Design of multiple-edge blinders for large horn reflector antennas

Attaching blinders to the sides of pyramidal horn reflector antennas and other large aperture antennas is one method of controlling high sidelobes for horizontal polarization. This paper describes analysis and design procedures for arriving at a useful multiple-edge blinder for reducing undesirable sidelobes of a pyramidal horn reflector antenna. Several blinders have been designed and tested for use with a pyramidal horn reflector antenna. They are directed at reducing a high sidelobe near90\degin the azimuth plane where levels (referred to the main lobe) of -52 dB at 3.74 GHz and -58 dB at 6.325 GHz are presently typical. A 14-edge blinder designed using these techniques reduced these levels by 20 dB at 3.74 GHz and 12 dB at 6.325 GHz and did not significantly degrade antenna performance for other angles and other polarizations.