[hpsdr] PowerSDR v2.2.3.triple_Mercury (K5SO 7NOV2011): digitally steerable antenna arrays

[Joe Martin K5SO]

All,

PowerSDR v2.2.3.triple_Mercury (K5SO 7NOV2011) is available for  
download from

http://www.k5so.com/Triple-Mercury%20Directional%20Steering%20Program.html

This program is a major re-work of the previous triple-Mercury program  
and includes:

1)  user selection of the antenna array type ("equilateral triangle"  
geometry or "in-line" geometry)

2)  a calibration control for array orientations that differ from the  
"default" orientations, "default" orientations are:  in-line =  
antennas along a North-South line with antenna 1 furthest to North;  
equilateral triangle: antenna 1 - antenna 2 along a N-S line with  
antenna 1 furthest North, antenna 3 furthest East

3)  user input for the antenna spacing parameter (in meters) =  
distance between adjacent antennas in your array

4) overall directional steering control and phase/gain controls for  
each non-reference IQ stream

5)  display of the calculated antenna sensitivity pattern on a compass- 
style display that updates when phase, gain, steering, and/or  
frequency settings are changed;  the pattern calculation assumes  
ideal, omnidirectional antennas but will provide useful information  
for any real antenna array (I hope!)

6)  display gain control for the antenna sensitivity pattern

The program should also accurately work with only two Mercury  
receivers and a two-antenna array by setting the gain control of the  
missing third Mercury/antenna to zero on the steering control panel;   
the calculated antenna pattern should be correct under that  
condition.  Further, the program also works as a normal diversity  
program (with nulling) if you happen not to be interested in  
directional steering particularly.

As always, I warmly welcome anyone that's inclined to give it a try  
and provide feedback.  It's very useful to have help in field testing  
such a program.  While I believe that the program is coded properly  
the proof will be in the field tests!   We'll fix it if it's not right!

This program is a significant improvement over my previous attempts to  
create a useful steering program, I'm sure.

73,  Joe K5SO