A wide area scanning parabolic apparatus, wherein the wide area scanning parabolic apparatus comprises a parabolic reflector mounted on a pedestal, a multi-band software defined antenna array tile, a radome covering the multi-band software defined antenna array tile, and a system controller,
- wherein the multi-band software defined antenna array tile comprises:
- (a) a digital software system interface operatively connected to a data transport bus and configured to receive a first partial beam of a first beam of a plurality of beams from the data transport bus;
- (b) a plurality of digital beamformers operatively connected to the digital software system interface,
- wherein a first digital beamformer of the plurality of digital beamformers operably connected to the digital software system interface is configured to:
- i. receive the first partial beam from the digital software system interface;
- ii. apply a first weighting factor to first transmit digital data associated with the first partial beam of the first beam of the plurality of beams;
- and
- iii. provide a first analog signal having a first intermediate frequency associated with the weighted first transmit digital data, wherein the first intermediate frequency is associated with a respective mission intermediate frequency;
- (c) a first principal polarization frequency converter of a first pair of frequency converters of a plurality of pairs of frequency converters, the first principal polarization frequency converter operably connected to the first digital beamformer and configured to:
- i. receive first modulated signals associated with the first analog signal having the first intermediate frequency from the first digital beamformer;
- and
- ii. convert the first modulated signals associated with the first intermediate frequency into respective second modulated signals associated with a respective radio frequency, wherein the respective radio frequency is associated with a respective mission center radio frequency;
- (d) a first respective coupled dipole array antenna element of a plurality of coupled dipole array antenna elements comprising a first respective principal polarization component, the first respective principal polarization component operatively connected to the first principal polarization frequency converter and configured to:
- i. receive the respective second modulated signals associated with the respective radio frequency from the first principal polarization frequency converter;
- and
- ii. transmit the respective second modulated signals associated with the respective radio frequency through the radome, wherein the respective second modulated signals are reflected from a surface of the parabolic reflector after being transmitted through the radome;
- and
- (e) memory operatively connected to the system controller configured to receive and then store:
- i. the respective mission center radio frequency for the first respective coupled dipole array antenna element;
- and
- ii. the respective mission intermediate frequency for the first respective coupled dipole array antenna element;
- and
- iii. each first weighting factor of the array of weighting factors for the first respective principal polarization component;
- wherein the memory is operably connected to the first principal polarization frequency converter and configured to transport to the first principal polarization frequency converter:
- i. the respective mission center radio frequency for the first respective coupled dipole array antenna element, and
- ii. the respective mission intermediate frequency for the first respective coupled dipole array antenna element, and
- wherein the memory is operably connected to the first digital beamformer and configured to transport to the first digital beamformer each respective first weighting factor of the array of weighting factors for the first respective principal polarization component;
- and
- wherein the system controller is operably connected to memory, and configured to provide the memory:
- i. the respective mission center radio frequency for the first respective coupled dipole array antenna element;
- and
- ii. the first intermediate frequency for the first respective coupled dipole array antenna element;
- and
- iii. the first weighting factor as part of an array of weighting factors for the first respective principal polarization component.