Calibration system and technique for a scalable, analog monopulse network

1. A calibration process for an analog monopulse network in a phased array having a sub-array of antenna elements, the process comprising:

calibrating a receive sum channel using a near-field data collection technique to generate receive sum channel calibration values; and

after generating receive sum channel calibration values, calibrating at least one receive delta channel using a far-field data collection technique wherein the generated receive sum channel calibration values are used in the calibrating of each of the at least one receive delta channels.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein calibrating at least one receive delta channel comprises calibrating a first one of a receive delta elevation channel and a receive delta azimuth channel using a far-field data collection technique wherein the generated receive sum channel calibration values are used in the calibrating of the first one of the receive delta elevation and receive delta azimuth channels.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein after generating receive sum channel calibration values, the process further comprises calibrating a second one of the receive delta elevation and receive delta azimuth channels using a far-field data collection technique wherein the generated receive sum channel calibration values are used in the calibrating of the second one of the receive delta elevation and receive delta azimuth channels.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein calibrating at least one receive delta channel comprises calibrating both a receive delta elevation channel and a receive delta azimuth channel using a far-field data collection technique wherein the generated receive sum channel calibration values are used in the calibrating of the second one of the receive delta elevation and receive delta azimuth channels.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein calibrating a receive delta channel in the far-field comprises:

(a) arranging a near-field test probe in a far-field of the phased array;

(b) selecting a first panel of the array;

(c) centering a waveguide probe on the selected panel and uploading the receive sum calibration values to the selected first panel;

(d) turning on the selected panel in a receive mode while all other panels in the array are turned off or placed in a stand-by mode;

(e) making a set of RF measurements;

(f) after the set of measurements are made, turning the panel off;

(g) selecting a next panel;

(h) moving the waveguide probe to the center of the selected next panel;

(i) turning the selected next panel on and all other panels off; and

(j) repeating (c) - (i) until each panel has been measured.

6. The process of claim 5 wherein the receive channel corresponds to a receive delta elevation channel.

7. The process of claim 5 wherein the receive channel corresponds to a receive delta azimuth channel.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the near-field data collection technique is provided as a near-field scan approach.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the near-field scan approach is provided as a planar near-field scan approach comprising:

(a) turning on a single selected T/R sum channel in receive mode while placing all other T/R sum channels in an off mode or in a stand-by mode; and

(b) measuring RF values of the single selected T/R sum channel using a near-field RF probe.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein measuring RF values of the single selected T/R sum channel using a near-field RF probe comprises measuring RF values of the single selected T/R sum channel using a near-field RF probe over a plurality of different digital attenuation and phase values for the single selected T/R sum channel and a plurality of T/R sum channel operating frequencies.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the planar near-field scan approach comprises:

(a) turning on a single selected T/R sum channel in receive mode while placing all other T/R sum channels are in an off mode or in a stand-by mode;

(b) selecting a first one of a plurality of T/R sum channel operating frequencies;

(c) selecting a first one of a plurality of digital attenuation and phase values for the single selected T/R sum channel;

(d) setting digital attenuation and phase of the single selected T/R sum channel to the selected digital attenuation and phase values;

(e) using a near-field RF probe to make RF measurements of the single selected T/R sum channel;

(g) determining if measurements of the single selected T/R sum channel have been made at all of the plurality of digital attenuation and phase values for the single selected T/R sum channel; and

(h) in response to measurements of the single selected T/R sum channel not having been made at all of the plurality of digital attenuation and phase values for the single selected T/R sum channel, selecting a next one of the plurality of digital attenuation and phase values for the single selected T/R sum channel and setting the digital attenuation and phase of the single selected T/R sum channel to the selected digital attenuation and phase values.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein calibrating the transmit receive sum channel comprises:

turning on a single T/R sum channel in receive mode;

placing all other T/R sum channels in an off or in a stand-by mode; and

measuring RF values using the waveguide probe.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein measure RF values using the waveguide probe comprises, at each of a plurality of different frequencies, making RF measurements while cycling digital attenuation and phase of the given T/R sum channel.

14. The method of claim 5 wherein making a set of RF measurements comprises:

emitting an RF signal via the waveguide probe; and

measuring the response at the output of a receive delta elevation channel and a receive delta azimuth channel.

15. A calibration process for an analog monopulse network in a phased array having at least a sum channel and two difference channels, and comprised of a plurality of subarrays, the calibration process comprising:

calibrating a receive sum channel using a near-field calibration technique to generate a set of sum channel calibration values;

uploading the sum channel calibration values to the array; and

calibrating one or more receive delta channels using a far-field calibration process.

16. The calibration process of claim 15 wherein calibrating the receive sum channel comprises:

turning on a single T/R channel in receive mode and turning off all other T/R channels; and

at each frequency of interest, making RF measurements of the receive sum channel while cycling the T/R channel through a plurality of digital attenuation and phase values to generate a plurality of sum channel calibration values.

17. The calibration process of claim 15 wherein calibrating one or more receive delta channels comprises calibrating at least one of a receive delta elevation channel and a receive delta azimuth channel using a far-field calibration process.

18. The calibration process of claim 15 wherein calibrating one or more receive delta channels comprises calibrating a receive delta elevation channel and a receive delta azimuth channel using a far-field calibration process.

19. The calibration process of claim 15 wherein calibrating one or more receive delta channels using a far-field technique comprises:

(a) centering a waveguide probe on a selected panel;

(b) uploading of sum channel calibration values to the panel;

(c) turning the entire panel on while all other panels are off or in standby mode; and

(d) at each frequency of interest, making RF measurements of the one or more receive delta channels while cycling the T/R channel through a plurality of digital attenuation and phase values.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

after (d), turning off the panel;

selecting a next panel in the array;

moving the waveguide probe to the center of the selected panel;

turning the selected panel on while all other panels are off; and

repeating (d).