Abstract: An assembly comprising a horizontal GPS patch antenna element and a vertical IFF antenna element providing simultaneous high performance IFF communication and GPS reception with minimal IFF to GPS interference. The IFF element can be a monopole element. A second monopole co-linear with the IFF element can provide simultaneous UHF communication. In embodiments, the assembly is a blade that can replace an existing IFF blade on an aircraft or other asset. Separate IFF and GPS connectors can be provided, or a single connecter can be shared using an integral diplexer. Embodiments include a GPS preamplifier integral with the blade. In other embodiments, the IFF element is an annular slot transponder that is centered on the GPS patch element. System embodiments include bandpass filters and/or GPS blanking to further protect the GPS receiver from IFF transmissions.

Abstract: An assembly comprising a horizontal GPS patch antenna element and a vertical IFF antenna element provides simultaneous high performance IFF communication and GPS reception with minimal IFF to GPS interference. The IFF element can be a monopole element. A second monopole co-linear with the IFF element can provide simultaneous UHF communication. In embodiments, the assembly is a blade that can replace an existing IFF blade on an aircraft or other asset. Separate IFF and GPS connectors can be provided, or a single connecter can be shared using an integral diplexer. Embodiments include a GPS preamplifier integral with the blade. In other embodiments, the IFF element is an annular slot transponder that is centered on the GPS patch element. Some of these embodiments are fully conformal to an underlying surface. System embodiments include bandpass filters and/or GPS blanking to further protect the GPS receiver from IFF transmissions.

Abstract: A microwave measurement system is utilized for the determination of displacement of a piston in a fluid filled cylindrical structure. The piston plus cylindrical encasement of the hydraulic system is modeled as a uniform cylindrical waveguide terminated in a metal plate. A novel shaped probe antenna to measure the slope of the relative phase of the reflected equivalent voltage wave with respect to frequency. The idea to measure the slope of the relative phase is novel and requires a new antenna structure. Instead of using the phase slope with respect to frequency, the total phase shift in a given frequency range is used to determine the location of the piston in the cylindrical chamber. Simulation and measurement will be used to determine the impedance of the antenna as well as the electromagnetic field at different locations inside the cylinder. In addition, the antenna will be analyzed to optimize its design, which ought to result in minimizing the reflections.

Abstract: A microwave measurement system is utilized for the determination of displacement of a piston in a fluid filled cylindrical structure. The piston plus cylindrical encasement of the hydraulic system is modeled as a uniform cylindrical waveguide terminated in a metal plate. A novel shaped probe antenna to measure the slope of the relative phase of the reflected equivalent voltage wave with respect to frequency. The idea to measure the slope of the relative phase is novel and requires a new antenna structure. Instead of using the phase slope with respect to frequency, the total phase shift in a given frequency range is used to determine the location of the piston in the cylindrical chamber. Simulation and measurement will be used to determine the impedance of the antenna as well as the electromagnetic field at different locations inside the cylinder. In addition, the antenna will be analyzed to optimize its design, which ought to result in minimizing the reflections.

Abstract: A microwave measurement system is utilized for the determination of displacement of a piston in a fluid filled cylindrical structure. The piston plus cylindrical encasement of the hydraulic system is modeled as a uniform cylindrical waveguide terminated in a metal plate. A novel shaped probe antenna to measure the slope of the relative phase of the reflected equivalent voltage wave with respect to frequency. The idea to measure the slope of the relative phase is novel and requires a new antenna structure. Instead of using the phase slope with respect to frequency, the total phase shift in a given frequency range is used to determine the location of the piston in the cylindrical chamber. Simulation and measurement will be used to determine the impedance of the antenna as well as the electromagnetic field at different locations inside the cylinder. In addition, the antenna will be analyzed to optimize its design, which ought to result in minimizing the reflections.

Abstract: A microwave measurement system is utilized for the determination of displacement of a piston in a fluid filled cylindrical structure. The piston plus cylindrical encasement of the hydraulic system is modeled as a uniform cylindrical waveguide terminated in a metal plate. A novel shaped probe antenna to measure the slope of the relative phase of the reflected equivalent voltage wave with respect to frequency. The idea to measure the slope of the relative phase is novel and requires a new antenna structure. Instead of using the phase slope with respect to frequency, the total phase shift in a given frequency range is used to determine the location of the piston in the cylindrical chamber. Simulation and measurement will be used to determine the impedance of the antenna as well as the electromagnetic field at different locations inside the cylinder. In addition, the antenna will be analyzed to optimize its design, which ought to result in minimizing the reflections.

Abstract: A disk antenna for use in a PCMCIA card or the like having a disk made from conventional moldable plastics and a radiating element that has a low capacitive impedance relative the inductance of the antenna feed such that the tuning element is capacitive. The disk antenna maximizes the ratio of bandwidth to disk size by maximizing the surface area of the radiating element. The antenna is application specific in that it can be adapted for various environmental resonant variations.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for exciting an antenna with dual frequency bands which comprises feeding a first channel of the antenna with a first signal in the VHF band such that a first current is established in a first direction resulting in a first polarization, feeding a second channel of the antenna with a second signal such that a second current is established in a second direction resulting in a second polarization, and isolating characteristics of the first channel from characteristics of the second channel and the characteristics of the second channel from the characteristics of the first channel such that both the first channel and the second channel are adapted to transmit and receive energy within the same antenna structure without appreciable coupling between the first channel and the second channel.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for exciting an antenna with dual frequency bands which comprises feeding a first channel of the antenna with a first signal in the VHF band such that a first current is established in a first direction resulting in a first polarization, feeding a second channel of the antenna with a second signal such that a second current is established in a second direction resulting in a second polarization, and isolating characteristics of the first channel from characteristics of the second channel and the characteristics of the second channel from the characteristics of the first channel such that both the first channel and the second channel are adapted to transmit and receive energy within the same antenna structure without appreciable coupling between the first channel and the second channel.

Abstract: A composite antenna comprising a first and second antenna suitable for transceiving independent signals in the cellular communication and GPS bands. The first antenna has upper and lower electrically conductive discs of substantially the same size aligned substantially in parallel, a first means for application of a first electrical signal between and at substantially geometric centers of the discs, and a plurality of electrically conductive shunts. The second (GPS) antenna is attached atop the upper electrically conductive disc and has a second means for application of a second electrical signal to the GPS antenna which traverses the electrically conductive discs whereby there is no significant degradation in performance of either the first cellular antenna or the second GPS antenna.