EMG4066:Antennas and Propagation Exp 1:ANTENNAS MMU:FOE/FET

OBE!T"#ES
To study the radiation pattern characteristics of various types of antennas.
APPA$ATUS
"NT$O%U!T"ON
Antennas are often designed to accentuate the radiation energy in some directions and
suppress it in others. In order to meet the particular requirements, it may take various forms
ranging from a piece of conducting wire, an aperture, an array of elements, a reflector, a
lens etc.
The straight wire dipole antenna is the most familiar one because it is seen virtually
everywhere. Its radiation properties are dependent on the ratio of dipole length l to the
wavelength . In practice, the antenna length is normally between (!"# and ($!%# , and
only rarely e&ceeds '. The spacing between the two(equal length segments of the dipole is
assumed to be infinitely small. The radiated waves are linearly polari)ed. If the dipole wire
runs along the z(a&is, the radiation is ma&imum in the radial direction on the x-y plane. The
magnetic field vectors lay on this plane of propagation and thus referred to as the *(plane.
The radiation pattern is often described in terms of its principle +( and *( plane patterns,
instead of a ", spatial distribution of radiated energy as a function of the observer-s
position along a constant radius sphere. The +(plane pattern is defined as the .plane
containing the electric field vector and the direction of ma&imum radiation/, and the *(
plane as .the plane containing the magnetic(field vector and the direction of ma&imum
radiation/. 0or the well(known donut(shaped radiation pattern of a half(wave dipole, the *(
plane pattern is a circle while the +(plane patterns is a figure .1/, as illustrated in 0igure .
The patterns will be completely different if the dipole length is longer than .
0or a wavelength of " m or less, the construction of a half(wave dipole is simple to
reali)e. In the case of medium and long waves ( 2 3"333 m#, only relatively short
monopole antennas can be constructed due to technical and economic reasons. 0or reasons
of space, aesthetics or concealment, the antennas need to be short. The solutions are
inductive and capacitive loadings of the antennas, as shown in 0igure '. The inductive
4icrowave 5ource
6otating Antenna 7latform
4easurement Interface
Transmitting *orn Antenna
,ipole and 8agi Antenna 5et
9oa& 9ables
4icrostrip Antenna
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EMG4066:Antennas and Propagation Exp 1:ANTENNAS MMU:FOE/FET
loading inserts a coil at the middle of the rod length to distort the current distribution along
the conductor. To add a capacitive load, a circular conductive plate is attached onto the top
of the monopole. These coil and plate electrically .lengthen/ the antenna, and therefore, a
physically shorter structure can be used to obtain the required radiation properties.
0igure : 6adiation pattern of a half(wave dipole.
0igure ': 9urrent distribution of half(wave dipole with inductive loading and capacitive loading
0igure ": 8agi(;da antenna and its radiation pattern.
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EMG4066:Antennas and Propagation Exp 1:ANTENNAS MMU:FOE/FET
8agi(;da antenna (0igure "#, named after its developers, is widely used for T<
reception. A dipole (or folded dipole# is used as the only active element to intercept radio
waves and transfer the electromagnetic energy to a transmission line in the form of electric
current and voltage. All other elements are considered as parasitic radiators without any
feedline or matching network= thus making the reali)ation considerably cheaper. The
parasitic elements influence both the input impedance of the active element as well as the
radiation pattern of the overall antenna system. An element longer than !' behind the
active element will act as a reflector, which reflects the approaching waves in the ma>or
lobe toward the dipole. 9onversely, a shorter element in front of the active element will act
as a director, which concentrates the received waves in the ma>or lobe and reradiates
toward the dipole. The directivity of the antenna system is greater with an increased
number of parasitic elements, particularly the directors. 7ractically, there is a limit beyond
which very little gain is obtained by the addition of more directors. The length of the
directors (3."33.%$# and the spacing between them (3."33.%# must be properly
selected to optimise the front(to(back ratio of the antenna. ?n the other hand, it has been
concluded numerically and e&perimentally that the reflector spacing and si)e have
negligible effects on the forward gain, but large effects on the backward gain (front(to(back
ratio# and input impedance. The ma>or role of the reflector is played by the first element
ne&t to the active one (@3.'$# away#. Increasing the number of reflectors will only
contribute slightly in the performance of 8agi(;da antenna. The input impedance of the
dipole, which acts as the active element, is lower compared to an isolated dipole. In order
to make the matching easier, a '(element folded dipole is often used to replace the single
dipole. This will give impedance step(up by a factor of %.
0igure %: 4icrostrip antenna and the various feeding networks.
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EMG4066:Antennas and Propagation Exp 1:ANTENNAS MMU:FOE/FET
A ', or planar array antenna is produced by arranging linear array antennas in a
parallel configuration. ?ne e&ample of the planar array is the microstrip antenna (0igure %#.
+ach rectangular patch of conductors on the dielectric substrate acts as a radiator. Aith l =
w = !', portion of electric(field lines cross over from one edge to another above the patch.
These fringing fields are the source of radiation. If every patch in the planar array is e&cited
with equal amplitude and phase, the beamwidth will be constricted in both x( and y(
direction. The feeding networks must be dimensioned accurately in order to obtain the
desired efficiency of the antenna system. These feeding networks can be designed in one of
the following methods:
a# A corporate feeder in which all of the radiators are connected on electrically
equal(length line segments, as in 0igure %(b#.
b# 5eries feeder in which the radiators are connected in series. The time delay
of the signal from one radiator to the subsequent radiator introduces phase
difference in the e&citation of each element. This may result in a tilt of the beam
sometimes called squinting effect of the main lobe. 9hanging the signal
frequency will cause a variation in the squint angle.
c# A combination of the two, as in 0igure %(c#.
P$O!E%U$E
"nitia( setting
# The antenna measurement system is set(up according to 0igure $.
'# 5witch on the rotating antenna platform.
"# 5witch on the computer and run the antenna measurement software.
%# 6otate the transmitting horn antenna to produce the required wave polari)ation for
+(plane and *(plane pattern measurements.
0igure $: The measurement setup.
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EMG4066:Antennas and Propagation Exp 1:ANTENNAS MMU:FOE/FET
%ipo(e antenna
$# A set of dipole antenna is provided with the e&periment set.
B# ,etermine the arrangement of the antenna for +(plane measurement.
C# 4easure the +(plane pattern for the !' dipole. Dote that the transmitted waves
must be hori)ontally polari)ed.
1# ,etermine the arrangement of the antenna for *(plane measurement.
E# ,etermine the direction of transmitting horn antenna to produce the vertically
polari)ed wave. 4easure the *(plane patterns for the !' dipole.
3# Analyse the +( and *(plane radiation pattern of the dipole antenna. ,educe the "(
dF beamwidth for each of the plane patterns.
)agi*Uda antenna
# 9onstruct a 8agi antenna using the dipole antenna kit provided with the e&periment
set.
'# Investigate the +(plane patterns for the configuration with a reflector, a director, a
director plus a reflector, and % directors plus a reflector. The transmitted waves must
be hori)ontally polari)ed.
"# Arrange the set to produce vertically polari)ed waves. 4easure the *(plane patterns
for the configuration with a reflector, a director, a director plus a reflector, and %
directors plus a reflector.
%# Analyse the +( and *(plane radiation pattern of the all the 8agi antenna. ,educe the
"(dF beamwidth for each of the plane patterns.
Mi+rostrip antenna
$# 5et up the microstrip antenna on the rotating platform.
B# ,etermine the +(plane and *(plane patterns of the microstrip antenna.
C# Analyse the +( and *(plane radiation pattern of the all the 8agi antenna. ,educe the
"(dF beamwidth for each of the plane patterns.
,UEST"ONS:
G. Ahat is the difference between infinitesimal dipole and small dipoleH
G. ' Ahat is the radiation resistance of a half(wave dipole, and what about its
directivityH
G. " Ahat do you understand by the radiation intensityH
G. % Ahat do you mean by the isotropic radiatorH
G. $ Ahat do you mean by the antenna impedanceH
G. B Ahat is the concept of effective aperture of an antennaH *ow is it different from the
physical apertureH
G. C Ahat do you mean by *ert)ian dipoleH Ahat about the current distribution on such
a dipoleH
G. 1 Ahat are the different elements in a 8agi(;da antennaH 4ention the use of each.
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EMG4066:Antennas and Propagation Exp 1:ANTENNAS MMU:FOE/FET
MA$."NG S!/EME:
6esults of each radiation patterns: (' mark for each pattern, total of ' patterns# '% marks
4easurement of "dF beamwidth: ( mark for each pattern, total of ' patterns# ' marks
9onclusion I ,iscussion: 1 marks
Answer to questions: B marks
T?TAJ: B3 marks
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