Can anyone give me some information about phased array antennas... Can you simplify the concept behind them? I've seen the wiki pages and all... Just looking for a simplified explanation in terms of high school physics...

Question

anonymous · Answer

A phased-array antenna uses multiple antennas. Each of these pick up a slightly different signal. By doing some signal processing, signals from certain directions can be cancelled out. It is related to the interference of waves (e.g. sound waves). Depending on the phases of the waves, two waves can either cancel each other out or even amplify each other. (see for example http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interference_%28wave_propagation%29 )