A Low-Cost Combination for Phased Array and ESPAR Antennas

a low-cost antenna system with high directivity is presented, with possibility of shaped beam in the vertical plane and beam switching in the horizontal plane, ensuring full 360 degrees coverage. The proposed antenna provides a higher directivity than the pattern of a regular Electronically Steerable Parasitic Antenna Radiators (ESPAR) while remaining much simpler than a phased array. The antenna system is made of two concentric rings, each consisting of 6 elements. Only three elements are active at a given time, the others are terminated with the reactive loads. The feeding and command structures are particularly simple. The proposed antenna is fabricated and measured for its performance.