SDR-based Psuedo-Doppler AoA Estimation for Low Duty Cycle Transmitters

Abstract

Pseudo-Doppler (PD) is a powerful technique for Angle of Arrival (AoA) estimation for single-channel systems. In the application of collared animal tracking considered within, the VHF transmitting beacon is enabled for a very low duty cycle such as 2 percent. This low duty cycle presents several unique design challenges that are addressed in the revised PD algorithm. PD is then implemented using the LimeMini-SDR for a four-element antenna array. The resulting system delivers accurate AoA estimates for duty cycles approaching 1 percent.