Multiband jamming antenna

• US 20100090920A1
• Filed: 10/14/2008
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Antenna Research Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Antenna Research Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Degutis, Daniel J., Molen, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 7,978,143 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/793
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/08 the units being spaced along or adjacent to a rectilinear path waveguide fed H01Q21/0037
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/30 Combinations of separate antenna units operating in different wavebands and connected to a common feeder system
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 5/40 Imbricated or interleaved structures; Combined or electromagnetically coupled arrangements, e.g. comprising two or more non-connected fed radiating elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/16 with feed intermediate between the extremities of the antenna, e.g. centre-fed dipole H01Q9/44 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed is a multiband jamming antenna for use with RF jamming systems. An exemplary embodiment of the antenna comprises high-band, medium-band and low-band radiating structures arranged in a collinear manner. The three radiating structures are operable in three respective overlapping frequency bands. In the exemplary embodiment, the high-band radiating structure comprises a hybrid biconical/dipole antenna disposed at an upper end of the antenna. The medium-band radiating structure is collinearly coupled to the high-band radiating structure and comprises upper and lower dipole elements that are tuned using a dual section coaxial transformer. The low-band radiating structure is collinearly coupled to the medium-band radiating structure. The low-band radiating structure comprises a coaxial Ruthroff UNUN transformer that is coupled to the low-band radiating structure, and a feeder cable that connected to the coaxial Ruthroff UNUN transformer, and the high-band, medium-band, and low-band radiating structures.

Claims

1. Antenna apparatus, comprising:

a high-band radiating structure that comprises a hybrid biconical/dipole antenna disposed at an upper end of the apparatus;

a medium-band radiating structure collinearly coupled to the high-band radiating structure

that comprises upper and lower dipole elements and that is tuned with a dual section coaxial transformer; and

a low-band radiating structure collinearly coupled to the medium-band radiating structure that comprises;

a coaxial Ruthroff UNUN transformer coupled to the low-band radiating structure; and

a feeder cable connected to the coaxial Ruthroff UNUN transformer, and the high-band, the medium-band, and the low-band radiating structures.

2. The apparatus recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a spring-loaded mounting structure coupled to the low-band radiating structure.

3. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the low-band radiating structure operates between about 20 MHz and about 500 MHz, the medium-band radiating structure operates between about 120 MHz and about 1 GHz and the high-band radiating structure operates between about 500 MHz and about 6 GHz

4. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the hybrid biconical dipole radiating structure comprises an upper tapered conical dipole radiating element coupled to a lower tapered conical dipole radiating element by way of a balun.

5. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the medium-band radiating structure comprises upper and lower dipole elements coupled to a dual section coaxial transformer.

6. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the high-band feeder line cable makes a 540 degree arc around the mid-band feed point while providing a 180 degree phase imbalance necessary for proper mid-band operation.

7. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the spring-loaded mounting structure comprises:

top and bottom plates;

a plurality of laterally-offset springs coupled between the top and bottom plates.

8. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the spring-loaded mounting structure comprises:

a top plate for connecting to the antenna structure;

a bottom plate for connecting to a vehicle; and

a plurality of laterally-offset springs coupled between the top and bottom plates.

9. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the is enclosed by flexible bellow that is secured to the top and bottom plates.

10. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the spring-loaded mounting structure comprises molded rubber elements disposed within each of the springs.