Method and apparatus for aligning the antennas of a millimeter wave communication link using a narrow band oscillator and a power detector

A point-to-point millimeter wave communications system comprising:

• A) a first millimeter wave transceiver system located at a first site capable of transmitting and receiving to and from a second site through atmosphere digital information at rates in excess of 155 million bits per second during normal weather conditions, said first transceiver comprising a first antenna producing a beam having a half-power beam width of about 2 degrees or less, said first antenna being supported with a rigid support providing beam directional stability of less than one-half said half-power beam width during 90 miles per hour steady wind conditions,
• B) a second millimeter wave transceiver system located at said second site capable of transmitting and receiving to and from said first site digital information at rates in excess of 155 million bits per second during normal weather conditions, said second transceiver comprising a second antenna producing a beam having a half-power beam width of about 2 degrees or less, said antenna being supported with a rigid support structure providing beam directional stability of less than one-half said half-power beam width during 90 miles per hour steady wind conditions, and
• C) alignment equipment for aligning said first and second antennas, said alignment equipment comprising:
• 1) a narrow band oscillator power source;
• and
• 2) a power detector;
• wherein said narrow band oscillator power source is substituted for the signal transmit electronics of said first transceiver and said power detector is substituted for the signal receive electronics of the second transceiver to align the antennas.