how much is the toolbox dependent upon the 'recommended' support toolboxes ?

Am considering using matlab, with the Antenna toolbox, to design and analyze an array of conical log-periodic spirals for low (somewhere between 500-5000 MHz) microwave frequency use. I see in the documentation that Mathworks recommends that the Antenna toolbox be used with the RF tookbox and the Phased Array System toolbox installed. In turns those two toolboxes require the Communication System, the DSP Systems and the Signal Processing toolboxes, which in turn require at least another level of support. This cascade turns a prima facie 1850 USD purchase price into a ~ 15000 USD expenditure. Question to current users of the Antenna toolbox is: how really 'needed' are those support toolboxes? have you been able to get useful, meaningful work out of the standalone Antenna toolbox?

Answer 1

[Honglei Chen]

If it's a recommended product, it means that you don't have to have it. But you may need it depending on your application or workflow. For example, here is my understanding regarding Antenna Toolbox and Phased Array System Toolbox.

Antenna Toolbox has a method of moments solver so when it analyzes an antenna/antenna array, it takes the computational electromagnetics approach. It provides analysis on things like impedance, return loss, etc.

On the other hand, Phased Array System Toolbox uses the linear superposition approach to combine element responses to produce the total array response. In addition, Phased Array System Toolbox provide system level simulation capability. You can actually use it to generate I/Q data and derive metrics like SNR.

The two can work together. For example, you can use Antenna Toolbox to generate an element pattern from an infinite array and then insert it into a large array crated in Phased Array System Toolbox to perform simulation and analysis.

HTH