A high-directivity transponder system uses a dual system of a
retrodirective array transmitting a data signal peak toward an
interrogator source, and a self-null-steering array transmitting a null
toward the interrogator source and a jamming signal elsewhere, resulting
in high S/N reception at the interrogator source and avoidance of
interception. Integrating modulators would allow each array to transmit
different data while the spectra of the transmitted signals are
identical, thus disabling interception. The system enables secure
point-to-point communications and can be used for short-distance wireless
data transmission systems such as wireless LAN and RFID servers. One
mobile may send a broadcast interrogator signal, causing the other mobile
devices to send a reply signal back to the interrogating mobile device
only in the direction of the interrogating mobile device, such that each
of the other mobile devices identifies its position to only the
interrogating mobile device in response to its broadcast interrogator
signal. As another aspect, self-steering signal transmission is employed
for randomly oriented satellites using circularly polarized,
two-dimensional retrodirective arrays. Quadruple subharmonic mixing is
used as an effective means of achieving phase conjugation when a
high-frequency LO is not feasible or inapplicable. These features may be
used for small-satellite communications, secure tactical communications,
search and rescue, enemy location fixing and tracking, UAV command and
control, forest fire detection, marine-based tracking, and many other
applications requiring secure communications with high signal
directivity.