REFSYN REFSYNREFSYN is a computer program designed to output the surface coordinates of a reflector which is shaped in one dimension to provide a specified radiation pattern in one plane. Typical uses are the shaping of an offset reflector to provide cosecant squared coverage in the elevation plane. The program is based on the work of Dunbar and others ([1] to [3]) and carries out an optimisation process on the shape to obtain the best fit results.
The input is a prepared data file based on a reflector of a given focal length and the output is a data file giving the (X, Y, Z) coordinates of the reflector surface. This output datafile may be input directly to GRASP4 or GRASP6 [4] in either free or fixed format. Input into REFLECT is also provided.
Typical runtime is less than one minute on a PENTIUM II machine (200 MHz).
Errors and inconsistencies in the input file are trapped and logged. Facilities are available for a diagnostic file in which the iteration and convergence of the calculations can be inspected. Graphics are provided for the input data (required output pattern, input feed data and parent paraboloid) and the output surface which is presented in various ways, such as cuts in the plane of shaping and isometric views of the shaped paraboloid. Good agreement has been obtained when reflectors are built using these results [5].
REFSYN is available on these platforms.
An example of a worked problem with graphical presentation of the input and output data can be inspected.