Design of hexagonal antenna array with patch slots for satellite communication systems

Mobile satellite communication terminals are fast growing commercial market for maritime, aeronautical, and land-mobile applications. As a result, there is significant increase in the demand for lightweight, low profile and steerable antennas, capable of tracking the satellite. This paper present, a hexagonal patch array antenna with loading of slots to enhance the radiation gain without increasing the patch size, at Ku band with 14.5GHz resonant frequency. The 1x2 and 2x2 hexagonal patch antenna arrays with slots has voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) which are less than (<) 1.5, and gain of 9.15dB and 11.5dB respectively. While, the feeding network is optimized for the best impedance match to a 50 Omega coaxial feeding line. Simulation results shows that the directivity, gain and efficiency increases with the slots.