GPS Landing System Reference Antenna

The GPS landing system (GLS) is a reality today, and will undoubtedly become the workhorse system in the future. GPS aircraft navigation is currently utilized for aircraft en-route, terminal, and initial-approach navigation. It is expected that in 2009, a Category I GPS landing system will start its initial phase of a worldwide deployment. The ARL-1900 antenna was designed specifically to satisfy the stringent requirements for the Category I, II, and III GPS landing system reference-receiver stations. A difficult problem for a Category I, II, and III GPS landing systems is the mitigation of ground-reflected multipath effects. The antenna must provide coverage of the upper hemisphere while suppressing ground-reflected multipath. In addition, the antenna must operate at the L1, L2, and L5 GPS frequencies, have right-hand circular polarization, and ideally have constant carrier and code (group) delay throughout the coverage region. Over a period of 15 years, BAE Systems has developed the ARL-1900 antenna, a unique antenna with near-ideal performance that satisfies the stringent requirements for a Category I, II, and III GPS landing systems. This paper reviews the requirements for a GPS landing system reference antenna, presents the design principles for the ARL-1900 antenna, describes its implementation, and presents performance data.