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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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 Oy57Mq0bBiQkqj9lp4n0zw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000317093-03-000050.txt : 20031002
<SEC-HEADER>0000317093-03-000050.hdr.sgml : 20031002
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031002123855
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000317093-03-000050
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030930
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031002

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			DONAHOE THOMAS A
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001189804

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-14617
		FILM NUMBER:		03922986

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5000 ROYAL MARCO WAY #730
		CITY:			MARCO ISLAND
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			34145-7802

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ANDREW CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000317093
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	DRAWING AND INSULATING NONFERROUS WIRE [3357]
		IRS NUMBER:				362092797
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0930

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		10500 W 153RD ST
		CITY:			ORLAND PARK
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60462
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7083493300

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		10500 WEST 153RD ST
		CITY:			ORLANDO PARK
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60462
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>c0001189804d20031002f4f.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
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<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-09-30</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000317093</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ANDREW CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>andw</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001189804</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DONAHOE THOMAS A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>10500 W. 153RD STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ORLAND PARK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60462</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle></officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>9000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>9.445</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2004-02-11</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-02-11</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></under
lyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>12000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>12000</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>16.025</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-02-19</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-02-19</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>12000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>12000</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></
sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>17.625</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2000-02-09</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-02-09</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>12000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>12000</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNat
ure></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>18.22</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2002-02-13</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-02-13</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>12000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>12000</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>23.81</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2
001-02-08</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-02-08</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>12000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>12000</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Phantom Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>5.5</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2444</valu
e></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2444</value><footnoteId id="F6"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Phantom Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>9.34</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1826</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1826</value><footnoteId id="F7"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOr
IndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Phantom Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>10.28</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>826</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>826</value><footnoteId id="F8"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Phantom Stock</value></securityTit
le><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>12.08</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-09-30</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1113</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>12.08</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-09-30</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-09-30</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1113</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1113</value><footnoteId id="F9"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTran
saction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Vesting Schedule:
20% of Grant exercisable on 2/11/04
40% of Grant exercisable on 2/11/05
60% of Grant exercisable on 2/11/06
80% of Grant exercisable on 2/11/07
100% of Grant exercisable on 2/11/08 until 2/11/13</footnote><footnote id="F2">Vesting Schedule:
20% of Grant exercisable on 2/19/03
40% of Grant exercisable on 2/19/04
60% of Grant exercisable on 2/19/05
80% of Grant exercisable on 2/19/06
100% of Grant exercisable on 2/19/07 until 2/19/12</footnote><footnote id="F3">Vesting Schedule:
80% of Grant exercisavle on 2/10/03
100% of Grant exercisable from 2/10/04 until 2/10/09</footnote><footnote id="F4">Vesting Schedule:
20% of Grant exercisable on 2/13/02
40% of Grant exercisable on 2/13/03
60% of Grant exercisable on 2/13/04
80% of Grant exercisable on 2/13/05
100% of Grant exercisable from 2/13/06 until 2/13/11</footnote><footnote id="F5">Vesting Schedule:
60% of Grant exercisable on 2/9/03
80% of Grant exercisable on 2/9/04
100% of Grant exercisable from 2/9/05 until 2/9/10</footnote><footnote id="F6">The Phantom Stock Units were accrued under the Andrew Corporation directors deferred compensation plan and are to be settled in cash upon the reporting person's retirement.  As of 3/31/03, Mr. Donahoe has a total of 12,740 derivative securities beneficially owned.</footnote><footnote id="F7">The Phantom Stock Units were accrued under the Andrew Corporation directors deferred compensation plan and are to be settled in cash upon the reporting person's retirement.  As of 6/30/03, Mr. Donahoe has a total of 14,566 derivative securities beneficially owned.</footnote><footnote id="F8">The Phantom Stock Units were accrued under the Andrew Corporation directors deferred compensation plan and are to be settled in cash upon the reporting person's retirement.  As of 12/31/02, Mr. Donahoe has a total of 10,296 derivative securities beneficially owned.</footnote><footnote id="F9">The Phantom Stock Units accrued under the Andrew Corporation dir
ectors deferred compensation plan and are to be settled in cash upon the reporting person's retirement.  As of 9/30/03, Mr. Donahoe has a total of 15,679 derivative securities beneficially owned.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>James F. Petelle</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-10-02</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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