Antenna Array Analysis

A GUI tool for antenna array analysis, built with Electron, TypeScript, and Plotly.js. Pattern calculations are powered by a bundled Python backend using the arraybeam library (included as a git submodule under src/arraybeam/).

Features

Array modes

• Uniform Rectangular — configure horizontal (y) and vertical (z) axes independently: element count (up to 1024), spacing (λ), and window function
• Custom Array — define arbitrary element positions (y, z in λ), amplitude, and phase per element; import from CSV

Window functions (per axis): Square, Chebyshev, Taylor, Hamming, Hann

• Chebyshev / Taylor expose sidelobe level (dB) and number of adjacent sidelobes controls

Beam steering: azimuth and elevation (−90° to +90°)

Element pattern: optional per-element radiation pattern defined as angle/gain (dB) tables for azimuth and/or elevation; importable from CSV

Plot types

• 3D Surface (Az–El–Amplitude)
• 3D Polar Pattern
• 2D Cartesian (cut plane)
• 2D Polar (cut plane, configurable minimum dB)

Export: array configuration and pattern data to CSV

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v18+)
• Python (v3.9+)

Getting Started

1. Clone the repository with submodules:

   git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/rookiepeng/antenna-array-analysis.git

   If you already cloned without --recurse-submodules, initialise the submodule with:

   git submodule update --init

2. Install Node.js dependencies:

   npm install

3. Install Python dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

   (numpy, scipy, and optionally orjson for faster JSON serialisation)

4. Build and run the app:

   npm start

   Or for development (build then launch):

   npm run dev

Building a Distributable

The Python bridge is packaged as a self-contained executable using PyInstaller so end users do not need Python installed.

1. Build the bridge executable:

   python scripts/build_bridge.py

2. Package the Electron app:

   npm run dist

   This produces a Squirrel installer (Windows), DMG (macOS), or AppImage (Linux) under dist/.

Project Structure

src/
  main/         # Electron main process (main.ts, pythonBridge.ts)
  renderer/     # UI — HTML, CSS, TypeScript (Plotly.js)
  python/       # bridge.py — stdin/stdout JSON bridge to arraybeam
  arraybeam/    # arraybeam submodule — Python library for array pattern computation

The main process spawns src/python/bridge.py (development) or the bundled bridge executable (packaged) as a persistent child process. Config is sent as a JSON line on stdin; results are returned as a JSON line on stdout.

Development

Command	Description
npm run build	Compile TypeScript only
npm start	Build + launch Electron
npm run pack	Build + package to unpacked directory
npm run dist	Build + create installer