Directional array for near vertical incidence skywave antenna

1. An antenna array comprising:

four dipole antennas configured to function together as a directional, near vertical incidence skywave (NVIS) antenna with reduced side lobes, wherein each dipole antenna comprises two conductive elements and a feed point disposed between the two conductive elements, wherein the conductive elements of each of the four dipole antennas are disposed in an x-y plane of an x-y-z mutually orthogonal axes coordinate system, wherein a spacing between the feed points of the dipole elements positioned on the x-y plane is adjustable to reduce the side lobes, and wherein the conductive elements are substantially parallel with the x-axis and the x-y plane is substantially parallel with a ground plane that is common to the four dipole antennas; and

wherein the feed points of the four dipole antennas are positioned on the x-y plane at approximately (x, 0), (−x, 0), (0, y), and (0, −y), and wherein the x-y plane is separated from the substantially parallel ground plane by a distance h that is less than or equal to 1/10 the wavelength (λ) of an operating frequency.

2. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the operating frequency is within the high frequency (HF) range.

3. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the operating frequency is within the very low frequency (VLF) spectrum.

4. The antenna of claim 2 , wherein the spacing between the feed points of the dipole elements positioned on the x-y plane at approximately (x, 0), (−x, 0) is adjustable from λ/2 to λ, and the spacing between the feed points of the dipole elements positioned on the x-y plane at approximately (0, y) and (0, −y) is adjustable from of λ/1000to λ, such that the value x is within the range of λ/4 to λ/2, and the value y is within the range of λ/2000 to λ/2.

5. The antenna of claim 4 , wherein the value x is 52.98 meters, the value y is 17.5 meters, h is 1 meter, and the operating frequency is 2 MHz.

6. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein h is within the range of λ/10 to λ/10000.

7. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein a phase of θ is applied to the dipole antenna at (−x, 0) and a phase of θ is applied to the dipole antenna at (x, 0) such that an antenna pattern of the NVIS antenna is redirected along the x-axis.

8. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the values y and x are approximately equal.

9. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the same power weight is not applied to each dipole antenna.

10. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the NVIS antenna is linearly polarized.

11. The antenna of claim 1 , further comprising four additional dipole antennas, each disposed at 90 degrees to one of the four dipole antennas of claim 1 such that the NVIS antenna is capable of creating a circularly polarized signal.

12. The antenna of claim 1 , wherein the ground plane is conductive.

13. The antenna of claim 1 , further comprising a matching network and wherein at least one of the dipole antennas is operated below resonance (shorter than ½ λ).

14. A method for providing a directional, near vertical incidence skywave (NVIS) antenna with reduced side lobes comprising the following steps:

providing four dipole antennas, wherein each dipole antenna comprises two conductive elements and a feed point disposed between the two conductive elements;

positioning the four dipole antennas such that the conductive elements of each of the four dipole antennas are disposed in an x-y plane of an x-y-z mutually orthogonal axes coordinate system, wherein a spacing between the feed points of the dipole elements positioned on the x-y plane is adjustable to reduce the side lobes, wherein the dipole antennas are substantially parallel with the x-axis and the x-y plane is substantially parallel with a ground plane that is common to the four dipole antennas and is separated from the x-y plane by a distance h that is less than or equal to 1/10 the wavelength (λ) of an operating frequency; and

positioning the feed points of the four dipole antennas on the x-y plane at approximately (x, 0), (−x, 0), (0, y), and (0, −y).

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the operating frequency is within the high frequency (HF) range.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the operating frequency is within the very low frequency (VLF) spectrum.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein a spacing between the feed points of the dipole elements positioned on the x-y plane at approximately (x, 0), (−x, 0) is adjustable from λ/2 to λ, and a spacing between the feed points of the dipole elements positioned on the x-y plane at approximately (0, y) and (0, −y) is adjustable from of λ/1000 to λ, such that the value x is within the range of λ/4 to λ/2, and the value y is within the range of λ/2000 to λ/2.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein h is within the range of λ/10 to λ/10000.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising the steps of: applying a phase of θ to the dipole antenna at (−x, 0); and applying a phase of −θ to the dipole antenna at (x, 0) such that an antenna pattern of the NVIS antenna is redirected along the x-axis.

20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of operating at least one of the dipole antennas below resonance (shorter than ½ λ) and wherein the NVIS antenna further comprises a matching network.