Saveetha School of Engineering

Saveetha University
Chennai 602 105
Question bank with answers
EC1741- Antenna and Wave Propagation

Unit I
Part-A
1. Define antenna.
An antenna is an electro- magnetic radiator ,a sensor, a transducer and an impedance matching device with extensive
applications in all communication, radar and in Bio-medical systems.

2. Write the properties of antenna .
1.Equality of impedance.
2.Equality of directional patterns,
3.Equality of effective length.

3. List out some of the Antenna parameters.
1. Antenna impedance
2. Antenna Bandwidth.
3. Radiation resistance.
4. Effective length of antenna.
5. Radiation intensity.
6. Directivity
7. Polarization

4. Define Antenna bandwidth.
It is defined as the range of frequencies over which the antenna maintains its characteristics and parameters

5.Define Front-to-Back ratio.
FBR is defined as the ratio of radiated power in desired direction to the radiation power in the opposite direction .

6. Define Polarisation .
It is defined as the direction of the electric vector of the EM wave produced by an antenna.

7. Write down the types of antenna polarization.
1. Linear polarization.
2. Circular polarization.
3.Elliptical polarization

8. What are the basic antenna elements?
1.Alternating current elements or Hertzian Dipole
2.Short dipole.
3.short monopole
4.Half-wave dipole
5.Quarter-wave monopole

9.Write the equations for the far field and near field of alternating current element.
Write down the final equation of H, Er, E directly.
10. What is an Hertizian dipole
Hertizian dipole is an infinitesimal current element Idl or, it is a short linear antenna which,when radiating
is assumed to carry constant along its length.



11.What is Half-wave dipole
It is the linear antenna whose length is /2 and the current distribution is assumed to be sinusoidal.
It usually centre-fed.

12. What are the different current distributions in linear antennas.
1. Constant current distribution.
2. Triangular distribution.
3. Sinusoidal distribution
.
13.What is meant by radiation pattern?
Radiation pattern is the relative distribution of radiated power as a function of distance in space .It is a graph which
shows the variation in actual field strength of the EM wave at all points which are at equal distance from the
antenna. The energy radiated in a particular direction by an antenna is measured in terms of field strength.

14)Define Radiation intensity?
The power radiated from an antenna per unit solid angle is called the radiation intensity U (watts per steradian or per
square degree). The radiation intensity is independent of distance.

15)Define Beam efficiency?
The total beam area (A) consists of the main beam area (M ) plus the minor lobe area (m) . Thus A=
M+m.The ratio of the main beam area to the total beam area is called beam efficiency.
Beam efficiency = M=M/ A.
16) Define Directivity?
The directivity of an antenna is equal to the ratio of the maximum power density P(,)max to its average value over
a sphere as observed in the far field of an antenna.
D= P(,)max / P(,)av . Directivity from Pattern.
D=4 / A. . Directivity from beam area(A).

17) What is meant by effective height?
The effective height h of an antenna is the parameter related to the aperture. It may be defined as the ratio of the
induced voltage to the incident field. i.e, H= V / E.

18) What are the field zone?
The fields around an antenna maybe divided into two principal regions.
Near field zone (Fresnel zone)
Far field zone (Fraunhofer zone)

19) What is meant by cross field?
Normally the electric field E is perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. In some situation the electric
field E is parallel to the wave propagation that condition is called Cross field.

20) Define axial ratio
The ratio of the major to the minor axes of the polarization ellipse is called the Axial Ratio. (AR)

21) Find the radiation resistance of an infinitesimal dipole whose length is /100

R
r
= 80 (Pi)
2
(L/ )
2
Ans: 0.07888.
22) a half wave dipole antenna is operated at 50 mhz. find the length of that dipole
=(c/f), (L=/2)
Ans= 3m

The beam area or beam solid angle or WA of an antenna is given by the normalized power pattern over a sphere.



Part-B
1..Explain the parameters.
1. Directivity (4)
2. Radiation intensity.(4)
3. Polarisation(4).
4.Front-to-back-ratio.(4)
2. Derive the far field and near field components of the Alternating current element.
3. Derive the Radiated Power and Radiation Resistance of Current Element.
4. Derive the Radiation Resistance of Half-Wave Dipole.
5. Derive the standard wave equation using Maxwells approach. And what is the difference between half wave
dipole and monopole?

UNIT II
Part-A
1.What is an array?
An array antennas are similar to the cascaded electronic amplifiers in increasing Gain.It is also defined as the
antenna which are similar or non-similar and either similarly oriented or non-oriented.Arrays are used to increase the
gain
2.What is a uniform linear arrays.
It is an array where the elements are spaced and excite equally along a straight line.
3.What are called as the nulls?
The minimum value occurs at N /2=K ,K=1,2,3..These minimas are called as nulls and there will be
no signal.
4.Which is called as the first side lobe level.
The first secondary maximum is called as the first side lobe level and it occurs at N /2= (2m+1)/2.
5. What is known as the Null-Null beam width?
The angular difference between the first nulls on either side of the main beam is called as the Null-Null
beam width.
6.What is known as the HPBW?
The angular width between 3 db points of the main beam is called the Half power Beam width.
7.Define First side lobe ratio.(SLR).
The ratio between the First side lobe level to the main beam level. And the SLR for uniform linear array is -
13.5db.
8.Define Broad side array.
It is an array which gives a radiation pattern whose main beam is perpendicular to the axis of the array.
9. Define End-Fire array.
It is an array which gives the radiation pattern whose main beam is along the axis of an array.
10.Write the advantages of the Array antenna.
Array antennas can produce desired shape of electric field of EM wave like electronic circuits produce any
shape of signal wave form.
11. Give some of the synthesis methods used.
1. Source amplitude distribution method
2.Source distribution method.
3.Element space control method.
4.Any combination of above.
12. What is a Short Dipole?
A short dipole is one in which the field is oscillating because of the oscillating voltage and current. It is called so
because, the length of the dipole is short and the current is almost constant throughout the entire length of the dipole.
It is also called as Hertzian Dipole, which is a hypothetical antenna and is defined as a short isolated conductor
carrying uniform alternating current.

13) How radiations are created from a short Dipole?
The dipole has two equal charges of opposite sign oscillating up and down in a harmonic motion. The charges will
move towards each other and electric filed lines were created. When the charges meet at the midpoint, the field lines
cut each other and new field are created. This process is spontaneous and so more fields are created around the
antenna. This is how radiations are obtained from a short dipole.

14) Why a short dipole is also called an elemental dipole?
A short dipole that does have a uniform current will be known as the elemental dipole. Such a dipole will generally
be considerably shorter than the tenth wavelength maximum specified for a short dipole. Elemental dipole is also
called as elementary dipole, elementary doublet and hertzian dipole.

15) What is an Infinitesimal Dipole?
When the length of the short dipole is vanishing small, then such a dipole is called a infinitesimal dipole. If dl be the
infinitesimally small length and I be the current, then Idl is called as the current element.

16)Why a short dipole is called an oscillating dipole?
A short dipole is initially in neutral condition and the moment a current starts to flow in one direction, one half of
the dipole require an excess of charge and the other a deficit because a current is a flow of electrical charge.
Then,there will be a voltage between the two halves of the dipole. When the current changes its direction this
charge unbalance will cause oscillations. Hence an oscillating current will result in an oscillating voltage. Since, in
such dipole, electric charge oscillates,it may be called as Oscillating electric dipole.

17)Give the expression for the effective aperture of a short dipole
The effective aperture of a short dipole is given by Ae= 0.1192

18)What is the radiation resistance of a half wave dipole
The radiation resistance of a half wave dipole is given by Rr=73 ohm

19)What is a loop antenna?
A loop antenna is a radiating coil of any convenient cross-section of one or more turns carrying radio frequency
current. It may assume any shape (e.g. rectangular, square, triangular and hexagonal).

20) Give an expression of radiation resistance of a small loop
Radiation resistance of a small loop is given by
Rr=31,200 (NA/2) 2 ,Where N- Number of turns.

21)How to increase the radiation resistance of a loop antenna
The radiation resistance of a loop antenna can be increased by:
Increasing the number of turns
Inserting a ferrite core of very high permeability with loop antenna s circumference which will rise the
magnetic field intensity called ferrite loop.
22)What are the types of loop antennas?
Loop antennas are classified into:
A. Electrically small (circumference <l/10) B. Electrically large (dimension comparable to l)

23)List out the uses of loop antenna
Various uses of loop antenna are:
It is used as receiving antenna in portable radio and pagers
It is used as probes for field measurements and as directional
antennas for radio wave navigation.
It is used to estimate the direction of radio wave Propagation.

24) A Dipole antenna has a radiation resistance 0f 75 loss resistance of 20 . Calculate the efficiency.
=[Rr/(Rr+RL)]
Ans=78.95%
25) Find the directivity of 40 turn helix having =18 and circumference equal to one wavelength.
D=(15 N*S*C
2
)/
3
Ans= 45.76db


PART-B
1. What are the types of loop antenna? List them. Explain in detail about any one application of loop antenna.
2. Draw a neat sketch of helical antenna. Describe its principal of operation.
3. What is an antenna array? Explain different cases based on the excitation of individual elements.
4. Derive the expressions for directions of pattern maxima, minima, and beam width of major lobe for an end-fire
array. Make suitable assumptions.
5. Derive the expressions for directions of pattern maxima, minima, and beam width of major lobe for a broad-side
array. Make suitable assumptions.
UNIT III
PART-A
1. Write the range of frequencies of HF,UHF spectrum.
The range of frequency for the HF and UHF spectrum is between 3 MHZ and 1GHz. The above range is
1GHz is branded as Microwave frequency.

2. Write the types of the antennas based on the direction pattern.
The antennas are classified as
1.Isotropic radiators.
2. Directional antennas
3. Omni-Directional antennas.

3. What is meant by an isotropic radiators?
It is defined as hypothetical element which radiates equally in all directions.
Examples: A point source, A Star.

4. What is meant by Directional antennas?
The antennas which radiate or receive the electromagnetic waves more effectively in some directions than in others.
Examples Dipoles ,horns ,Paraboloids and so on.

5. What is meant by Omni-Directional antennas?
The antenna which has the non-directional pattern in azimuth and has a directional pattern in elevation .It is
a special type of directional pattern.
Examples.
A circular loop antenna.omni directional antenna refers only to the horizontal plane. In this plane the pattern is a
circle.

6. What is a Resonant antenna.
Resonant antennas are otherwise called as the standing wave antennas where the standing wave exists and
the antennas are open at both the ends. And used at a fixed frequency

7. What is a non-resonant antenna?
These antennas are otherwise called as the Travelling wave and aperiodic antennas. Which have no
reflected waves and has wide bandwidth and in which one end is exited and other end is terminated.

8. What is called as Standing wave?
It is defined as a wave in which the ratio of the instantaneous value of any component of the wave at one
point of that of any other point does not vary with time.

9. What is called as Travelling wave?
It is defined as the wave whose frequency component have exponential variation of amplitude and linear
variation of phase with distance.

10. What are known as the LF antennas?
The antennas which operate at low frequencies(75-160 meter band).Examples of antenna are.
1. Inductance loaded vertical antennas.
2.Inductance loaded Horizontal dipoles.
3.Tower antenna.

11. What are the two major types of arrays?
1. Broadside array.
2. End-Fire array.

12. Define Broad side array.
It is an array which gives a radiation pattern whose main beam is perpendicular to the axis of the array.

13. Define End-Fire array.
It is an array which gives the radiation pattern whose main beam is along the axis of an array.

14. Write about Rhombic antenna.
The antenna in which is in the shape of a rhombus. It is usually terminated in a resistance.

15. Write about the Yagi-Uda Antenna.
The antenna which was developed by Prof.Yagi and Prof.Uda.and it is an array antenna which consists of
one active element and a few parasitic element.

16. Write the applications of Yagi-Uda Antenna.
It is used as a transmitting antenna at HF and used for TV reception at VHF.

17. Write about Log-Periodic Antenna.
It is an array antenna which has structural geometry such that its impedance is periodic with the logarithm
of the frequency which can used to receive a good number of TV channels without any deterioration of the received
field strength.

18. Write about the loop antenna.
An antenna which consists of one or more turns of wire forming a DC short circuit is called loop antenna.
The loop antenna can be of square, circular, or rectangular shape.

19. Write the applications of loop antenna.
It is extensively used in radio receivers, aircraft receivers, for Direction finding and also in UHF
transmitters.

20. What is a Whip antenna?
It is a short vertical monopole used for mobile communication purpose. its standard length is 4 feet for most of the
applications.

21. What is a ferrite rod antenna?
It is an antenna which consists of a ferrite rod on which a coil with a number of turns are wound. It is used
in all transistorized radio receivers

22. Write about the Turnstile antenna.
It is an antenna composed of two dipole antennas perpendicular to each other. They intersect at their mid-
points. The current on the two dipoles are equal and in phase quadrature.

23. Write some features of Turnstile antenna.
1.It produces almost an omni-directional pattern.
2.Directivity is improved by the array of turnstile antennas.
3.The super-turnstile antenna can be made of four flat sheets.

24. What is a Discone antenna?
It is an antenna which consists of a disc and a cone. The disc is fixed at the centre conductor of co axial
feed line so that it is perpendicular to its axis. The apex of the cone is connected to the outer shield of the outer
shield of the co axial line.

25. Write the features of Notch antenna.
1. It consists of a notch in a metallic sheet.
2. It is open ended slot antenna.
3. It can be easily made on the body of an aircraft.
4. The notches are filled with dielectric materials to avoid aerodynamic drag.

PART-B
1. How rhombic antenna is designed and what are the methods of designing the rhombic antenna?
2. Draw the structure of log-periodic dipole array LPDA, with the main region of operation. How is the analysis
done?
3. Derive self-impedance and mutual impedance of a coupled antenna?
4. Draw a neat sketch of 3-element YAGI-UDA array and explain its principal of operation.
5. Explain in detail about the radiation from a travelling wave on a wire and the operating principle of long wire
antenna

UNIT IV
PART-A

1. Write about Antenna measurements.
Antenna measurements are the part of analysis of antenna parameters. Analysis is the determination of
output knowing the input and system details. On the other hand, design is the determination of system knowing the
input and output parameters.

2. What is the purpose of antenna measurements?
Antenna measurements are required for the following purposes:
1 .To calibrate and store data for the different types of antennas.
2. To analyse different parameters.
3. To verify design.
4. To adjust critical components and dimensions.
5. To control equality.
6. To find analytical and statistical errors.
7. To indicate the actual performance of antennas.
8. To verify the validity of the assumptions made in the analytical formulations.

3. What is the disadvantage of a binomial array?
A major practical disadvantage of binomial array is the wide variations between the amplitudes of the different
elements of an array, especially for an array with a large no of elements. This leads to very low efficiencies, and
makes this method not very desirable in practice.

4)What is a binomial array?
The coefficients of binomial expansion represent relative amplitudes of the elements. Since the coefficients are
determined from the binomialseries, expansion the array is known as binomial array.

5) Name and draw a frequency independent antenna
Log periodic antenna is a frequency independent antenna.It includes active region and reflective region
.
6) What is YagiUda antenna?
It is an array of a driven element, a reflector and one or more directors.

7)What do you mean by parasitic element?
The passive elements which are not connected directly connected to the transmission line but are electrically
coupled are called as parasitic elements.

8)What do you mean by driven elements?
Driven elements are an active element where the power from the transmitter is fed or which feeds the received
power to the receiver.

9)Why folded dipole antenna is used in yagi antenna?
The folded dipole has high input impedance. If the distance between the driven and parasitic element is decreased, it
will load the driven element so input impedance of driven element reduces. But this will be compensated.

10)What is beam antenna?
If three-element array are used then such a type of yagiuda is referred to as beam antenna.

11)What is a frequency independent antenna?
An antenna in which the impedance, radiation pattern and directivity remain constant as a function of frequency is
called as frequency independent antenna. Eg, Log periodic antenna.

12)What is LPDA?
LPDA means log periodic dipole array. It is defined as an antenna whose electrical properties repeat periodically
with logarithm of the frequency.

13)What are the different regions in log periodic antenna and how are they differentiated?
Inactive region L< l
Active region L l
Inactive reflective region L>l

14)What are the applications of log periodic antenna?
HF communication
Television reception
All round monitoring

15)What are the applications of Rhombic antenna?
HF transmission and reception
point to point communication.

16)Define rhombic antenna.
An antenna which consists of four straight wires arranged in the shape of diamond, suspended horizontally above
the surface of the earth is called as a rhombic antenna. It is otherwise called as diamond antenna or traveling wave
antenna.

17)What are the two types of rhombic antenna design?
Alignmentdesign
Maximum field intensity design

18)What are the limitations of rhombic antenna?
It needs a larger space for installation
Due to minor lobes transmission efficiency is low.

19)Define lens antenna?
An antenna, which collimates the incident divergent energy to prevent it from spreading in undesired directions, is
called as lens antenna
.
20) What are the different types of lens antenna?
dielectric lens or H plane metal plate lens
E plane metal plate lens antenna

21)What is a dielectric lens antenna?
Dielectric lens antennas are the antennas in which the traveling wave fronts are delayed by lens media

22)What are the drawbacks of lens antenna?
Lens antennas are used only at higher frequencies (above 3 GHz) because at lower frequencies they become bulky
and heavy. Lens antennas have excessive thickness at low frequencies.
Costlier for the same gain and beam width in comparison with reflectors.

23)What is biconical antenna?
The biconical antenna is a double cone antenna which is driven by potential, charge or an alternating magnetic field
at the vertex. In this antenna both the cones face in the opposite direction.

24)What are the advantages of lens antenna?
the lens antenna, feed and feed support do not block the aperture as
the rays are transmitted away from the feed
It has greater design tolerance
It can be used to feed the optical axis and hence useful in
applications where a beam is required to be moved angularly with
respect to the axis

25)Mention the uses of lens antenna?
Unstepped dielectric lens is a wide band antenna as its shape does
not depend on the wavelength and hence it can be used over a wide
frequency range, however this is not true for the dielectric lens
antenna which is frequency sensitive.
Both reflectors and lens antenna are commonly used above 1000
MHz. Lens antenna is a microwave device. So it is preferred to be
usually above 3000 MHz and not below it
PART-B
1. Draw a neat block diagram for horn antenna and explain the design of horn antenna in detail
2. Derive the radiation from a rectangular aperture treated as an array of Huygens source.
3. Write short notes on (i) Turnstile antenna (ii) complementary dipole
4. Explain in detail the parabolic reflector antenna with a neat sketch.
5. Explain in detail about (i) cassegrain feed (ii) Lens Antenna

UNIT V
PART-A
1)Define Sky wave.
Waves that arrive at the receiver after reflection in the ionosphere is called sky wave.

2)Define Tropospheric wave.
Waves that arrive at the receiver after reflection from the troposphere region is called Tropospheric wave.(ie 10 Km
from Earth surface).

3)Define Ground wave.
Waves propagated over other paths near the earth surface is called ground wave propagation.

4)What are the type of Ground wave.
Ground wave classified into two types. Space wave Surface wave.

5)What is meant by Space Wave?
It is made up of direct wave and ground reflected wave. Also includes the portion of energy received as a result of
diffraction around the earth surface and the reflection from the upper atmosphere.

6)What is meant by Surface Wave?
Wave that is guided along the earths surface like an EM wave is guided by a transmission is called surface wave.
Attenuation of this wave is directly affected by the constant of earth along which it travels.

7)What is meant by fading?
Variation of signal strength occur on line of sight paths as a result of the atmospheric conditions and it is called .It
cannot be predicted properly.

8)What is meant by diversity reception?
To minimize the fading and to avoid the multi path interference the technique used are diversity reception. It is
obtained by two ways. Space diversity reception. Frequency diversity reception. Polarization diversity.

9)Define Space diversity Reception.
This method exploits the fact that signals received at different locations do not fade together. It requires antenna
spaced at least 100 l apart are referred and the antenna which high signal strength at the moment dominates
.
10)Define frequency diversity Reception.
This method takes advantage of the fact that signals of slightly different frequencies do not fade synchronously.
This fact is utilized to minimize fading in radio telegraph circuits
.
11)Define polarization diversity reception.
It is used in normally in microwave links, and it is found that signal transmitted over the same path in two
polarizations have independent fading patterns. In broad band dish antenna system, Polarization diversity combined
with frequency diversity reception achieve excellent results.

12)What is meant by Faradays rotation?
Due to the earths magnetic fields, the ionosphere medium becomes anisotropic and the incident plane wave entering
the ionosphere will split into ordinary and extra ordinary waves/modes.When these modes re-emerge from the
ionosphere they recombine into a single plane wave again. Finally the plane of polarization will usually have
changed, this phenomenon is known as Faradays rotation.

13)What are the factors that affect the propagation of radio waves?
Curvature of earth. Earth s magnetic field. Frequency of the signal. Plane earth reflection.

14)Define gyro frequency.
Frequency whose period is equal to the period of an electron in its orbit under the influence of the earths magnetic
flux density B.
15)Define Magneto-Ions Splitting.
The phenomenon of splitting the wave into two different components (ordinary and extra-ordinary) by the earths
magnetic field is called Magneto- Ions Splitting.

16)Define LUHF?
The lowest useful HF for a given distance and transmitter power is defined as the lowest frequency that will give
satisfactory reception for that distance and power. It depends on
The effective radiated power
Absorption character of ionosphere for the paths between transmitter and receiver.
The required field strength which in turn depends upon the radio noise at the receiving location and type of service
involved.

18)Define skip distance.
The distance with in which a signal of given frequency fails to be reflected back is the skip distance for that
frequency.The higher the frequency the greater the skip distance.

19 )Define Optimum frequency?
Optimum frequency for transmitting between any two points is therefore selected as some frequency lying between
about 50 and 85 percent of the predicted maximum usable frequency between those points.

20)Name the possible modes of propagation?
Ground wave propagation
Sky wave propagation
Space wave propagation.

21)What is Free space?
Free space is the space which does not interfere with the normal radiation and propagation of radio waves. In free
space no magnetic or gravitational fields or solid bodies or ionized particles are assumed to exist.

22)What is diffraction?
The bending of the path of Electromagnetic waves around the sharp edges and corners of obstacles appearing in
their path is known as diffraction.

23)What is Tropospheric Scatter?
Troposcatter is a mechanism by which propagation is possible by the scatter and diffracted rays. This scattering
takes place in the tropospheric region.

24)Define point to point propagation?
Electromagnetic waves of frequency more than 300MHz are reflected back from ionosphere but they penetrate
it.This is otherwise called as Short wave propagation or point to point propagation.

25)Define cutoff frequency?
The frequency at which the attenuation of a waveguide increases sharply and below which a traveling wave in a
given mode cannot be maintained. A frequency with a half wavelength that is greater than the wide dimension of a
waveguide.
PART-B
1. Explain in detail about the structure of Ionosphere.
2. Explain ground wave propagation
3. Explain different types of fading and diversity reception
4. Write short notes on space wave propagation and sky wave propagation.
5. Explain the following with necessary expressions
(a)critical frequency (b) maximum usable frequency (c)skip Distance (d)Refractive index of Ionosphere