In this article, I will cover the design of a device capable of automatically determining the origin of an RF signal using RF opaque material and other very affordable hardware. Unlike using a Yagi-Uda antenna, which has very narrow bandwidth, this design permits operation on a massive frequency range. This makes it suitable for also detecting bugs and other nefarious RF devices. Additionally, since it was designed for tracking drones, it is well suited to identifying the location of moving objects.

Here I will introduce a cost-effective design for an active electronically scanned array phased antenna system (the type used in modern fighter jets). A typical AESA has an RF transceiver at every element in the phased array (which number thousands). My design provides all the same benefits as an AESA, while utilizing just a single transceiver. This reduces the overall cost of the system and allows for specialized enhancement of the RF front end, which is not possible with a traditional AESA system.

This article will cover a method of generating an arbitrary RF time delay using a demultiplexer and microstrip lines. This is intended to be used in potential phased antenna array designs.