volume | PIER Journals

Abstract

A portable ultra wide band radio direction finder has been constructed based on the principle of stereophonic direction recognition of sound by human ears. The instrument consists of two log periodic antennas having identical electrical properties. They are positioned in a plane, preferably parallel to the ground. The directivities of the antennas are aligned at slightly different directions with respect to each other. Their output powers are compared at the source frequency for the respective polarizations. The back lobes of the antennas have been reduced by symmetrically positioning two metallic plates (reflectors) behind the antennas. The antennas, reflectors and a compass are mounted over a video camera stand such that they could be manually positioned in the azimuth. Since the antennas are of identical make, ideally the radiation pattern of either antennareflector combination should behave as a flipped image of the other set. For any particular polarization and frequency, the outputs from the antennas are compared with each other. The antenna assembly is rotated between 0 and 360^◦ in the azimuth until the power difference gets minimized. This position relates to the direction of the source and is indicated on the compass, provided there exits a single radio source at that frequency.

1. Wang, X., P. R. P. Hoole, and E. Gunawan, "An electromagnetictime delay method for determining the positions and velocities of mobile stations in GSM network," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 23, 165-186, 1999.
doi:10.2528/PIER98102603 Google Scholar

2. Soliman, M. S., T. Morimoto, and Z. I. Kawasaki, "Threedimensional localization system for impulsive noise sources using ultra-wideband digital interferometer technique," Journal of Electromagnetic Waves and Applications, Vol. 20, No. 4, 515-530, 2006.
doi:10.1163/156939306776117027 Google Scholar

3. Angell, A. and C. Rappaport, "Computational modeling analysis of RADAR scattering by clothing covered arrays of metallic bodyorn explosive devices," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 76, 285-298, 2007.
doi:10.2528/PIER07070905 Google Scholar

4. Liew, S. C., K. G. Tan, and C. P. Tan, "Non-Taylor series based positioning method for hybrid GPS/cellphone system," Journal of Electromagnetic Waves and Applications, Vol. 20, No. 6, 717-729, 2006.
doi:10.1163/156939306776143451 Google Scholar

5. Joardar, S. and A. B. Bhattacharya, "Simultaneous resolving of frequency separated narrow band terrestrial radio sources by multi antenna spectrum monitoring systems assisting radio astronomy," Journal of Electromagnetic Waves and Applications, Vol. 20, No. 9, 1195-1209, 2006.
doi:10.1163/156939306777442971 Google Scholar

6. Harabi, F., H. Changuel, and A. Gharsallah, "Direction of arrival estimation method using a 2-L shape arrays antenns," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 69, 145-160, 2007.
doi:10.2528/PIER06120204 Google Scholar

7. Choi, I.-S., D.-K. Seo, J.-K. Bang, H.-T. Kim, and E. J. Rothwell, "Radar target recognition using one-dimensional evolutionary programming-based clean," Journal of Electromagnetic Waves and Applications, Vol. 17, No. 5, 763-784, 2003.
doi:10.1163/156939303322226464 Google Scholar

8. Hollingworth, J., "A new universal long wave radio intensity measuring set," Journal of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 5, No. 1, 1-9, 1928.
doi:10.1088/0950-7671/5/1/301 Google Scholar

9. Adcock, F., "Radio direction finding in three dimensions," Proceedings of Institute of Radio Eng., Vol. 20, 7-11, 1959.

10. Watson-Watt, R. A. and J. F. Herd, "An instantaneous direct reading goniometer," J. IEE London, Vol. 64, 1926. Google Scholar

11. Johnson, R. L. and G. E. Miner, "Comparison of super-resolution algorithms for radio direction finding," IEEE Transactions on Aerospace Electronic Systems, Vol. AES-22, No. 4, 432-442, 1986.
doi:10.1109/TAES.1986.310779 Google Scholar

12. Singh, A. Kr., P. Kumar, T. Chakravarty, G. Singh, and S. Bhooshan, "A novel digital beamformer with low angle resolution for vehicle tracking RADAR," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 66, 229-237, 2006.
doi:10.2528/PIER06112102 Google Scholar

13. Seo, D. K., K. T. Kim, I. S. Choi, and H. T. Kim, "Wideangle radar target recognition with subclass concept — Abstract," Journal of Electromagnetic Waves and Applications, Vol. 18, No. 2, 209-211, 2004.
doi:10.1163/156939304323062086 Google Scholar

14. Lee, K.-C., J. S. Ou, and C.-W. Huang, "Angular-diversity RADAR recognition of Sships by transformation based approaches —Including noise effects," Progress In Electromagnetics Research, Vol. 72, 145-158, 2007.
doi:10.2528/PIER07030901 Google Scholar

15. Joardar, S. and A. B. Bhattacharya, "Algorithms for categoric analysis of interference in low frequency radio astronomy," Journal of Electromagnetic Waves and Applications, Vol. 21, No. 4, 441-456, 2007.
doi:10.1163/156939307779367305 Google Scholar

16. Joardar, S.M. Jaint, and V. Bandewar, "An innovative VHF/UHV radio direction finder," Proceedings of the National Conference on Emerging Trends in Electronics and Telecommunication, 164-169, 2007.

Dr. Shubhendu Joardar

Dr. Minakshi Jaint

Dr. Vasudev Bandewar

Dr. Ashit Bhattacharya