Group 5

ECE41C: Principles of Communications

University of San Jose Recoletos
September 28, 2017
 A metallic conductor system capable of
radiating and capturing EM energy
Couples energy from the transmission line
into free space and that from the atmosphere
into a transmission line
In essence, it acts as an interface between
transmitter and receiver across free space
 Basics: Wavelength is inversely proportional
with the frequency of a signal ( = c/f)
The antenna at the receiver works when an
EM wave cuts across the antenna conductor,
inducting a voltage that varies at the same
time as the current on the transmitter
antenna.
 Reciprocity
Radiation Pattern
Near and Far Fields
Antenna Polarization
Radiation Resistance and Antenna Efficiency
Antenna Gain
Effective Isotropic Radiated Power
Captured Power Density, Capture Area and
Capture Power
Antenna Beamwidth
Antenna Bandwidth
Input Impedance
 Reciprocity
Basic antenna is a passive reciprocal device
TX antennas must be made of heavy duty materials in
order to handle high powers, while RX antennas can
be made from even a small wire
If an antenna is used for both TX and RX, a diplexer
can be used to isolate TX waves from the receiver
Standard antennas have no active components,
active antennas are simply comprised of a standard
passive antenna and a low noise amplifier
 Radiation Pattern
The direction of the EM waves radiated or
received by an antenna are often described by
spherical coordinates
Radiation patterns are often placed on a polar
diagram (must come in both horizontal and
vertical) or in 3D
These patterns represent the field strengths at
various angular positions around the antenna
Radiation
Pattern

1 Major lobe
2 Minor left side
lobe
3 Minor right
1
side lobe
4 Minor back 2
lobe
3

4
 Radiation Pattern Near and Far Fields
The radiation field close to the antenna is not
the same as the one far from the antenna
Near field: area within range of D2/ of antenna
(D = antenna diameter, = wavelength of the
design), also called induction field
Far field: area outside near field
 Antenna Polarization
The orientation of the electric field radiated
from the antenna
May be linear (horizontal or vertical), elliptical,
or circular
Applications:
Vertical = transmitting radio signal over short
distances
Horizontal = transmitting over longer distances to
reduce interference by vertically polarized
Circular = satellite communications
 Radiation Resistance
Resistance that, if it replaced the antenna, would
dissipate the same power that the antenna
radiates
Rr = Prad/i2 (Prad = power radiated by antenna, i =
current at the feeder)
Cannot be measured directly
 Antenna Efficiency
Ratio of the power radiated by an antenna to the
sum of the power radiated and the power
dissipated or input power
Formula (3 forms):
 Antenna Gain
Directive gain ratio of power density radiated in
a particular direction to the density radiated at
the same point by a reference antenna, assuming
that they have the same power
Formula:
Power gain similar to directive gain except the
total power fed to the antenna is used
Formula:
 Effective Isotropic Radiated Power
Defined as an equivalent transmit power
Formula:
Equivalent power that an isotropic antenna would
have to radiate to achieve the same power density
at a given direction as another antenna
Formula for power density at a given point
distance from antenna:
 Captured Power Density
Power density (W/m2) in space captured by a RX
antenna
Formula:
 Capture Area
Effective area wherein the RX antenna would
capture the EM waves radiated from the TX
antenna
Formula:
 Captured Power
Power available at the RX antennas output
terminals
Formula:
 Antenna Beamwidth
Angle separation
between two half- beamwidth

power points (-3dB)

on the major lobe of
an antennas radiation
pattern
Inversely proportional
to antenna gain
 Antenna Bandwidth
Frequency range over which antenna operation is
satisfactory
Normally taken as the difference of the
frequencies at half-power points
Often expressed as percentage of antennas
optimum operating frequency
 Antenna Input Impedance
AC load to the transmission line at the feedpoint
(terminals of the antenna)
If the transmitters output impedance, antennas
input impedance and the transmission line
impedance are the same, there would be no
standing waves on the line, and maximum power
is transmitted.
Formula:
 Isotropic
Omnidirectional
Monopole
Dipole
Directional
Yagi-Uda
Parabolic
 Isotropic
An isotropic antenna (isotropic radiator) is
a hypothetical antenna that radiates equal signal
power in all directions.
It is a mathematical model that is used as the base of
comparison to calculate the gain of real antennas.
No real antenna can have an isotropic radiation
pattern.
However approximately isotropic antennas,
constructed with multiple elements, are used in
antenna testing.
 Monopole
An antenna consisting of a
straight rod-shaped
conductor, often mounted
perpendicularly over some
type of conductive surface,
called a ground plane, often
the Earth
One side of antenna
feedline is connected to the
lower end of the antenna,
and the other to ground
plane
Monopole
Radiation Pattern

The radiation pattern

in 3D of a monopole
antenna. It can be
likened to a fountain
with the water
spouting upwards.
The power density is
high (red) at areas
perpendicular to the
monopole, and
reduces as it
approaches the axis
of the antenna.
 Building an antenna based on
wavelength would be costly in some
frequencies ( > ~100m)
Shortening an antenna can cause
capacitance component in the
impedance
Solutions include loading coils and top
hats
 Loading coils
The coils inductive
reactance cancels out
the capacitive
reactance in an
electrically short
antenna
Usually located at the
bottom of the antenna
or the middle
 Top loading
An array resembling a
wheel is placed on top
of an antenna
Increases the
radiation resistance
and efficiency
 Dipole
consists of two
conductors (usually
metal rods or wires)
arranged
symmetrically, with
one side of the
balanced feedline from
the transmitter or
receiver attached to
each.
Dipole Radiation
Pattern

The radiation pattern

of a dipole antenna.
Its shaped can be
likened to a
doughnut. The power
density is high (red) at
areas perpendicular
to the dipole, and
reduces as it
approaches the axis
of the antenna.
 Antenna Array
Formed when two or more
antenna elements are
combined to form a single
antenna
Purpose is to increase antenna
directivity and concentrate the
transmission w/in a small area
Elements can be driven (directly
connected to TX line) or
parasitic (non-driven), parasitic
can be further divided into:
reflector and director
 Yagi-Uda
An array of multiple
parallel elements
Consisting of single half-
wave dipole, and parasitic
elements that are not
connected to the
transmitter or receiver,
called reflector and director
Invented in 1926 by
Shintaro Uda of Tohoku
Imperial University in
Japan
 Parabolic Antenna
Uses a parabolic
reflector to direct the
radio waves
Have some of the
highest gains and
narrowest beamwidths
Must be larger than the
wavelength of radio
waves used
Parabolic Antenna
Radiation Pattern

Radiation pattern
of a parabolic
antenna. It has a
very high gain
and low
beamwidth. It can
also be seen that
there is very little
gain at the back
lobe (blue).