White Paper:
Mobile antenna design and performance
trade-offs
Aaron B. Logan
Field Applications Engineer
Abstract
Quarter-wave monopoles, half-wave dipoles, and axial collinear arrays are the three
primary types of antennas used for mobile applications. These antennas have distinct electrical
and mechanical differences and costs associated with each design. Exploring a few fundamental
concepts is critical to understanding the differences and trade-offs involved with each type of
antenna. Consumer-specific considerations such as height, performance and cost trade-offs are
also explored to enables a consumer to select the right antenna for their application.
Antenna Fundamentals
Before focusing on the differences between these types of antennas, a few antenna
fundamentals must be reviewed. Mobile radios require the antenna to be designed for the same
electrical frequency as the radio itself in order to operate properly. The frequency (f) of a radio
wave is the number of cycles the wave transverses a full cycle in one second. To visualize this
concept, Figure 1 shows an image of a 10 Hertz (Hz) cycle displayed over the course of two
seconds.
Knowing the frequency is critical for defining what the wavelength of an antenna is. The
wavelength is the distance the radio frequency travels during one cyclic period. Radio waves
travel at the speed of light which is approximately 300,000 kilometers per second. The
means that as the frequency goes up, the wavelength gets shorter and when the frequency goes
down, the wavelength gets longer. Wavelength is commonly symbolized with the Greek letter
It is important to state that the electrical wavelength is always shorter in coaxial cable
than in free-space (air) due to the physical properties of the cable such as the dielectric constant
between the conductors (Hall, 1991). Electrical length can be defined as the physical length
divided by the electrical length (Schmitt, 2002). With respect to mobile antenna design, the
electrical and physical lengths are used interchangeably as the difference between the two
lengths is small.
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White Paper: Mobile Antenna Design Date Start: 6/16/2009
Report Author: Aaron B. Logan
dipole, and a collinear array become apparent when analyzing the voltage and current
distribution differences between the three. Voltages and currents exist on an antenna’s radiator
90° out of phase with each other. Figure 2 shows the phase relationship differences between
voltage and current. The feed point of a mobile antenna is the antenna mount itself, and as such,
most mobile antennas are considered to be “end-fed” structures (Hall, 1991). All end-fed
antennas are designed to have the peak voltage potential at the tip of the antennas where the
current is forced to a zero potential. It is this relationship that ties our monopoles, dipoles, and
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The physical length corresponds with the electrical wave-type. Monopoles are
designed to be a quarter wavelength tall, dipoles are designed to be a half wavelength tall, and an
axial collinear array is designed to be the tallest combining different radiator lengths into a single
phased antenna structure. Figure 3 shows an example of these three types of antennas over a
ground plane while Figure 4 shows the current distribution. Each antenna has the same size
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White Paper: Mobile Antenna Design Date Start: 6/16/2009
Report Author: Aaron B. Logan
ground plane. A ground plane is a reflective surface, such as the roof of a vehicle, which is
electrically connected to the antenna. The critical difference between these antennas is the
effective antenna height. The voltage and current distribution on these structures are used to
determine the open-circuit voltages and ultimately the gain of the antenna (Johnson, 1993).
The first antenna in Figure 4 shows the current flows from a zero potential at the tip of
the antenna to approximately 90° of a full cycle. This equates to a quarter wavelength of current.
The second image shows current starting from a zero potential and terminating close to 180°
with minimal potential at a half wavelength. The third image shows the current distribution of a
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collinear array consisting of a 5/8ths over 5/8ths over a 1/2 wave. This structure phases the
currents by employing a phasing coil to enable a full cycle of current to transverse and setups up
the phasing for the subsequent sections. This configuration allows for a nearly symmetric omni-
directional pattern (Polivka, 2007). Figure 5 shows the collinear array and the currents combine
The gain of the antenna helps define the distance an antenna can radiate as well as
describing the directionality of the antenna. As the height of the antenna increases, along with
proper phasing of the currents (Scholz, nd), the further on the horizon an antenna can radiate thus
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increasing the effective radio coverage area. It must be clarified that gain in an antenna is not
described as the “forward transmission coefficient” which could result in an increase in forward
power (Agilent, 2002). An increase in antenna gain does not increase the total available power.
To visualize this concept, imagine a flashlight and a light bulb. Both bulbs have the same
amount of power applied and put off the same amount of radiated energy. However, the light on
a flashlight travels further than a light bulb because of the increased directionality induced by the
reflector portion of the flashlight which focuses the energy in a specific direction. “When we
make a map of the gains in all directions, we have the radiation pattern of the antenna,” (Carr,
2002).
The potential gain of a monopole and dipole are similar in performance. Both are
considered low gain antennas that radiates out on the horizon. Using a Numerical
Electromagnetic Code (NEC) program to calculate the radiation patterns, Figure 6 shows the
differences in the gains. Both the monopole and dipole have similar gains on the same ground
plane while the collinear array pushes the energy further onto the horizon.
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White Paper: Mobile Antenna Design Date Start: 6/16/2009
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Height, performance, and cost are primary considerations a consumer must ponder before
purchasing a roof-mounted antenna for their radio. The most common types of antennas used
today are quarter-wave monopoles, half-wave dipoles, and collinear arrays. All three types exist
for the same frequency, but each has its own unique advantage.
Antenna height should always be considered before purchasing. Garages and carports can
be problematic for taller antennas. Repetitive impacts from entering and exiting a garage can
degrade performance or permanently damage the antenna. If height may be an issue, the best
option would be a monopole. Monopoles are the shortest antenna available for mobile radios. As
such, it is ideally suited for users with garages or people who park in covered parking areas. End-
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fed dipoles are twice the height of monopoles and are better suited for consumers where height is
aperture than shorter antennas. A larger aperture can be translated as a “structure capable of
having more gain,” (Johnson, 1993). Recall that higher gain means the signal travels farther out
on the horizon resulting in an increased coverage area. Low-gain antennas push the energy
higher in elevation. Low gain antennas are ideal for use in cities with tall buildings.
A monopole is a low gain antenna whose performance is dependent on not only the size
of the vehicle, but also the placement on the vehicle due to the dependency of a ground plane
(Nordic Semi, 2005). Dipole antennas have the same low gain performance as monopoles;
however, dipoles are not dependent on the vehicle’s ground plane size (Ott, 2002). Dipoles can
be mounted on vehicles with fiberglass roofs where monopoles cannot. This is the primary trade-
Collinear arrays are high-gain antennas. Similar to monopoles, most collinear arrays are
dependent on the vehicle size and placement on the ground plane. For rural areas or sparsely
populated areas, collinear arrays are a better choice where maximum coverage area is needed.
Placed into perspective, collinear arrays can double the coverage area that a monopole covers.
Cost seems to be the most important factor when considering an antenna. Cost is driven
by the complexity of the antenna design, the number of components required to match the
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antenna to the radio system, and the total antenna performance as a whole. Monopoles are the
most economical antenna solution. The design is simple and may consist of only four or five
components. By design, monopoles do not require any real matching components at the antenna
mount. When proper materials are used and the design correct, minimal mismatch loss occurs
through the antenna mount and is efficiently radiated by the antenna (Logan, 2006). If theft or
Dipoles are a higher-cost antenna solution; however, the buyer is paying for assured
performance over installation location. Dipoles require a matching network at the base of the
antenna to electrically match the antenna to the antenna mount and radio system. The necessity
of the matching network is a direct result of the end-fed method used to feed the antenna. This
antenna is moderately priced because of the additional components and the assured performance
A collinear array typically costs the most as the design is the most complex and may
require additional matching components. Depending on the phasing mechanism, the primary
radiator may be a turned coil or some other arrangement employed to facilitate current phasing.
This adds cost to the bill of materials. Additionally, depending on the design, a matching
network may be required similar to a dipole. As collinear arrays provide the widest coverage
area, buyers are paying for the technology used and the improved performance more than the
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Height, performance, and cost are just a few of the primary considerations a consumer
must ponder before purchasing a roof-mounted antenna for their mobile radio. The shortest,
cheapest, low-gain antenna is the monopole. For a modest cost and assured low-gain
performance, a dipole is an excellent choice. For those who need maximum coverage and can
accept a tall antenna, the collinear array should be chosen. By understanding the trade-offs in
antenna selection and basic antenna concepts, a consumer can make the best choice based on
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References
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Hall, Gerald (Ed.). (1991). The ARRL antenna handbook. Newington, CT: The American Radio
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Johnson, R. (1993). Antenna engineering handbook (3rd ed.), New York, NY: McGraw-Hill,
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Logan, A.B. (2006, June 12). White paper: NMOHF antenna mounts. Retrieved May 29, 2009,
from Larsen-Antennas Web site: http://www.larsen-
antennas.com/docfiles/NMOHFWhitePaper.pdf
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1.pdf
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May 29th, 2009, from
http://piers.mit.edu/piersproceedings/download.php?file=cGllcnMyMDA3cHJhZ3VlfDN
BMmJfMDMzNy5wZGZ8MDcwMjIwMTgzNzQ4
Schmitt, Ron (2002). Electromagnetics explained: A handbook for wireless/RF,EMC, and high-
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Scholz, P. (Date unknown). Basic antenna principles for mobile communications. Retrieved May
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infos/download/basicantenna.pdf
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