Characterization and Performance of a Prototype Wideband Airport Pseudolite Multipath Limiting Antenna for the Local Area Augmentation System

J. Dickman, C. Bartone, Y. Zhang, B. Thornburg

Abstract:	This paper describes the design and performance of a prototype multipath limiting antenna (MLA) which has been tailored for wideband airport pseudolite (WBAPL) transmission in the Local Area Augmentation System (LAAS). This new antenna is a 20-element vertically stacked dipole array and is an evolution of the 14 and 16- element arrays that have been used in previous research. This antenna has the most superior performance for WBAPL applications to date. WBAPL transmission requirements differ from those of typical GPS reception antennas. This antenna was designed and built with the intent to reduce the multipath which is typically observed in local area transmission. It has a gain pattern which has been carefully shaped to provide extensive airport coverage while minimizing transmission power into nearby GPS receivers. Additionally, the antenna was designed to curtail airborne receiver dynamic range requirements by minimizing excessive gain lobes for aircraft on approach. This paper will include a section summarizing the design specification, measured radiation patterns, a comparison of similar technologies, a code minus carrier performance analysis along with a comparison to a specular multipath model. Finally, the antenna performance is summarized by showing the code minus carrier residuals as a function of azimuth and elevation angles.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 2003 National Technical Meeting of The Institute of Navigation January 22 - 24, 2003 Disneyland Paradise Pier Hotel Anaheim, CA
Pages:	783 - 793
Cite this article:	Dickman, J., Bartone, C., Zhang, Y., Thornburg, B., "Characterization and Performance of a Prototype Wideband Airport Pseudolite Multipath Limiting Antenna for the Local Area Augmentation System," Proceedings of the 2003 National Technical Meeting of The Institute of Navigation, Anaheim, CA, January 2003, pp. 783-793.
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