Development of scanning dipole array

A dipole was recently developed for use in a phased array at 420 to 450 MHz. It was designed to scan + or - 40 degrees in elevation and + or - 48 degrees in azimuth. The data presented includes analytical simulation, VSWR testing of the dipole both isolated and in simulators, and patterns measured with a finite array. The simulators include single and dual mode devices as well as two 11-element columns. The extensive simulator work was necessary partially because of the small size of the array. The columns were used in conjunction with computer analyses to determine VSWR throughout the scanning coverage. The data from various sources agrees well, and predicts that the VSWR across the frequency band across all scan angles will be less than 1.9:1.