Feasibility study of installation of solar panels on a high power HF antenna land

Abstract

In HF broadcasting, the transmitters are typically very powerful. In the case of Turkish Radio and Television (TRT), total transmission average power may reach up to 5 MW. Therefore, it is natural to utilize solar panels as a means of alternative/backup energy for the continuous transmission of RF signal satisfying the requirement of broadcasting. In the TRT HF broadcasting array field, two areas are designated as the candidate areas for solar panel installation. In these areas, electric fields are simulated, measured, and compared. Simulations are done using the Numerical Electromagnetic Code (4nec2). The suitability of the regions for the solar panel installation are evaluated based on the ICNIRP human exposure limits. In addition, 4nec2 simulations are used to see the effect of metal frames of solar panels on the radiation patterns of the short-wave antenna arrays in the two solar panel candidate areas of TRT HF broadcasting station. Simulation results show that metal frames do not seem to have a significant effect on the radiation patterns of the short-wave antenna arrays.