AM ANTENNA DESIGN

AM Antenna
AM Antenna
 BROADCAST ANTENNAS
 Objectives
• To radiate the energy supplied by the
transmitter efficiently.
• To concentrate the amount of radiation in
directions that is wanted and to restrict
the radiation in directions it is not wanted.
 Considerations
1. Antenna Site
2. Polarization
3. Signal Strength
 Antenna Site Consideration
1. Ground Constants
2. Terrain
3. Distance and Direction to populated
areas to be served and areas to be
protected
4. Availability of suitable land area to
install the tower (and ground system)
 AM Broadcast Antenna
(531-1701 kHz)

1. Single-Tower Non-directional antenna

2. Two-Tower Directional Antenna
 Single-Tower Non-directional
Antenna

1. Series-Fed Antenna

2. Folded Unipole
 Series-Fed Antenna
 Theoretically 90
electrical degrees
in height
 Base impedance
of 36.6 + j21.3, W
 Ideally, the ground
plane is a perfect
conductor
Series-Fed Antenna
Series-Fed Antenna
Series-Fed Antenna
The Spark Gap
The Spark Gap
 Increasing the Conductivity of
the Ground
 Use of Copper-wire
ground system
consisting of at
least 120 radials 900
long.
 Copper wires are
buried 4’’ to 12’’
deep
AM Antenna Ground Mat
AM Antenna Ground Mat
 Increasing the Conductivity of
the Ground
 The ground loss can
be decreased by
adding the number
of radials and
increasing the
length.
 The Folded Unipole
 Based on a
Folded dipole.
 The tower
base is
connected
directly to the
ground
 It has a higher
radiation
resistance
The Folded Unipole
The Folded Unipole
The Folded Unipole
AM Antenna Tuning Unit
AM Antenna Tuning Unit
 Antenna Tuning
(Series-Fed)

Tower
Adjust L until the
ammeter
indicates a peak
reading Inductor

Ammeter

L A To Transmitter
 Antenna Tuning
(Folded Unipole)
How to Determine Antenna
Resistance
Tower

Ammeter
Inductor

RF Transformer
A
L

R RFT RF IN
Variable
Resistor
 Two-Tower Directional
Antenna
 Purpose
• To produce a greater radiation in one or
more directions than a non-directional
antenna would produce with the same
power.
• To produce a small radiation in one or
more directions.
 How to Have Directional
Pattern
 Adjust the spacing of the towers.
 Adjust the current phase relationship of
the two towers using phasing circuits to
control the signal fed to each other.
 2 Dipoles
 Distance: 0.5
wavelength
 Phase Difference: 0
 2 Dipoles
 Distance: 0.5
wavelength
 Phase Difference: 0
 2 Dipoles
 Distance: 0.5
wavelength
 Phase Difference: 0
 Other Factors
 Guy Wire
-must be invisible to the RF field
- for metallic guy wires, they must be
cut to lengths that are not related to
λ/2.
- use strain insulator to cut the guy wire
in lengths
Strain Insulator
Strain Insulator
Guy Anchor
Guy Anchor
Guy Anchor
 Guy Wires
• Use stranded wire rather than solid wire
Guy Wires
 TOWER
• Shape of Material
- Steel Angle
- Cylindrical
• Tower Assembly
- Bolting
-Riveting
- Welding
 TOWER
• Tower Arrangements
 TOWER
• Tower Arrangement
 TOWER
• Tower Arrangement
 TOWER
• Tower Arrangement
 TOWER
• Tower Arrangement
 TOWER
• Painting and Lighting
- color is international orange and
white
- the width is about H/7 or not greater
than 40 feet and not less than 1½ feet.
- international orange at the top and
bottom of the tower
- light is necessary every 170 feet or
when needed
TOWER
 TOWER
• Base Insulator

Insulator
(1’ – 2’)

Concrete
(3’ – 5’)