Patent Publication Number: US-6342870-B1

Title: Antenna frame structure mounting and alignment

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is related to co-pending and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/740,332, entitled “System and Method for Broadband Millimeter Wave Data Communications” filed Nov. 7, 1996, concurrently filed, co-pending and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. [47571-P008US-974010], entitled “Millimeter Wave Front End” and concurrently filed, co-pending and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. [47571-P010US-986399], entitled “Polarization Plate”, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates generally to the deployment of antennas and more specifically to systems and methods adapted to allow for the modular mounting and adjustment of a plurality of antennas in order to provide desired radiation pattern coverage. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is often desirable to utilize wireless links in order to provide communication of information including voice and data. Accordingly wireless communication infrastructure has been deployed for such communication systems as cellular telephony and point to point microwave data links. However, as the demand for wireless communication increases, the available spectrum, i.e., the frequencies available for wireless communication, must be more wisely utilized. 
     Accordingly, communication systems have utilized directional antenna arrangements in order to limit the propagation of radio frequency energy to substantially within an area of interest, i.e., providing directional antenna beams in a predetermined pattern to illuminate only a desired geographic area with any particular wireless signal. However, such prior art solutions are typically large arrangements of antennas and support structure and do not lend themselves to simple adjustment of individual antenna beams and/or replacement of antennas. For example, such prior art structures often utilize the antennas themselves, such as broadside panel array antennas, as a portion of the structure in order to provide strength and rigidity without adding weight to the top of a mast. Accordingly, replacement of one such panel often results in the need to re-adjust other ones of the antenna panels. Accordingly, replacement and/or adjustment of any such antenna panel is often very complicated. 
     Moreover, such solutions relying on the antennas themselves to provide structural support prevent a particular deployment from initially including less than all possible antenna panels, such as when demand for the particular wireless service has not yet developed, and later populating the structure with additional antenna panels as demand increases. 
     As demand for wireless communication increases, it may be desired to provide additional radiation patterns in which to establish wireless links, i.e., narrower antenna beams to provide additional communication channels or better reuse of channels and/or additional antenna beams, such as overlapping antenna beams, in order to provide more capacity. However, often times the prior art antenna structures are adapted for a particular antenna arrangement or structure and cannot be easily adapted for additional or differently configured antennas. For example, prior art structures generally are not adapted to accept the addition of antennas in order to provide increased capacity. 
     Accordingly a need in the art exists for a mounting structure which allows the simplified installation, removal, and replacement of antennas associated therewith. A further need exists in the art for the mounting structure to provide for the expansion of communication capacity though the modular addition of communication equipment thereto. A still further need exists in the art for such a mounting structure to be compact in size in order to allow for its deployment in a number of environments, including environments where space and/or weight are limited. A yet further need exists in the art for the mounting structure to be adapted so as to accommodate a variety of commonly available masts or other support structure. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These and other objects, features and technical advantages are achieved by a system and method which utilizes a base adapted to easily accept communication equipment, such as transceiver equipment and/or their associated antennas, for deployment in a wireless communication system. According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the base provides a platform from which antennas may be adjustably and removably deployed in order to provide communications within a selected area. For example, the base of the preferred embodiment may be deployed only partially populated with antenna modules, wherein the antenna beams are directed only at geographic areas currently desirous of wireless communication services. Thereafter, additional antenna modules may be added to the base to service additional wireless subscribers. The addition of antenna modules may include deploying antenna modules such that their beams do not substantially overlap in order to provide wireless communication within an expanded geographic area and/or deploying antenna modules such that their beams substantially overlap in order to provide additional communication capacity within the geographic areas already covered. 
     The base includes adaptation for mounting to commonly available structure, such as the commonly available 4.5 inch antenna mast. Moreover, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, adaption of the base for mounting is adjustable in order to accommodate a variety of such commonly available structures. Preferably, the base mounting includes coarse adjustment means to allow a rough selection of the azimuthal orientation of the base to be made and a fine adjustment means to allow the selection of azimuthal orientation to be selected with precision. 
     Additionally, support structure may be provided for the deployment of electronics associated with the antenna modules utilized according to the present invention. For example, in a preferred embodiment, the aforementioned base mounting includes adaptation to receive associated electronics such as a multiplexer/demultiplexer utilized in reducing the number of cables required to communicate signals up and down the antenna mast. 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes predefined mounting positions adapted to removably accept the aforementioned antenna modules. Accordingly, both the addition of antenna modules as well as their removal and replacement are simplified as each antenna position is discrete from a next and is in a predetermined and fixed correct azimuth orientation relative to the base. Moreover, the base is preferably adapted to removably accept multiple tiers of antenna modules, i.e., an upper and lower tier of antenna modules, thus allowing a larger number of antenna modules to be deployed in less space azimuthally. 
     In order to removably accept the antenna modules according to the preferred embodiment, a docking assembly coupling the antenna module to the base is preferably used. In the preferred embodiment, the docking assembly includes coarse adjustment means to allow a rough selection of attitude or elevation of the antenna modules to be made and a fine adjustment means to allow the selection of attitude or elevation to be selected with precision. 
     The docking assembly of the preferred embodiment is suitable for use in attaching antenna modules in any tier of the base. Accordingly, a single common structure may be utilized for coupling antenna modules to the base of the present invention regardless of their position. Such an adaptation allows for a common spare assembly to be utilized in populating and replacing any antenna module utilized according to the present invention. Moreover, the preferred embodiment of the docking assembly is adapted for use in mounting subscriber antenna modules deployed at the other end of a wireless link associated with the hub. Accordingly, additional economics are realized from the use of the docking assembly. 
     The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of an antenna base according to the present invention; 
     FIGS. 2A and 2C show a mounting shoulders adapted for simplified coarse azimuthal adjustment and for simplified coarse elevational adjustment depending upon a plane in which they are disposed according to preferred embodiments of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3A shows the interfacing of antenna modules to the antenna base of FIG. 1; 
     FIGS. 3B and 3C show a portion of a docking assembly having alternative embodiments of fine adjustment mechanics thereon; 
     FIGS. 4A and 4B show the antenna base of FIG. 1 fully populated with antenna modules; and 
     FIGS. 5A through 5C show illustrative radiation patterns achievable with the base of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Directing attention to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of a base adapted according to the present invention is shown generally as base  100 . Base  100  includes base plate  101  held to mast  140  by mounting plate  130 . 
     Base plate  101  is adapted to removably accept antenna modules according to the present invention. Accordingly, the preferred embodiment of base plate  101  includes a plurality of sets of mounting holes disposed therein, including mounting hole sets  102   a-   102   c  and  103   a-   103   c.    
     It shall be appreciated that each set of mounting holes is positioned in base plate  101  such that coupling of an antenna unit through the use of a mounting hole set positions the antenna module in a selected azimuthal position in relationship to base plate  101 . Accordingly, ones of the mounting hole sets may be disposed in base plate  101  such that antenna modules coupled thereby have a different azimuthal orientation than other ones of the antenna modules coupled to base plate  101  by different mounting hole sets. Therefore, antenna modules having directional antenna beams associated therewith, may be deployed to provide substantially non-overlapping antenna beams and thus illuminate a broader area about mast  140 . 
     Likewise, ones of the mounting hole sets may be disposed in base plate  101  such that antenna modules coupled thereby have substantially a same azimuthal orientation as other ones of the antenna modules coupled to base plate  101  by different mounting hole sets. As such, antenna modules may be deployed to provide overlapping antenna beams and thus provide added signal communication within a same area about mast  140 . 
     In the preferred embodiment base plate  101  is adapted to accept multiple tiers of antenna modules. Accordingly, ones of the mounting hole sets, e.g., mounting hole sets  102   a-   102   c , may be associated with antenna modules of a first tier and other ones of the mounting hole sets, e.g., mounting hole sets  103   a-   103   c , may be associated with antenna modules of a second tier. It shall be appreciated, by providing multiple tiers of antenna modules, that base  100  of the present invention may occupy less space horizontally in accommodating a desired number of antenna modules, although still being adapted to provide communication within a desired geographic area. 
     Although described with reference to mounting holes, it shall be appreciated that the coupling of antenna modules to base plate  101  is not so limited. Any number of available mounting apparatus suitable for fixedly holding antenna modules to base plate  101  in a desired orientation may be utilized according to the present invention. For example, pins (not shown) protruding from base plate  101  corresponding to receivers disposed in docling assemblies of the antenna modules may be utilized if desired. Likewise, base plate  101  may include a receiver, such as a slide channel (not shown), adapted to accept a portion of the aforementioned docking assembly. 
     Mounting plate  130  of the preferred embodiment is adapted to fixedly attach to mast  140 , such as through the use of “U” fasteners  150 . In order to more securely interface with mast  140 , the preferred embodiment of mounting plate  130  includes mast grove  134 . Mast grove  134  may include striations, or other surface irregularities, in order to more firmly grip a smooth mast surface, if desired. 
     Although shown attached to mast  140 , it shall be appreciated that the base of the present invention may be coupled to any number of support structures. For example, mounting plate  130  may include a horizontal grove, perpendicular to mast grove  134 , in addition to or in the alternative to mast grove in order to couple mounting plate  130  to a horizontal structure. Accordingly, mounting plate may be coupled to a horizontal strut of an antenna tower cross member or a cat walk, such as through the use of “U” fasteners  150  deployed orthogonally to their positioning shown in FIG.  1 . Additionally, or alternatively, mounting plate  130  may include various mounting holes, clips, ridges or the like in order to easily attach to a number of structures, such as walls, expanded metal fabrics, roofs, or the like. Moreover, various adaptions of mounting plate  130  may be provided for coupling to base plate  101  depending on a particular support structure to be associated therewith. 
     Base plate  101  is preferably adjustably coupled to mounting plate  130 , such as through use of shoulder  110  of base plate  101  and shoulder  131  of mounting plate  130 . Accordingly, by placing shoulder  110  in juxtaposition with shoulder  131  and retaining the shoulders in a desired position, such as through adjustment of fastener  111 , base plate  101  may be disposed on a desired position within a range of positions and held firmly once so disposed. For example, although mounting plate  130  may be securely attached to mast  140  with shoulder  131  having a particular azimuthal positioning, base plate  101  may be adjusted azimuthally between a range of positions available with the particular azimuthal position of shoulder  131  and held in a selected azimuthal position by tightening fastener  111 , thus providing a desired framing of the antenna modules disposed thereon. 
     Accordingly, coarse azimuthal adjustment of base plate  101  is readily provided for by base  100  of the preferred embodiment. Moreover, as the mounting hole sets of the preferred embodiment are positioned in base plate  101  such that coupling of an antenna unit through the use of a mounting hole set positions the antenna module in a selected azimuthal position in relationship to base plate  101 , coarse azimuthal adjustment of base plate  101  according to the preferred embodiment also provides for coarse adjustment of the antenna modules disposed thereon. 
     Base plate  101  and/or mounting plate  130  may be adapted to simplify coarse azimuthal adjustment such as by providing graduation markings to assist in determining an amount of azimuthal offset the position of mounting plate  130  and base plate  101  or to provide preselected increments in azimuthal adjustment. For example, directing attention to FIG. 2A, shoulder  110  of base plate  101  and shoulder  131  of mounting plate  130  are shown having graduation markings and associated indicator. Specifically, shoulder  110  includes tine  201  corresponding to graduations  202  of shoulder  131 . Accordingly, as base plate  101  is adjusted azimuthally, tine  201  will be directed toward a particular portion of graduations  202  indicating the particular amount of azimuthal offset of base plate  101  with respect to mounting plate  130 . 
     Additionally or alternatively shoulders  110  and  131 , corresponding to shoulders  210  and  231  of FIGS. 2B and 2C respectively, may include wards (ridges or notches)  211  and  220 , shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C respectively, in their mating surfaces. Wards  211  and  220  may be disposed in shoulders  110  and  131  such that, when shoulders  110  and  131  are placed in juxtaposition with their mating surfaces in communication, wards  211  and  220  interface. Accordingly, by disposing wards  211  and  220  such that their spacing is associated with a desired incremental azimuthal adjustment, a particular amount of azimuthal offset may be selected through stepping base plate  101  through adjustment positions associated with the affirmative interfacing of wards  211  and  220 . 
     Having described the coarse adjustment of base plate  101 , and thus the coarse adjustment of antenna modules disposed thereon according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it should be appreciated that a more precise adjustment of this azimuthal positioning may often be desired. For example, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, base  100  is utilized to dispose a plurality of point to multi-point millimeter wave antenna modules at a centralized communication hub as shown in detail in the above referenced patent application entitled “System and Method for Broadband Millimeter Wave Data Communications.” Such a system may provide information communication to a plurality of communication nodes or subscriber units, ones of which are in communication with a particular one of the plurality of antenna modules disposed at the communication hub, located miles away from base  100 . Accordingly, in order to provide a proper antenna beam for communication with a particular communication node and another such antenna beam for communication with another communication node, it may be necessary to provide precise azimuthal adjustment of base  100 . 
     Therefore, a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a fine azimuthal adjustment mechanism. Directing attention again to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of a fine azimuthal adjustment mechanism is shown including shoulder  120  of base plate  101 , shoulder  132  of mounting plate  130 , and turnbuckle  121  disposed there between. Accordingly, framing of the antenna modules disposed upon base plate  101  may be adjusted, such as ±10°, by adjusting turnbuckle  121 . Therefore, once a coarse azimuthal position of base plate  101  is selected by the aforementioned offset of base plate  101  and mounting plate  130  and adjusting fastener  111 , fine azimuthal positioning may be selected by adjusting turnbuckle  121 . 
     Of course, the fine azimuthal adjustment mechanism of the present invention may be embodied in any number of forms in addition to or in the alternative to turnbuckle  121  of FIG. 1, if desired. For example a screw and stopper or screw and pin assembly may be utilized to provide finely adjustable biasing of base plate  101  with respect to mounting plate  130 . Likewise, a cam having an eccentric associated therewith may be rotatably coupled to base plate  101  or mounting plate  130  in order to allow fine selection of an offset through rotation of the cam by a follower of mounting plate  130  or base plate  101 , respectively engaging the eccentric. 
     It shall be appreciated that shoulder  120  is disposed at a distal end of base plate  101 . Preferably, shoulder  132  is disposed at a position on mounting plate  130  corresponding to the position of shoulder  120  on base plate  101 . Accordingly, turnbuckle  121  may be provided with a sufficient amount of leverage to very securely hold a desired relative position of base plate  101 , and thus a desired frame of the associated antenna modules, even in the extreme conditions associated with such antenna systems deployment, such as high windage conditions. In the embodiment of mounting plate  130  shown in FIG. 1, the portion of mounting plate  130  associated with disposing shoulder  132  at a position corresponding to the placement of shoulder  120  is adapted to provide additional mounting area. For example, this area of mounting plate  130  may be adapted to receive electronic equipment such as a multiplexer/demultiplexer as shown in FIG. 4A Of course, where such additional mounting area is not desired or where sufficient rigidity of the mounting of base plate  101  to mounting plate  130  is achievable with the fine azimuthal adjustment mechanism of the present invention may be disposed at a location different than shown in FIG. 1, such as at a position more near mast  140 . For example, a preferred embodiment of mounting plate  103  does not provide a mounting surface for additional electronics but rather relies upon “U” bolts or other techniques to mount such additional electronics to mast  140  and shown in FIG.  4 B. 
     Base plate  101  may include adaptation in order to provide a more ridged platform upon which to deploy directional antennas. For example, in order to avoid flexing of base plate  101 , and thus to provide a very solid base upon which directional antennas which may be utilized to communicate over great distances may be deployed, even in the extreme conditions associated with such antenna systems deployment, base plate  101  may be provided with lip  104  or other structure to provide strength to base plate  101 . 
     Directing attention to FIG. 3A, a preferred embodiment of docking assemblies utilized in interfacing antenna modules, such as antenna modules  300 , to base plate  101  are shown generally as docking assemblies  310 . Accordingly, antenna modules, which may include a transceiver portion  301 , such as is shown in detail in the above referenced patent application entitled “Millimeter Wave Front End,” and directional antenna portion  302 , which may be coupled to transceiver portion  301  through a polarization adaptor such as shown in detail in the above referenced patent application entitled “Polarization Plate” in order to allow the use of various polarizations with the illustrated equipment, may be deployed to provide communication within desired areas about mast  140 . 
     Antenna modules  300  may be deployed at various positions on base plate  101 , corresponding with ones of the mounting hole sets provided therein, in order that each antenna module may have a particular desired azimuthal orientation with respect to base plate  101 . For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, antenna modules  300  may be deployed in an upper tier position and a lower tier position. Moreover, antenna modules  300  may be deployed at one of any number of positions associated with either the upper tier or lower tier. However, it should be appreciated that, regardless of the tier and particular tier location at which an antenna module is deployed, the docking assemblies are the same, thus allowing for economies to be realized through their use. Moreover, in the preferred embodiment the transceiver assemblies and antennas so deployed are also the same regardless of the tier and particular tier location at which they are deployed, as is discussed in further detail in the above referenced patent application entitled “Polarization Plate,” in order to provide further economy. 
     In order to provide communications within a desired area, it may be desired to provide a particular antenna with a desired amount of elevational adjustment, i.e., down-tilt or up-tilt. Accordingly, the preferred embodiment of docking assembly  310  includes base  311  adjustably coupled to support  313 , such as through use of shoulder  312  of base  311  and shoulder  314  of support  313 , to provide elevational adjustment such as by ±30 degrees in elevation from horizontal. Accordingly, by placing shoulder  312  in juxtaposition with shoulder  314  and retaining the shoulders in a desired position, such as through adjustment of fastener  315 , docking assembly  310  may be adjusted to a desired position within a range of positions and held firmly once adjusted. For example, although base plate  101  may provide a platform substantially parallel to a surface to be illuminated by the radiation patterns of an antenna disposed thereon, an end of antenna module  301  may be adjusted elevationally between a range of positions and held in a selected elevation orientation by tightening fastener  315 . Accordingly, coarse elevational adjustment of antenna module  300  is readily provided for by docking assembly  310  of the preferred embodiment. 
     Base  311  and/or support  313  may be adapted to simplify coarse elevation adjustment as is described above with respect to coarse adjustment of the offset of base plate  101 . For example, shoulders  312  and  314  may be adapted as shoulders  210  and  231  shown in FIG.  2 . Accordingly, shoulder  312  of base  311  and shoulder  314  of support  313  may include graduation markings and associated indicator. Therefore, as support  313  is adjusted elevationally, a tine may be directed toward a particular portion of the graduations, thus indicating the particular amount of elevation adjustment associated with the docking assembly. 
     Additionally or alternatively shoulders  312  and  314  may include wards (ridges or notches) in their mating surfaces, such as those shown for shoulders  210  and  231  of FIGS. 2B and 2C. These wards may be disposed in shoulders  312  and  314  such that, when shoulders  312  and  314  are placed in juxtaposition with their mating surfaces in communication, the wards interface. Accordingly, by disposing the wards such that their spacing is associated with a desired incremental elevation adjustment, a particular amount of elevation adjustment may be selected through stepping support  313  through adjustment positions associated with the affirmative interfacing of the wards. A preferred embodiment of wards utilized with shoulders  312  and  314  provide for incremental elevation adjustment of 5°. 
     Having described the coarse adjustment of docking assembly, and thus the coarse adjustment of an antenna module disposed thereon according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it should be appreciated that a more precise adjustment of this elevation positioning may often be desired. For example, in order to provide a proper antenna beam for communication with a particular communication node, it may be necessary to provide precise elevation adjustment of docking assembly  310 . 
     Accordingly, a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a fine elevation adjustment mechanism. Directing attention to again to FIG. 3A, a preferred embodiment of a fine elevation adjustment mechanism is shown as a screw and stopper assembly including screw  316 . This assembly is shown in more detail in FIG.  3 B. As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 3B, a threaded portion  352  of screw  316  is threaded through retainer  350  of support  313  such that a distal end of screw  316  abuts a surface of transceiver  301  to provide for elevation adjustment of the antenna module, such as by as much as several degrees, by turning screw  316 . Therefore, once a coarse elevation orientation of antenna module  300  is selected, by loosening screws  351  and adjusting fastener  315 , fine elevation positioning may be selected by adjusting screw  316 . 
     Of course, as with the fine azimuthal adjustment mechanism discussed above, the fine elevation adjustment mechanism of the present invention may be embodied in any number of forms in addition to or in the alternative to the screw and stopper assembly of FIG. 3, if desired. For example a turnbuckle assembly may be utilized to provide finely adjustable biasing of antenna module  300 . Likewise, a cam having an eccentric associated therewith may be rotatably coupled to base  311  or support  313  in order to allow fine selection of an elevation offset through rotation of the cam. 
     One such alternative embodiment is shown in FIG. 3C wherein screw  316  is adapted to include engagement ring  354 . Accordingly, threaded portion  352  of screw  316  may be threaded through retainer  350  of support  313  while engagement ring  354  engagement pin  355  affixed to transcriber  301 . Although a detent is shown in transcriber  301  to receive engagement ring  354  and to hold pin  355 , no such adaptation of transcriber  301  is necessary according to the present invention. For example, pin  355  may be a “J” or a “U” shaped pin or otherwise adapted to extend below a bottom surface of transceiver  301  and engage engagement ring  354 , if desired. 
     Preferably, docking assembly  310  is adapted for easy coupling and decoupling of antenna modules to base  100  in order to allow for simplified deployment and/or replacement of antenna modules once deployed. Accordingly, the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 3A includes key slots corresponding to the placement of the mounting holes of mounting hole sets. This arrangement allows fasteners, such as screws, to be disposed in particular ones on the mounting hole sets and to accept or release the docking assembly, and thus the antenna module, without requiring removal of the fasteners. Of course, as mentioned above, the present invention is not limited to the use of mounting hole sets and, therefore, corresponding fasteners. For example, base  311  may include flanges (not shown) corresponding to a slide channel disposed on base plate  101 , adapted to slidably accept the aforementioned docking assembly. 
     The preferred embodiment of docking assembly  310  is also useful for mounting subscriber unit transceivers and their adjustment to provide a wireless link with a hub antenna. Accordingly, a plate assembly adapted to accept a single subscriber unit transceiver may be used with docking assembly  310  and a subscriber transceiver unit. Additionally, or alternatively, a mounting plate adapted to fasten to structure, such as poles, horizontal members, roofs, walls, or even desktops or window stools may be coupled to docking assembly for use at a subscriber site. 
     It shall be appreciated that, although a preferred embodiment of the present invention is adapted such that each individual antenna module may be separately adjusted elevationally, alternative embodiments adapted to provide for the elevational adjustment of multiple ones of the antenna modules may be utilized according to the present invention. For example, an alternative embodiment of the present invention includes adaptation for elevationally adjusting, i.e., tilting, of base plate  101  to provide for simultaneous elevation adjustment of all antenna modules disposed thereon. Accordingly, an elevational adjustment mechanism, such as the aforementioned shoulders  312  and  314 , may be disposed between base plate  101  and mounting plate  130  to allow for its tilting from horizontal in addition to or in the alternative to the azimuthal adjustment described above. Additionally or alternatively, the docking assembly of the present invention may be adapted to couple to a plurality of transceivers and/or antennas, such as to allow multiple transceivers, each having a particular communication channel, polarization, radiation pattern, or the like associated therewith, to be simultaneously adjusted elevationally. 
     However, it shall be appreciated that individual adjustment of the antenna modules, as described with respect to the preferred embodiment above, may be desired. For example, where the antenna modules, having a different azimuthal orientation, are utilized to provide substantially non-overlapping radiation patterns to illuminate a desired geographic area, simultaneous adjusting multiple ones of the modules by adjusting a common base (either base plate or docking assembly) may cause undesired results in the radiation patterns. Specifically, where a base plate is tilted which is associated with antenna modules providing six non-overlapping 16° antenna beams resulting in approximately a 90° field of view, beams associated with antenna modules disposed more near the middle of the base plate, those substantially co-axial with the elevation adjustment mechanism, will be foreshortened with respect to beams associated with antenna modules disposed more near the outer edges of the base plate, those less co-axial with the elevation adjustment mechanism. 
     Likewise, it shall be appreciated that, although a preferred embodiment of the present invention is adapted such that all antenna modules are simultaneously adjusted azimuthally, alternative embodiments adapted to provide separated adjustment of ones of the antenna modules may be utilized according to the present invention. For example, an alternative embodiment may include arced portions of a key slot of the docking assembly in order to allow the lateral movement of at least one end thereof and, thus, adjustment of the azimuthal orientation of the associated antenna module. Similarly, shoulders adapted for azimuthal adjustment, similar to those described above with respect to base plate  101  and mounting plate  130 , may be provided on docking assembly  310  to allow for the azimuthal adjustment of antenna modules associated therewith. 
     Directing attention to FIG. 4A, the preferred embodiment base  100  of FIG. 1 is shown fully populated with antenna modules  402   a-   402   c  of the lower tier, removably coupled utilizing mounting hole sets  102   a-   102   c  respectively, and antenna modules  403   a-   403   c  of the upper tier, removably coupled utilizing mounting hole sets  103   a-   103   c . Also shown is multiplexer  401  coupled to mounting plate  130  providing manipulation of communication signals in addition to that of antenna modules  402   a-   402   c  and  403   a-   403   c.    
     Where each of the antenna modules of FIG. 4A provide a 16° antenna beam and mounting hole sets  102   a-   102   c  and  103   a-   103   c  are disposed so as to provide approximately 15° between antenna beams, an approximately 90° composite radiation pattern is formed from the six substantially non-overlapping antenna beams. This radiation pattern is illustrated as composite pattern  501  in FIG.  5 A. 
     Moreover, by disposing multiple ones of base  100  about mast  140  additional geographic areas may be provided with communication. For example, two bases  100  may be deployed such that 180° of coverage is provided such as by composite pattern  501  associated with a first fully populated base of the present invention and composite pattern  502  associated with a second fully populated base of the present invention as shown in FIG.  5 B. Additionally, or alternatively, additional coverage may be provided by provided such as by adjusting antenna modules elevationally. For example, FIG. 5C shows two bases of the present invention wherein antenna modules of each base are adjusted to provide a different outboard reach from mast  140 . 
     Of course, although discussed above with respect to antenna modules of different bases, it shall be appreciated that the antenna modules of a single base may be adjusted to provide coverage other than the above described substantially non-overlapping coverage. For example, antenna modules having approximately 30° antenna beams associated therewith may be adjusted to provide the 90° azimuthal concentric coverage of FIG.  5 C. Specifically, the antennas of the upper tier of base  100  may be elevationally adjusted to provide a greater outboard reach than the antennas of the lower tier of base  100 . 
     It shall be appreciated that although the above examples have been described with respect to a fully populated base providing 90° of coverage, there is no such limitation to the present invention. For example, where the aforementioned 16° antenna beams are desired, concentric radiation patterns may be formed as described above wherein each composite concentric radiation pattern is approximately 45° through proper orientation of mounting hole sets  102   a-   102   c  and  103   a-   103   c.    
     Likewise, the base plate of the present invention is not limited to receiving six antenna modules. Depending upon the size of the antenna modules and the size of the desired base plate, a base according to the present invention may be provided which accepts any desired number of antenna modules and in any relationship to the other antenna modules. 
     Of course, the base of the present invention is not limited to the two tiers of antenna modules described and, therefore, is fully scalable and may include any number of tiers desired. For example, a single tier of antenna modules may be used to provide communication, such as where deployment of the antenna modules utilized would not benefit from reduced horizontal space utilization. Similarly, more than two tiers may be provided in a base, such as by coupling multiple base plates to a single mounting plate, such as to provide increased capacity associated with overlapping antenna beams of ones of the tiers. 
     It shall be appreciated that the base of the present invention provides a platform which may be deployed only partially populated, in order to serve a present demand for wireless communication services. Subsequently the base may be populated with antenna modules as needed to serve growing demand for wireless communication services. Accordingly, the present invention provides an economical system and method for deploying a wireless communication system, such as a point to multi-point system. Moreover, as the base of the present invention is itself modular, structure sufficient to deploy an ultimately desired number of antenna modules may be deployed in phases. For example, a first partially populated base may be deployed to service an immediate need. Thereafter, as wireless communications are desired in an area outside the area of coverage associated with the first base, a second partially populated base may be deployed. Subsequently each of these bases may be fully populated as capacity so demands. Thereafter, additional increases in capacity may be served through deploying additional bases having an overlapping field of view with the first and/or second bases. 
     As the antenna modules are modular, the present invention provides for simplified servicing. Specifically, a damaged or malfunctioning antenna module may be easily and quickly replaced with a standard component as needed. 
     Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.