Current flows through multiple vertical and horizontal sections. Their phasing creates a narrow major lobe perpendicular to the array plane.
Antennas · F1SYH
Sterba Curtain
The Sterba Curtain is a large wire array made of rectangular phased cells designed for high gain.
HF
Réseau
Grand gain
Operating principle
Main characteristics
Typical gain
Élevé selon nombre de cellules
Impedance
Variable, ligne symétrique
Polarization
Horizontale
Difficulty
Très avancée
Dimensions and design
Cell dimensions are related to the design wavelength. Cell count largely determines gain and beamwidth.
Construction and tuning
Step 1
Define the centre frequency.
Step 2
Choose the number of cells.
Step 3
Calculate every wire length.
Step 4
Build a frame or multiple supports.
Step 5
Install balanced feed line.
Step 6
Check electrical phase and mechanical symmetry.
Advantages
- High gain.
- High efficiency.
- Relatively narrow beam.
- Wire construction.
Limitations
- Enormous dimensions.
- Many support points.
- Single-band or narrow-band.
- Complex construction and phasing.
History and origin
The Sterba Curtain is named after Ernest J. Sterba and was used for HF broadcasting and long-distance communication.
Safety
A Sterba Curtain places substantial mechanical load on supports and guy wires.