Development of rotation mechanism for beam-steering antenna

During the last thirty years antenna application technology has significantly improved. Advances in antenna technology has allowed for an increased reception range for both the Internet and mobile phones. Macquarie University has invented a new class of planner high-gain antennas as a solution to get more efficient mobile phone reception and Internet connectivity. The antenna accomplishes this goal by gaining satellite radiation waves at any region on the ground, on water or even in the atmosphere. This type of planner antenna requires a beam steering system to be rotated and aligned in a specific direction to ensure efficient functionality. In addition, this rotation system requires speed and accuracy to track the satellite radiation waves. Many researchers have developed antenna control systems using a range of different methods to track the signal resource. This thesis presents the control system development within Macquarie's antenna planners. The system development began with four designs. These were produced after examining several antenna mechanism research studies and improved upon by utilising these studies to produce a flexible system free from systemic error. The implementation of worm gears and roller methods to the mechanism are introduced to improve the way the antenna performs. This specific development method is not used in any normal antenna control systems and has been designed specifically for Macquarie University's antenna planner system. The simulation and outcome results show that the methods have eliminated any systemic errors and have been shown to improve the overall performance of the mechanism.