Radome analysis techniques

TL;DR: In this paper, the radome has been tilted for some angle combinations in azimuth and elevation with respect to the antenna under test in order to get the difference responses, and it can be concluded that radome can change the antenna performance, including boresight shift, null fill-in and null shifting for difference signals, and changing antenna radiation pattern.

Abstract: Radar Dome, or usually called Radome, is usually placed over the antenna as an antenna protector from any physical thing that can break it. Ideally, radome does not degrade antenna performance. In fact, it may change antenna performance and cause several effects, such as boresight error, changing antenna side lobe level and depolarization. The antenna engineer must take stringent analysis to estimate the changes of performance due to placing radome. Methods in the analysis using fast receiving formulation based on Lorentz reciprocity and Geometrical Optics. The radome has been tilted for some angle combinations in azimuth and elevation with respect to the antenna under test in order to get the difference responses. From the results of measuring and analyzing the radome, it can be concluded that radome can change the antenna performance, including boresight shift, null fill-in and null shifting for difference signals, and changing antenna radiation pattern. In the CATR measurement with two reflectors, the extraneous signal which originates from feed is minimized by adding absorber at the side of the feed. Several things that affect to the accuracy of the simulation program are extraneous signal, loss tangent uncertainty, diffraction, and dielectric uncertainty and inhomogeneity. Key Words: Radome, CATR, Antenna, Boresight Error