Abstract: A fixed radius tapered slot antenna (100) formed a dielectric substrate (10) with an electrically conductive layer (14) on one side. The slot is defined by two hemispherical shaped elements (12, 13). A common base (15) is also formed on the conductive layer behind the hemispherical shaped members. Preferably, a microstrip feedline (16) is formed on the side of the dielectric substrate to electromagnetically couple to the balun (18) adjacent the narrow end of the tapered slot. A contiguous array (102) of fixed radius tapered slot antennas (100) can be made on the same conductive layer of a dielectric layer. A reflector (30) can be integrated with the antenna array to improve the radiation pattern. The fixed radius tapered slot antenna has been proven to out-perform an exponentially tapered slot or Vivaldi antenna.

Abstract: A coaxial cable connector is disclosed. The connector includes a body, a backnut, a clamping insert and a deformable helical split washer. The deformable split washer, clamping insert, body and backnut provide a simple means for deforming and clamping the outer conductor. In one disclosed embodiment, the split washer is captivated in a tubular extension to facilitate installation on the outer conductor.

Abstract: A scanning and targeting system (100) interconnects a plurality of radio channel units (203) in a single trunk group with a plurality of antennas (202), each radio channel unit (203) having a receive section and a transmit section and the scanning and targeting system dynamically connecting the receive section of each one of the radio channel units with any one of the plurality of antennas which, on average during a sampling period, has the strongest received signal strength of RF signals at the operating frequency of the radio channel unit, and the scanning and targeting system dynamically interconnecting the transmit section of each of the plurality of radio channel units with any one of the plurality of antennas which, on average during the sampling period, is best suited for transmitting RF signals at the operating frequency of the radio channel unit in a direction corresponding to the desired destination for the transmitted RF signals.

Abstract: The present invention provides a microstrip collinear antenna having cable connector assembly means and a collinear microstrip printed circuit board means. The cable connector assembly means responds to a radio signal, for providing a cable connector assembly radio signal. The collinear microstrip printed circuit board means responds to the cable connector assembly radio signal, for providing a collinear microstrip printed circuit board radio signal. The microstrip line collinear antenna is constructed with a number of one half .lambda. printed circuit board elements on both sides of a double-sided board. These one half .lambda. sections are the radiators. On the other side of the board opposite each radiator is a respective section of corresponding microstrip transmission lines to provide radio frequency power to each radiating element.

Abstract: In a coaxial cable having a hollow inner-conductor, a connector assembly is provided for electromagnetically connecting the hollow inner-conductor and outer-conductor of the coaxial cable to a standard connector. In one disclosed embodiment, the connector assembly is formed from a body having an axial opening extending therethrough and an outer conductor contact portion. A dielectric cylinder is disposed within the axial opening of the body of the outer-conductor contact, the dielectric cylinder is provided with an axial opening extending therethrough.

Abstract: An antenna system comprises at least two dipole antennas (6) constituting an antenna module and is placed above and parallel with a common, artificial ground plane (5) in the form of an electrically conducting plate, for instance the bottom of a metal box (2). The dipoles (7) and the feed lines (8, 9, 10, 11) are designed as air dielectric strip-lines and are configured in one piece of a homogeneous material and extend mechanically and electrically in an uninterrupted manner from the dipoles to the antenna connector. The parts configured in one piece are produced by punching out sheet metal, and after suitable bending the parts are inserted in corresponding openings (16) in the ground plane (5).

Abstract: In a system for interconnecting a plurality of radio channel units in a single trunk group with a plurality of directional antennas and/or antenna beams, each radio channel unit has a receive section and a transmit section and the system dynamically connects the receive and transmit sections of each one of the radio channel units with any one of the plurality of antennas which, on average during a sampling period, is best suited for receiving and transmitting RF signals at the operating frequency of the radio channel unit. The system further includes traffic distribution monitor for monitoring, storing and displaying information on a periodic basis indicative of the usage of each antenna and/or antenna beam. The specific antenna or antenna beam being utilized by a radio channel unit is monitored on a periodic basis during communications between the radio channel unit and a mobile radio unit, and this information is stored in a memory associated with the radio channel unit.

Abstract: In a radiating coaxial cable, the outer-conductor having a plurality of radiating apertures is wrapped in a tape of conducting material which covers some of the apertures. In one embodiment of the invention, the conductive tape is combined with a fire retardant tape so that one winding procedure will result in winding both the conductive tape and the fire retardant tape over the outer-conductor.

Abstract: A circularly polarized antenna has an open reflector box, an array of crossed dipoles, and a single binary feed network. The open reflector box is formed of conductive material, has a ground plate and four side walls defining an opening, and has an input port for receiving an input signal. The single binary feed network is disposed within the open reflector box, is connected to the input port, and has a microstrip transmission line spaced from the ground plate. The microstrip transmission line has conductive bars mounted parallel to the ground plate and spaced therefrom forming an air dielectric low loss microstrip. Each pair of crossed dipoles has a first dipole comprising two downwardly bent radiating elements arranged at an angle with respect to the ground plate, and has a second dipole comprising two straight radiating elements arranged parallel to the ground plate.

Abstract: A phase shifter for electrically adjusting the down-tilt of an antenna, based on rotating at least one phase wheel having a specially shaped dielectric. Each phase wheel is rotatably mounted between a stripline and the metallic ground plane of a feed system for an RF signal communicating the RF signal between each element of the antenna and a common terminal. The dielectric distributed on each phase wheel is shaped so that as the phase wheel is turned mechanically, the amount of dielectric directly beneath the stripline and above the metallic ground plane either increases or decreases in some proportion to the amount (angular displacement) the wheel is turned. All the phase wheels used in a system can be arranged, oriented, and tractively coupled so as to rotate in synchrony under the action of a single drive, which may itself be driven by a stepper motor for accurate, fine control.

Abstract: A land mobile radio system (110) includes a plurality of radio channels (112), each radio channel (112) being interconnectable (115) to any one of a number, N, of combiners (114), and each combiner (114) being associated with a corresponding transmit antenna (120). A combiner output signal at the output of each combiner (114) is connected to a transform matrix (133) which divides each combiner output signal into a number, N, of transformed signals, each transformed signal containing an equal power level part, 1/N, of each combiner output signal. Each transformed signal is provided to an amplifier (135) for amplification thereof, and the amplified transformed signals are provided to an inverse-transform matrix (138) which recombines the equal parts of each amplified transformed signal into amplified combiner output signals which are provided to the antennas (120) for transmission thereof. The land mobile radio system (110) includes N antennas (120), and where N is a power of m, e.g., N=m.sup.

Abstract: A self clamping connector 10 for a radio frequency coaxial cable having a helically corrugated outer conductor 14 which does not require flaring of the outer conductor of the cable is disclosed. The connector includes a clamping back nut 30 having a plurality of resilient fingers 32 at one end. Each of the resilient fingers 32 have an outer conductor matching threaded portion 38. A cup shaped collet 40, further including a base 42 having an opening 44 therein, is positioned over the resilient fingers 32 to clamp the fingers 32 onto the helically corrugated outer conductor. The cup shaped collet 40 also enables the connector to collapse part of the outer conductor corrugation. The collapsed corrugation is held between the collet and the resilient fingers. A body 50, having threading to enable coupling to the clamping back nut 30, forces the cup shaped collet to remain over the resilient fingers when the connector is in the assembled state.

Abstract: A modular interconnect matrix (200) interconnects a plurality (M) of radio channel units (203) with a plurality (N) of antennas (202). Each radio channel unit (203) is connected to a first connector (222) on a corresponding first switching module (217) having a plurality (N) of seconds connectors (225). Each antenna (202) is connected to a first connector (212) of a corresponding antenna interface module (205) having a plurality (X) of second connectors (215). The second connectors (215,225) on the modules (205,217) are arranged for interconnection of at least one second connector (225) on each of the first switching modules (217) with at least one second connector (215) on each of the antenna interface modules (205).

Abstract: A land mobile radio system (110) includes a plurality of receive antenna (120) for receiving RF signals transmitted from mobile units. Each receive antenna (120) is connected to a transform matrix (133) which divides each received RF signal into a number, N, of transformed signals, each transformed signal containing an equal power level part, 1/N, of each received RF signal. Each transformed signal is provided to an amplifier (135) for amplification thereof, and the amplified transformed signals are provided to an inverse-transform matrix (138) which recombines the equal parts of each amplified transformed signal into amplified received RF signals which are provided to an RF signal processing section (125). The amplified RF signals are thereafter provided to corresponding radio channel units (127).

Abstract: A modular interconnect matrix (200) interconnects a plurality (M) of radio channel units (203) with a plurality (N) of antennas (202). Each radio channel unit (203) is connected to a first connector (222) on a corresponding first switching module (217) having a plurality (N) of seconds connectors (225). Each antenna (202) is connected to a first connector (212) of a corresponding antenna interface module (205) having a plurality (X) of second connectors (215). The second connectors (215,225) on the modules (205,217) are arranged for interconnection of at least one second connector (225) on each of the first switching modules (217) with at least one second connector (215) on each of the antenna interface modules (205).

Abstract: An apparatus for linearizing the output of a wideband amplifier by digitally predistorting the input to the amplifier in a way that just compensates for the distortion in the amplified signal, comprising a pipeline controller (12), for providing pipeline controller signals, and a pipelined predistorter (11), consisting of several stations, serially connected to each other, wherein each station performs one or more tasks concurrently, under the direction of the pipeline controller (12). The result is a digital predistorter with a bandwidth large enough to linearize, by itself, the entire output of a wideband amplifier. More generally, an apparatus for linearizing a wideband amplifier by using digital signal processing performed using a pipeline architecture, as opposed to using a sequential processing architecture, under the supervision of a pipeline controller.

Abstract: An improved antenna system for use at high frequencies such as cellular communication and PCS frequencies, having a steerable, multi co-linear array antenna in which the number of radiating elements per co-linear array increases monotonically from the periphery of the antenna to the middle of the antenna, and wherein the antenna is connected to a Butler matrix feed network, thereby providing steerability of the radiation pattern associated with the antenna. The improved antenna system achieves significantly lower sidelobe generation as compared to antenna systems using multiple co-linear arrays of radiating elements in which the number of radiating elements per co-linear array is constant. The Butler matrix feed network is implemented via a microstrip fabricated printed circuit board without crossovers.

Abstract: A system (10) for combining a plurality of transmission channels within a multiple channel communication system includes a master computer (20) that controls the transmission frequency and schedule of a plurality of channel transmitters (18). Each channel transmitter (18) is electrically connected to a channel transmitter combiner filter (12). Each channel transmitter combiner filter (12) is fixedly tuned to a unique bandwidth window along the electromagnetic spectrum, and two sets (24), (26) of channel transmitter combiner filters are formed of the channel transmitter combiner filters (12) whose unique bandwidth windows are adequately spaced for electrical isolation along the electromagnetic spectrum. Each set (24), (26) of channel transmitter combiner filters is electrically connected to a common antenna (28) by means of a three decibel (3 dB) coupler (22).

Abstract: A hollow center conductor connector assembly having an expandable plug (12), a plug-expanding-conductor-coupler (14) and a bolt (15) provides a connector for smooth wall hollow center conductors and corrugated wall center conductors. The expandable plug (12) is provided with fine teeth (34) for gripping a smooth wall type center conductor and a helical groove (36) for gripping a corrugated wall type center conductor. The diameter of the expandable plug (12) is expanded when the plug-expanding-conductor-coupler (14) and expandable plug (12) are drawn together by a bolt (15).

Abstract: A circularly polarized microcell antenna 10 that requires only a single feed-line to radiate circularly polarized electromagnetic energy therefrom. The antenna 10 comprises a reflector box 14 having a bottom 15 and side walls 17 to which an electrical connector 20 is mounted. The center conductor 24 of the connector 20 is electrically connected to a conductor bar 22 upon which a first dipole assembly is mounted at a designated one-quarter wavelength location. The shell of the connector 20 is electrically connected to the reflector box 14 upon which a second dipole assembly is mounted at a designated one-quarter wavelength location. Each dipole assembly comprises a primary dipole arm 52 and a secondary dipole arm 68 which are electrically connected by a phasing loop that introduces a 90.degree. phase shift between the primary dipole arm 52 and the secondary dipole arm 68.