RF Channel Modeler Design Tab

The Design tab shows all STK objects in the scenario that have one or more attached sensors. For all Sensor objects in your STK scenario, you can use this tab to add and remove transceivers and configure these transceivers.

Adding and removing transceivers

When you select (highlight) a sensor or sensor's transceiver, you can click icons at the top of the panel to implement the following possible options:

Option	Icon	Description
Add Transceiver		Adds a transceiver to a highlighted sensor. Choose from the following types: Communications - for RF networks Radar When the Add Transceiver dialog box appears, click OK to accept the default transceiver name or enter a different name and then click OK. When you add a transceiver in the RF Channel Modeler, it does NOT become an STK scenario object. You can only use it for RF Channel Modeler analysis purposes.
Remove Transceiver		Removes a transceiver that you highlighted.
Rename Transceiver		Clicking this icon enables you to directly edit the name of the transceiver you highlighted.
Copy Transceiver		Copies a transceiver that you highlighted. You can then paste this copied transceiver onto another Sensor object.
Cut Transceiver		Cuts a transceiver that you highlighted.
Paste Transceiver		Pastes a copied or cut transceiver onto a Sensor object that you highlighted.
Design Help		Click this icon to open this STK Help page.

Configuring a Communications transceiver

When you add a Communications transceiver to your RF Channel Modeler design, the plugin creates three branches underneath the transceiver: Antenna, Waveform, and Graphics. You need to provide specifications for these aspects of the transceiver.

Antenna

For the transceiver antenna, click the Antenna branch to specify the following:

Item	Description
Antenna Type	Use the drop-down menu to choose Embedded Element Pattern, Far Field Data Pattern, or Parametric Beam.
HFSS Pattern File	Enter a file path or click Select to browse to and select an HFSS file of a type that matches the antenna type. This does not appear for the Parametric Beam antenna type.
Polarization Type	This only appears if you choose Parametric Beam for Antenna Type. Choose from the following options: Vertical Horizontal RHCP (right-hand circular polarization) LHCP (leftt-hand circular polarization)
Vertical Beam Width (deg)	This only appears if you choose Parametric Beam for Antenna Type. Enter the beam width in degrees for the vertical axis.
Horizontal Beam Width (deg)	This only appears if you choose Parametric Beam for Antenna Type. Enter the beam width in degrees for the horizontal axis.

Waveform

For the transceiver antenna, click the Waveform branch to specify the following parameters for the waveform:

Parameter	Description
RF Channel Frequency	Enter the frequency of the RF channel in GHz.
Channel Bandwidth	Enter the bandwidth of the channel in MHz.
Frequency Samples / Sounding	Enter the number of frequency samples per sounding interval you want for your analysis configuration. You need to have enough frequency samples to capture significant interactions expected from the environment. The general rule of thumb is to set this so that the Unambiguous Channel Distance is 1.5 to 2.0 times the distance from the transmit antenna to the farthest edge of the analysis extent. Remember that the higher this value becomes, the longer will be your processing time.
Sounding Interval	A sounding is a pulse of energy sent from a transmitter. Enter an interval size in microseconds.
Soundings / Analysis Time Step	Enter a value for the number of soundings that occur in one analysis time step.
Complete Simulation Interval	This is a read-only value in milliseconds for the total dwell time.
Unambiguous Channel Delay	This is the number of frequency samples divided by Channel Bandwidth, with no adjustment for spectrum width ambiguities. This is a read-only value in milliseconds.
Unambiguous Channel Distance	This is the Unambiguous Channel Delay multiplied by the speed of light. This is a read-only value in meters.

Graphics

Specify the following STK 3D Graphics window display parameters for the transceiver.

Parameter	Description
Show Sensor Body Axes	Select this check box to have the 3D Graphics window show the axes of the Sensor object that hosts the transceiver.
Enable	Select this check box to have the 3D Graphics window display both the maximum radius and the display range of the transceiver.
Max Radius	When you select the Enable check box, you can then specify the maximum radius of the transceiver in meters.
Display Range	When you select the Enable check box, you can then specify the display range of the transceiver in dB. You must clear the Auto check box to change the value. If you leave the Auto check box selected, then the RF Channel Modeler will apply a calculated value.

Configuring a Radar transceiver

When you add a Radar transceiver to your RF Channel Modeler design, the plugin creates three branches underneath the transceiver: Antenna, Waveform, and Graphics. You need to provide specifications for these aspects of the transceiver.