Use of retrodirective array phase conjugation circuitry for near- and far-field position angle of arrival detection

In this article, we present position indication functionality as obtained by using a retrodirective array, thereby allowing location information extraction of the position of the remote transmitter with which the retrodirective array is cooperating.This is carried out using straightforward circuitry with no requirement for complex angle of arrival algorithms, thereby giving a result in real time enabling tracking of fast moving transmitters. We show using a 10 × 1 element retrodirective array, operating at 2.4 GHz that accuracies of far‐field angle of arrival of within ±1° over the arrays ±30° azimuth field of view are possible. While in the near‐field for angles of arrival of ±10° it is possible to extract the position of a dipole source down to a resolution of 0.32λ. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 1031–1034, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.25097