Polarization Switching in Fan-Beam Reflector-Backed Array Antenna

systematic technique for switching between horizontal and vertical polarizations is introduced. A fan-beam antenna array for base station applications employing a grounded reflector is implemented, and the proposed approach is implemented and validated on it. The antenna array is realized using planar monopole elementary elements against a non-parasitic reflector, which yields a desirable fan-beam pattern. The corresponding 3 dB H-plane beamwidth can be easily adjusted by changing the reflector height. Two versions of the antenna arrays are used to demonstrate suppression of unwanted asymmetrical modes in the current distribution yielding improved cross-polar isolation. The measured H-plane 3-dB beamwidth is approximately 127 degrees at 900 MHz and 124 degrees at 955 MHz. The corresponding side lobe level is almost -11.7 dB and -8.7 dB at 900 MHz, while the back lobe level of -9.3 dB and -11 dB at 955 MHz from measurements. The gain is within the acceptable level in both cases and compared with simulations that possess good agreement. By taking into account the antenna design and manufacturing aspects, such antennas will pave the way to be employed in OFDM reconfigurable antenna applications and Identification Friend or Foe (IFF).