Improvements in and relating to antenna systems

A method of air-cooling an antenna, the method comprising:

• providing one or more separate antenna arrays and a plurality of separate respective radio transmitter and/or receiver modules each adapted for generating and/or receiving radio-frequency (RF) transmissions for a said antenna array associated therewith;
• providing an antenna housing containing said transmitter and/or receiver modules and having a ventilation inlet for receiving air into the housing to an exhaust outlet for outputting said air from the housing, wherein neighbouring transmitter and/or receiver modules are arranged to present opposing respective surfaces across a spacing therebetween to define a ventilation gap, and wherein the ventilation gap is populated with a plurality of separate heat-conductive projections which extend in a direction across the ventilation gap from a said surface;
• and
• driving an air flow through the housing from said ventilation inlet to said exhaust outlet at a flow rate to generate turbulence in the air flow along the ventilation gap between said separate heat-conductive projections thereby to transfer heat from a said surface.

A method of making an air-cooled an antenna, the method comprising:

• providing one or more separate antenna arrays and a plurality of separate respective radio transmitter and/or receiver modules each adapted for generating and/or receiving radio-frequency (RF) transmissions for a said antenna array associated therewith;
• providing an antenna housing containing said transmitter and/or receiver modules and having a ventilation inlet for receiving air into the housing to an exhaust outlet for outputting said air from the housing, wherein neighbouring transmitter and/or receiver modules are arranged to present opposing respective surfaces across a spacing therebetween to define a ventilation gap;
• and
• populating the ventilation gap with a plurality of separate heat-conductive projections which extend in a direction across the ventilation gap from a said surface;
• wherein an air flow driven through the housing from said ventilation inlet to said exhaust outlet at a flow rate to generate turbulence in the air flow along the ventilation gap between said separate heat-conductive projections causes heat transfer from a said surface.