SECTION 1

 
MY FIRST 2X8 ROTATABLE POLARITY (RPOL) ANTENNA ARRAY DESIGN
(June 21st,  2014)

After experimenting with RPOL, I came up with this design which I quickly built and deployed. Here are some of the main features and advantages: 

- Absolute polarization flexibility, GREAT SOLUTION TO FARADAY POLARITY ROTATION!

- Extremely simple system and very economic. No complex phasing schemes, hardware nor special engineering required, all parts are available at most local and ham stores.

The "Rear Mounted" configuration favors clean radiation patterns as there are no metallic structures in the way of the antenna, everything is behind the reflector element.

- If best RX does not equal best TX polarization because of Faraday + Spatial offset interactions, it is possible to set a separate RX/TX polarization. In other words, "non-reciprocity" effect can be completely eliminated! See Section 7, 22, 23 and 24 for live examples!

- Allows tuning polarization for best RX/TX within seconds: 90 degrees in 15 seconds.

- As noise itself can vary a lot with polarization (sometimes in the order of 2-4 dB range), the best signal-to-noise polarization can be selected. See Section 12-14-16-21 for live examples!

- Since the antennas are "rear mounted" and the driving elements are very close to the power divider, a very short length coax is needed resulting into lower losses.

- Can set any polarization angle using convenient remote control. Includes a digital display for each antenna polarization which can be set independantly. 

- Each antenna is powered by an economic Channel Master TV rotator model "CM-9521A" (~100$/unit) and held by a support bearing model TB105 (~40$/unit), which is designed to work with this rotator: