"Richard Clark" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 7 Jun 2007 20:38:00 +0100, "Mike Kaliski"
wrote:

what do you mean by equilibrium?

I am not certain that I have got it all completely straight in my head,
but
I have taken it to mean that all the elements making up the array and the
array itself are designed to be resonant about a particular frequency.

Hi Mike,

Then I take it by that response that the term equilibrium has no
meaning known to you in the context of antennas.

As
this type of antenna is intended for use with spread spectrum
communications,

Isn't that a bit of interpolation about spread spectrum? Arthur has,
to my knowledge, never used the term anywhere.

control over directivity is probably more of a consideration
than gain.

How do you distinguish directivity from gain?

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC

Richard

As a result of searches into gaussian antennae, it quickly became apparent
that commercial versions of these devices are being manufactured for use at
GHz frequencies. These designs all seem to use modified horns as the
transmitting element. I have not yet found a device made up of discrete
elements. At these sorts of frequencies, discrete element lengths may well
be all pretty much the same dimensions. I suspect equilibrium may not be the
right term to use but resonance is obviously not quite right either. Arthur
may be unwilling to give out too many details of his antenna, perhaps
because he wants to protect any future patent application. I inferred the
spread spectrum usage from the types of communication links that are being
developed for wi-fi and other links at these super high frequencies. I do
not make a distinction between directivity and gain because I believe that
the term 'gaussian' essentially implies a single transmission lobe. Gain may
be obtained at the expense of breaking a transmitted signal into several
highly directional lobes, which is not what is wanted from this antenna. I
would consider the ability to provide a predictabe pattern of signal
coverage more important than the outright range to which the signal could be
broadcast, hence directivity rather than gain. A predictable pattern and
field strength is a useful property in avoiding interference in congested
urban areas with limited spectrum availability. Gaussian distribution may
also be taken as applying to the way in which the antenna can deal with a
range of frequencies, although this applies to pretty much any antenna,
filter or other resonant circuit you might care to mention.

Arts' antenna may be built and may perform as he predicts. If it doesn't
then we will all have learned from the experience whatever the outcome. That
is the principle of scientific advancement. The way that patent law deals
with prior disclosure of an invention, leads to a great deal of vague
terminology and description being used when an inventor is sounding out new
ideas. I'm sure we would all prefer to be given precise component values and
dimensions, but it appears that this is just not possible or advisable until
a patent is registered.

Regards

Mike G0ULI