Main Author: Lazaris, Dimitrios Theodoros
• Other Authors: Adler, Richard W.
• Language: en_US
• Published: Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School 2012
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10945/23619

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited === Power-line noise (PLN) is a major contributor to factors which cause the loss of signals at naval receiving sites. Navy Signal-to-Noise Enhancement Program (SNEP) teams have developed portable instrumentation for the location of RF noise-producing power-line hardware. An important component of the instrumentation is a lightweight antenna with modest directivity and wide bandwidth (60-800 MHz). The purpose of this study is the design, construction, analysis, and measurement of three customized Log-periodic Dipole Arrays (LPDA) for use in locating PLN sources. Modifications to standard LPDA designs include a feeder boom with convenient construction features and emphasis on a compact, lightweight, portable structure. The Numerical Electromagnetics Code (NEC) was used to analyze the performance of the various designs. Input impedances were measured in operational environments using network analyzers. The final designed were field-tested at a U.S. Naval site in Okinawa and found to be completely acceptable for SNEP use.