Proceedings of the Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference 2016

Design of Multimode Tracking System for Earth

Station Antenna
Anil Kumar Pandey
EEsof, Keysight Technologies, Manesar, India
ani I-kumar pandey@keysight.com

Abstract - This paper presents the design of a unique multimode
extractor and converter of higher order modes of a circular
waveguide. The multi-mode extractor couples first five circular
waveguide propagation modes TEll, orthogonal TEll(o), TMOI,
TE21, and TE21(0) that includes the three tracking signals (i.e.
sum signal, elevation signal, and azimuth signal) used in a high
frequency monopulse tracking system and two communication
channels for transmitting and receiving signal at Ka band. This
design is based on amplitude and phase characteristics of the
higher-order modes TMOI, TE21, and TE21(0) excited
circular waveguide. TE21 and TE21 (0) modes are extracted
from circular waveguide to TEIO mode in rectangular waveguide
by two longitudinal slots milled in the circular waveguide. TEll
mode is coupled using two coupling slots and H-plane power
combiner. A turnstile junction is used to extract TMOI and
TEII(o) mode. This multimode tracking system is designed both
for linear or circular polarized ground earth station antennas to
track orbiting satellites.
disadvantage of conventional monopulse tracking systems is
that such systems are designed to operate with cumbersome
antenna arrays (4 horns are 5 horns). In such arrays, a plurality
of antennas are used to develop the sum and difference signals
needed to provide the receiver with the means for developing
the elevation and azimuth angle error signals for controlling
the tracking system. Such cumbersome plural antenna arrays
tend to be larger and heavier than desirable at high frequencies.
in Depending on the applications, different types of multimode
monopulse techniques are feasible [4-5] but none of these
designs operate in dual mode. The presented design of
monopulse multimode tracking feed in this paper eliminates
all these issues.
II. PRINCIPAL OF OPERATION

Index Terms - Monopulse tracking; Multi-mode extractor; In multi-mode monopulse system, when an antenna receives
satellite tracking system; Ka Band; Multi-mode Radar an incident wave, the output level of the communications
signal is maximum when the antenna points directly toward a
point signal source. On the other hand, higher order modes are
I. INTRODUCTION excited in the waveguide when the boresight axis of the
antenna feed is not in line with the point source. As shown in
fig.l, the dominant mode in a circular waveguide is the
The antenna of the satellite must be pointed accurately

@ o
toward the earth station antenna with which the satellite is in
communication using a high-gain reflector antenna system. In
order to achieve this accurate pointing, satellite antenna
commonly employ tracking systems to provide signals TEll mode TEll mode TMOI mode TE21 Mode TE21 Mode

indicative of the pointing errors in elevation and azimuth Mode Formula Cutoff
Dia(mm)
relative to the antenna beam of the earth station antenna. In
tracking system three signals are used for the pointing
TEll (300-1.814)1(Fc*2'"P1) 2.94
accuracy of the satellite antenna. These three tracking signals
are the azimuth difference signal, elevation difference signal, TMOI (3002.40S)/(Fc*2PI) 3.89

TEll (JOO*3.054).(Fc2'"Pl) 4.95

and the sum signal. The phase and amplitude characteristics of
these three signals are utilized in a conventional manner to
generate elevation angle error and azimuth angle error signals
to control the pointing direction of the satellite antenna.
Typically, the tracking system on the satellite utilizes a
monopulse-tracking configuration in which a plurality of
antennas, feeding a reflector-system, is employed to develop
three tracking signals indicative of the pointing accuracy of
the satellite antenna. These three tracking signals are the
azimuth difference signal, elevation difference signal, and the
sum signal. These signals can be generated by multimode
monopulse tracking, e.g., as outlined in
TEll' (300*3.054)!(Fc*2'"Pl) 4.95
60
60
Fig. 1. (a) The field configuration of TEll , TEl 1(0) , TMOI, TE21 and
TE21(0) modes (b) Relative field strength of TEll , TMOI and TE21 modes in
boresight direction (c) Cut of diameter of circular waveguide for TEll ,
TEII (0) , TMO I, TE21 and TE21 (0) modes , Fc-center frequency
TEllmode and the higher order mode TE21 and TE21(0)
are orthogonal modes which may be used to generate error
signals for use in a servo system or for tracking a beam.
Similarly, symmetrical higher order mode TMOI is used for
[1-3]. One
second tracking beacon signal.

978-1-5090-1592-4/16/$31.00 2016 IEEE

Proceedings of the Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference 2016

III. DESIGN METHODOLOGY in which TE21 mode is in cutoff and it passes only TMO1,
TEll and TE11(0) mode.
Fig. 3 shows actual drawing and dimensions of complete
In multimode monopulse system higher order modes are
multimode extractor along with Horn feed.'A' horn antenna is
introduced into the waveguide to produce far field radiation
feed reflector antenna. Overmode circular waveguide 'B'
patterns similar to the 'sum' and 'difference' patterns of the
supports all five modes. E-plane 1:2 power combiner 'C' is
conventional monopulse system. These modes are then
used to combine TE21 and TE21(0) modes power. Both TE21
separated and the error signal is obtained from the difference
and TE21(0) mode power are combined using 3dB 90-degree
pattern. The TM01, TE21 and TE21(0) mode energy is
hybrid coupler. An H-plan power combiner 'F' is used to
extracted from the feed and compared with sum channel
couple TEll mode. Folded magic Tee 'G' coupled TEll(o)
carrier TEll signal at 29.3 GHz beacon frequency. The
and TMO1 power at port'H' and'!,.
amplitude and phase of sidebands relative to the carrier
determine theta and phi respectively and are converted to the
elevation and azimuth tracking errors by the tracking receiver.
The block diagram and principle components of tracking feed
system are shown schematically in fig. 2.

3dB 90 Deg
Hybrid
Coupler

-- --- ---
EL AZ Multi-mode EXlracto;S; s -- -

TEIIH Mode
Coupler

TEll and
Monopulse Pointing System TElI* mode
Input to Coupler
Horn Feed
Antenna
(a)
(a)
A: Horn
8: Overmode Circular waveguide

TEll" Port c: E-Plane PD

D: Hybrid Coupler

T
E: Taper Section
Be!lcon F: TEl1(h) Coupler
Slgn!!1 21.7mm G : Folded Magic Tee
H: TMOI Coupler

TE2l Mode - I:TE ll (V) Coupler

coupler 12.!imm
..L..

1 4L i
Antenna

Reference Slgn!!1
T
44.4 mm
_L

J
TMOI Port

1-- 4Smm -.r+-- --'l+f.- ';!;! ....1+-

. 37.4mm -+-- 46.4 mm ----+j
------
(b)
(b)
Fig. 2. (a) Block diagram of complete multi-mode monopulse tracing system
(b) Block diagram of system of dual mode multi-mode tracking coupler along Fig. 3. Three-Dimensional CAD model of complete multi-mode tracking
with two communication channel feed cham (b) Dimensions of individual parts of multi-mode coupler ( all
dimenSIOns are m mm)
IV. DESIGN OF DUAL POLARIZED MONOPULSE TRACKING
V.RESULT
SYSTEM

The tracking system model has been designed for the 29.3
This design is based on amplitude and phase
GHz while two communication channels at 29.5 GHz. The
characteristics of the higher-order TE21 and TMO1 modes.
design has been validated through Finite Element
TE21 mode is excited in circular waveguide by two
Electromagnetic solver by simulating complete design in
longitudinal slots milled in the circular waveguide. TE21(0)
EMPro (Electromagnetic Professional software from Keysight
mode is excited by milling slots oriented 45 degrees with
Technologies). This multimode extractor supports first five
respect to the TE21 mode coupler. This will facilitate to excite
modes of circular waveguide TEll, TEl1(0), TMOI , TE2l,
orthogonal components of the TE21 mode. The signals
and TE21(0), using rectangular and circular waveguide.
coupled by each pair of the diametrically coupling slots are
combined using E-Plane T- junction in order to obtain the
The simulated return loss and insertion loss characteristics
tracking signal. A tapered waveguide transition has been used
of this hardware has been found better than -20 dB and 0.4 dB

978-1-5090-1592-4/16/$3l.00 2016 IEEE

Proceedings of the Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference 2016

insertion loss over 0.25% frequency band around 29.3 as

Ka BAND tracking feed
shown in fig. 4. Radiation pattern has been plotted for all
modes to check mode purity and slope of error signal. A back
to back electromagnetic simulation of design insures isolation
and coupling purity of all modes. Simulated result of return
loss, insertion loss and isolation between different modes over
20
the band (29.25 -29.4 GHz) are listed in table I .

10
"0

:g 40
.3

E
5 50

10 60

70
15

17.579 dB.
... 80

I
V; 20

88 66 -44 22 0 22 44 66 88
25 ANGLE (DEG)
- ISlll.TEll(H) Mod coupler RL
- IS221.TEllM Mode coupler RL (b)
30 - IS331.TM01Modecoupler Rl
1-IS441.TE21ModecouplerRl Fig. 5. (a) Hardware of TE21 and TE21 (0) mode coupler (b) Measured
- ISSS I.TEn Mode coupler Rl
L. radiation pattern of Sum signal (TEll mode) and Difference signal (TE21
35
29 29.1 29.4 29.5 29.6 29.7 29.8 29.9 30 mode)
Frequency (GHz)

Fig. 4. Simulated return loss plots of each mode using FEM (Finite Element The measured results show excellent agreement with
Method) based numerical technique simulation results. The RF performance shows very unique
slope characteristics of the order of I V/degree. For linear
TABLE 2. SIMULATED RETURN LOSS INSERTIONS LOSS AND ISOLATION OF ALL polarized antenna TE21, TE21(0) and TEll modes and for
FIVE MODES
circular polarized antenna TMOI and TEI I modes are used for
Modes Return Loss Insertion Isolation tracking and communication purpose.
Loss

Center Over the Over the band Over the VI. CONCLUSION
Freq band band
Design of a unique multimode extractor for feed chain of
TE21 Mode -24 dB -12 dB -0.05 dB >-30 dB monopulse tracking feed used for satellite antenna completed
TE21(0) Mode -22 dB -12 dB -0.05 dB >-30 dB is presented at Ka band. This is new concept to extract first 5

TMOI Mode -33 dB -17 dB -0.10 dB >-30 dB higher order modes of a circular waveguide. This system
provide mechanism to design two tracking system using TE21,
TEll Mode -26 dB -22 dB -0.04 dB >-30 dB
TE21(0) and TMOI modes along with two communication
TEII (o) Mode -27 dB -24 dB -0.04 dB >-30 dB
channels. The feed exploits the dominant and higher
cylindrical waveguide modes to obtain sum and difference
A prototype of TE21 and TE21 (0) mode coupler that is one channel. Using slot coupling separates the higher order modes
part of complete system, has been fabricated. Fig. 5 shows generated within the feed from dominant mode. In addition to
hardware and measured radiation pattern of Radiation patterns high conversion efficiency and sharp null depth, this tracking
for TEI I and TE21 modes. feed features easy construction and high mode purity. This
tracking feed possesses several unique features, such as
compact design, high mode purity, high converting efficiency,
low insertion loss and sharp null depth.

REFERE NCES

[1] 1. S. Cook & R Lowell, 'The autotrack system", BSTJ, pp 1283-1307,

July 1963.
[2] G. Hawkins, D. Edwards, and J. McGeehan, "Tracking systems for
satellite communications," Radar and Signal Processing, lEE
Proceedings, vol. 135, pp. 393-407, oct. 1988.
[3] T. Inoue and T. Kaitsuka, "K-Band Tracking System for Domestic
Satellite Communication System," IEEE Trans. on Aerospace and
(a) Electronic Systems, vol. AES-17, no. 4, pp. 561 (570, July 1981.

978-1-5090-1592-4/16/$3l.00 2016 IEEE

Proceedings of the Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference 2016

[4] W. Lawson, M. R. Arjona, B. P. Hogan, and R. L. Ives, "The design of

serpentine-mode converters for high-power microwave applications",
IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech. 48, No.5, pp 809-814, May 2000.
[5] Q. S. Wang, D. B. McDermott, and N. C. Luhmann, "Operation of a
stable 200-kW second-harmonic gyro-TWT amplifier", Jf., IEEE Trans.
Plasma Sci. Vol 24,No 3, pp 700 (1996) .
[6] Anil Kumar Pandey, "Solving Electronics Design Challenges of an
Aerospace System with EDA Tools", Microwave Product Digest, March
22, 2016

978-1-5090-1592-4/16/$31.00 2016 IEEE