Other

General Electric Company

Martin Marietta Corporation

Donald P Miller

John D Reale

Blake A Carnahan

David L Binsley

James W Krueger, Jr

Albert H Berical

Harry C Ast

John R Knapp

The invention relates to a self monitoring/calibrating phased array radar in which the operating path for transmission and the operating path for reception may be monitored/calibrated by the addition of a corporate calibration network coupled at the plural end to the antenna elements and at the singular end to the exciter/receiver, and switching means to selectively route the monitoring/calibrating signal derived from the exciter in a transmit path to calibration path sequence or in a calibration path to receive path sequence. In one embodiment of the invention, a phase shifter common to transmit and receive paths is adjustable in increments under active logical control for calibration, while power and gain performance is monitored but not actively controlled. A novel T/R sub-assembly houses the operating electronics for four antenna elements in the form of four T/R modules with a one to four divider network in the transmit/receive path and in the calibration path. The four antenna elements are an integral part of the T/R sub-assembly.

Self monitoring/calibrating phased array radar and an interchangeable,

A retractable distributed array antenna has a multiplicity of radiative elements arranged in a beam-forming array of desired configuration and resolvable into a plurality C of columns, with each column having at least one of the antenna radiator elements. Each of a number P of elongated column members, up to but not exceeding C in number, supports the antenna elements of an associated column. The column members are arranged with their elongated dimension generally parallel to one another. The adjacent end portions of each pair of column member, or of a column member and a central stowage module, are joined by a spring-loaded hinge assembly, which urges the joined column member end portions away from each other, to place the columns of elements into the desired distributed array antenna configuration, if no retroactive forces are present. A retraction mechanism, which may use drum-fed drawcables, is provided for controllably drawing the joined column member end portions towards each other, against the action of the hinge spring forces, to collapse the array into a smaller volume than the volume which is occupied by the expanded array.

Retractable distributed array antenna

A portable stand having a frictionally adjustable receiver for a surveyor's rod permits plumbing of the rod and maintains the rod vertical and stationary with respect to a point on the ground.

Tripod stand for a surveyor's rod

Portable stand for a surveyor's rod

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Liverpool, NY, United States of America

Donald P Miller