Louis Bertel

Contribution of the polarization diversity in H.F. direction finding systems

The aim of the paper is to estimate the contribution of the polarization diversity in high frequency (3 - 30 MHz) direction finding systems. We first describe the peculiarities of H.F. propagation and the resulting signal model involved in computer simulations. Next, we analyze the behavior of some particular direction finding systems using linear and circular geometries and polarization diversity. Some algorithms (non linear frequential analysis, M.U.S.I.C.) are tested in several conditions (narrowband or broadband signals, polarization filtering reiterated or no, sub-sampling). Theoretical and experimental results show that polarization diversity based upon the knowledge of the antenna complex responses improves greatly the efficiency of direction finding.