The Boeing Company

Glenn Joseph Desargant

Albert Louis Bien

Orville Lorenson Reid

An attenuation device for use under a radome disposed on a mobile platform such as an aircraft for reflecting a portion of the electromagnetic energy radiated by an antenna disposed under the radome such that the reflected portion of energy impinges the radome at an angle normal thereto, thereby reducing or eliminating further reflections of the reflected portion of energy within the radome toward the mobile platform. In one embodiment the radome includes a base covered with a radar absorbing material (RAM). In another embodiment the radome includes a curved base adapted to match the mobile platform surface curvature on which the attenuation apparatus is mounted. In a further embodiment, RAM is disposed on an exterior surface of the mobile platform under the radome. In still another embodiment, the base is formed of an attenuating transverse magnetic TM wave corrugated plate.

Attenuation apparatus for minimizing reflections of electromagnetic energy from an antenna disposed within a radome

A microwave antenna for an aircraft including a reflector element with a front surface and a rear surface. A horn is mounted to the front surface of the reflector element and an orthomode transducer is mounted to the rear surface of the reflector element. The orthomode transducer is coupled to the horn. Solid state power amplifiers that amplify a microwave signal to be transmitted and low noise amplifiers that amplify a received microwave signal are coupled to the orthomode transducer. The solid state amplifiers and the low noise amplifiers are also located on the rear surface of the reflector element.

Thermal-locate 5W(V) and 5W(H) SSPA's on back of reflector(s)

A microwave reflector antenna for use on an aircraft. The microwave reflector antenna has a stationary plate that is attached to and stationary relative to the aircraft. A rotary plate rotates relative to the stationary plate about an azimuth axis. A rotary joint is attached to the rotary plate and has an axis of rotation that is aligned with the azimuth axis. A reflector is attached to the rotary plate adjacent the rotary joint so that the azimuth axis does not intersect the reflector. Individual ball bearings are positioned between the rotary plate and the stationary plate to allow the rotary plate to rotate about the azimuth axis. The stationary plate has gear teeth positioned along a peripheral side wall of the stationary plate. An azimuth motor is attached to the rotary plate and engaged with the gear teeth to selectively rotate the rotary plate about the azimuth axis.

Microwave reflector antenna

A microwave reflector antenna comprises a rotary plate that rotates about an azimuth axis. At least one elevation cradle is attached to the rotary plate to provide an elevation axis and rotates about the azimuth axis with the rotation of the rotary plate. The at least one elevation cradle has a curved guide with a plurality of ball bearings to facilitate the rotation of the reflector about the elevation axis. A reflector travels along the at least one cradle as the reflector rotates about the elevation axis. The reflector rotates about the azimuth axis with the rotation of the at least one cradle. The rotation of the reflector about the azimuth axis and about the elevation axis define a swept volume of the reflector. The at least one cradle is positioned on the rotary plate so that the at least one cradle is within the swept volume of the reflector.

Elevation positioning cradle for microwave antenna

An improved method is provided for pointing an antenna subsystem residing on a mobile platform towards a satellite in a satellite communication system. The improved method includes: transmitting a tone signal from the satellite; receiving the tone signal at the antenna subsystem; determining position of the mobile platform in relation to the satellite a monopulse tracking technique, where the position of the satellite is based on the tone signal received at the antenna subsystem; and pointing the antenna subsystem towards the satellite.

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Fullerton, CA, United States of America

Glenn Joseph Desargant