# Lesson 6 — Antenna Patterns and Beamforming

<p class="block-synopsis">How an antenna's pattern decides what the radar sees and from where — main lobe, side lobes, and the back lobe — plus the beamforming and electronically scanned arrays that steer a beam in microseconds, and why side lobes are the EW back door.</p>

<div class="block-toc">
  <a class="bt-card bt-reading" href="L06_AntennaPatternsAndBeamforming_Reading.html">
    <span class="bt-kind">Reading</span>
    <h4>Antenna Patterns and Beamforming</h4>
    <p>Pattern anatomy, HPBW and SLL, the gain/aperture/beamwidth rules, beam steering, and ESA/AESA.</p>
  </a>
  <a class="bt-card bt-flashcards" href="L06_Flashcards.html">
    <span class="bt-kind">Flashcards</span>
    <h4>Review deck</h4>
    <p>Key terms and relations from the lesson, in a self-test deck.</p>
  </a>
  <a class="bt-card bt-demo" href="L06_PhasedArraySimulator_Demo.html">
    <span class="bt-kind">Demo</span>
    <h4>Phased Array Simulator</h4>
    <p>Steer a linear or planar array, read HPBW and SLL, and watch grating lobes appear past λ/2 spacing.</p>
  </a>
  <a class="bt-card" href="L06_Preflight.html">
    <span class="bt-kind">Pre-flight</span>
    <h4>Pre-flight quiz</h4>
    <p>Pre-class check, due before the lesson. Counts toward your IP grade.</p>
  </a>
</div>