each channel is individually optimized for gain and noise characteristics by varying bias voltages amplified broadband signals from the antenna 39 s 232 output ports are processed in the azimuth plane beam former 22 that applicants call a u201c phase processor u201d the phase processor is made from two 0 01 inch thick polypropylene plates a thin copper sheet is laminated on one side of one of the plates signal processing artwork is etched in the copper sheet and then two plates are fused together in a thermal process with the etched copper sheet sandwiched in between as a result the conductive signal processing circuit becomes embedded in the center of a two layer 0 02 mils thick dielectric plate the top and bottom surfaces of the slab are then laminated with copper sheets to provide signal ground surfaces input and output lines of the processor are 50 ohm strip lines ending with exposed copper pads for making connections to the strip line wr 9 waveguide transitions transitions are broadband tapered center ridge type transitions made in the wr 9 waveguide to match the impedances between the strip lines and the wr 9 waveguide output ports of the octapaks the phase processor beam former has 232 strip line input lines 35 only 3 are shown that feed into a rotman type lens 29 all input lines have same electrical length to provide equal time delay of the signal from the inputs into the phase processor to the inputs into the rotman lens the rotman lens focuses incident power representing 192 again only 3 are shown.