Investigation of a Microstrip Circularly Polarized Antenna Array

An 8-element microstrip antenna array with circular polarization, excited by a traveling wave in a planar TEM waveguide, is proposed. A comparative analysis of modeling and experimental results for an 8 -element antenna array is presented. This study presents a detailed comparison of simulation and experimental results, with the prototype optimized for the 5.8 GHz frequency range. The research includes calculated and measured data on gain (approximately $\mathbf{1 0 ~ d B i}$), beamwidth, and polarization characteristics, highlighting a simple yet effective design. The approach offers the advantage of reduced complexity by eliminating power dividers, though it is limited by a narrow operating bandwidth (up to $1 \%$ of the center frequency), where polarization integrity is maintained. The design’s high directivity and rapid polarization loss off-axis enhance security and localization accuracy, making it suitable for military and UAV applications.