Airborne transmitting antenna and method for deploying same
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorNelson B. Tharp
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to an airborne trailing cable-antenna which is multi-sectional. The cable-antenna comprises an electromagnetic radiating portion for the transmission of electromagnetic energy and a non-radiating portion which because of its weight, length, density and other aerodynamic characteristics provides the physical length necessary for the propagation of the radiated electromagnetic energy in a vertical polarized plane. This improved, multi-sectional, trailing, airborne cable-antenna facilitates the transmission of electromagnetic energy in a vertical polarized plane at higher frequencies not previously possible.
Claims6
In combination with an aircraft means of predetermined flight pattern capabilities and which is operable to transmit vertically polarized electromagnetic signal energy said energy having a predetermined frequency;
- said aircraft means including a transmitting means for said electromagnetic energy, and an elongated one piece cable-antenna means, said cable-antenna means having a free end, and predetermined length, weight, density and electrical characteristics;
- a reel means fixed within said aircraft upon said reel means, said cable-antenna means is adapted to be dispensed;
- and a drogue means affixed to said free end of said cable-antenna means;
- wherein when said aircraft is in an orbiting flight pattern and said cable-antenna means is dispensed by said reel means, the majority of said cable-antenna means will hang vertically from said aircraft;
- wherein the improved cable-antenna means is operable to transmit vertically polarized electromagnetic energy having a predetermined frequency greater than 30 kHz to be transmitted from said aircraft;
- wherein said cable-antenna means is formed of separate joined, non-jointed sections, further said cable-antenna means has a uniform unbroken, uninterrupted, unsegmented exterior diameter from the entire length of said cable-antenna means at least one of said cable-antenna means sections positioned furthest from said aircraft means when said cable-antenna means is dispensed by said reel means, said cable-anntena means section furthest from said aircraft means comprising a non-radiating portion, and the other of said cable-antenna means sections comprising an electromagnetic energy signal radiating portion, further said reel means operable to dispense a predetermined length of said cable-antenna means including a predetermined length of said radiating portion of said cable antenna means, and the dispensed portion of said signal radiating portion of said cable-antenna means having a length which approximates one-half wavelength of said predetermined frequency desired to be transmitted.
A method of transmitting from an orbiting aircraft of predetermined flight pattern capabilities, a vertically polarized electromagnetic signal said vertically polarized electromagnetic signal having a predetermined frequency greater than 30 kHz, said method comprising:
- the deployment from said orbiting aircraft an elongated, uniform, uninterrupted diameter, fully flexible cable-antenna means, said cable-antenna means having such predetermined length, weight and density that when said cable-antenna means is suspended from said orbiting aircraft, nearly all of said cable-antenna means will hang vertically from said orbiting aircraft;
- and further said cable-antenna means comprises at least one radiating portion and at least one non-radiating portion, said radiating and said non-radiating portions of said cable-antenna means joined without a visual break between said portions, further said radiating portion of said cable-antenna means having said length which approximate one-half wavelengths of said predetermined electromagnetic signal energy being transmitted.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.