Antennas and Wave Propagation Course

Definition File
 Antennas and Wave Propagation Course Definition File

1. Basic Information:

Course Name Antennas and Wave Propagation

Course ID CRF402
Contact Hours (Registered Sessions) 30
Contact Hours (Synchronized Sessions) 18
Mid Term Exam There is not
Exam 1.5
Registered Sessions Work Load 30
Synchronized Session Work Load 18
Credit Hours 5

2. Pre-Requisites:

Course ID
Electromagnetic Waves and Transmission Lines CRF301

3. Course General Objectives:

This course’s objective is to introduce the student to antennas, covering their principles of
radiation, their basic parameters, (radiation resistance, radiation pattern, polarization,
reciprocity, effective radiated power), their general types, and those commonly used in
wireless systems. The student learns how to quickly analyse a communication link that
uses standard antennas and suffers from the various effects of propagation. The course
reviews Electromagnetic Theory and electromagnetic wave properties. The student also
learns the various propagation mechanisms/impairments and the basic models of
propagation. Atmospheric and weather effects are also reviewed. The student would be
able to grasp the idea of link budget analysis and propagation calculations, including:
antenna gain, efficiency and directivity calculations; free-space loss; diffraction and
obstruction loss; rain loss; depolarisation loss; impedance mismatch loss; etc. The student
would be able to apply this to determine the range of a wireless RF/microwave system,
using what the student know about propagation mechanisms/impairments and the basic
models of propagation to determine approximately the range of point-to-point system. The
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Antennas and Wave Propagation Course Definition File

student also learns the various techniques of diversity and combining methods to improve
the system performance.

4. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO):

Code Intended Learning Outcomes

ILO1 Understanding the basic principles and radiation of antennas.
ILO2 Recognizing fundamental parameters of antennas.
ILO3 Overview of antennas types and applications in wireless systems.
Knowing the basic propagation models and propagation mechanisms/impairments
ILO4
for radio waves.
Performing link budget calculations and determining the maximum acceptable path
ILO5
loss.
Performing link budget calculations including antenna gain, efficiency and directivity
ILO6 calculations, and propagation mechanisms/impairments losses to expect the
maximum range upon the maximum acceptable path loss.
Recognizing various techniques of diversity and combining methods to improve the
ILO7
system performance.

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 Antennas and Wave Propagation Course Definition File

5. Course Syllabus (18 hours of total synchronized sessions)

 RS: Recorded Sessions; SS: Synchronized Sessions;

ILO Course Syllabus RS SS Type Additional Notes

Electromagnetic theory review  Exercises
and Properties of EM waves:  Assignments
ILO1  Quick review of the meaning  Seminars
2
ILO4 of Maxwell’s Equations,  Projects
 Plane Wave Properties,  Practices
 Wave Polarization.  Others
Antenna types and their basic
parameters
 Exercises
 Antenna Types
 Assignments
 Basic parameters
ILO1  Seminars
 Antenna impedance 5 3
ILO2  Projects
 Gain and directivity
 Practices
 Antenna pattern
 Others
 Antenna polarization
 Other parameters
Dipoles and Monopoles
 Antenna pattern
 Effects of conductor
diameter  Exercises
 Feed point impedance  Assignments
ILO2  Effect of frequency on  Seminars
4 3
ILO3 radiation pattern  Projects
 Folded dipole  Practices
 Vertical dipole  Others
 Monopoles
 Monopole characteristics
 Folded monopole
ILO3 Array antenna, parabolic 3 1.5  Exercises

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 Antennas and Wave Propagation Course Definition File

antenna, patch antenna  Assignments

 Log-Periodic Dipole Arrays  Seminars
 Parabolic antenna  Projects
 Patch antenna  Practices
 Others
 Exercises
Propagation mechanisms:
 Assignments
 Reflection, Refraction, and
ILO3  Seminars
Transmission, 4 3
ILO4  Projects
 Scattering,
 Practices
 Diffraction.
 Others
Basic propagation models:  Exercises
 Definition of Path Loss,  Assignments
ILO4
 Noise Modeling  Seminars
ILO5 8 4.5
 Free-Space Loss,  Projects
ILO6
 Plane Earth Loss,  Practices
 Link Budgets,  Others
Propagation impairments and
Performance enhancement
Techniques:
 Exercises
 Atmosphere
 Assignments
 Absorption
 Seminars
ILO7  Attenuation due to 4 3
 Projects
Hydrometeors
 Practices
 Refractive Effects
 Others
 Fading types and models
 Diversity Techniques
 Combining methods

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Antennas and Wave Propagation Course Definition File

6. Assessment Criteria (Related to ILOs)

ISC Interactive Synchronized Collaboration Ex Exams Rpt Reports

Presentations and Face-to-Face
PF2F PW Practice Work
Assessments

ILO Intended Assessment Type

ILO
Code Results ISC PW Ex PF2F Rpt
Understanding the basic principles and
ILO1 X X X
radiation of antennas.
Recognizing fundamental parameters of
ILO2 X X X
antennas.
Overview of antennas types and
ILO3 X X X
applications in wireless systems.
Knowing the basic propagation models
and propagation
ILO4 X X X
mechanisms/impairments for radio
waves.
Performing link budget calculations and
ILO5 determining the maximum acceptable X X X
path loss.
Performing link budget calculations
including antenna gain, efficiency and
directivity calculations, and propagation
ILO6 X X X
mechanisms/impairments losses to
expect the maximum range upon the
maximum acceptable path loss.
Recognizing various techniques of
ILO7 diversity and combining methods to X X X X
improve the system performance.

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Antennas and Wave Propagation Course Definition File

7. Practice Tools:

Tool Name Description

HFSS Electromagnetic simulation
mmana Antenna simulation software

8. Main References

1. ‘Antennas and Propagation for Wireless Communication Systems’, 2nd edition, by

Simon Saunders, Alejandro Aragón-Zavala, Wiley, 2007
2. “Antenna Theory: Analysis and Design’, 3rd Edition, by Constantine A. Balanis,
Wiley, 2005
3. ‘Introduction to RF propagation’, by John S. Seybold, Wiley, 2005

9. Additional References

1. “Microwave Engineering”, 4th edition, by David Pozar, Wiley, 2012

2. ‘Antenna Engineering Handbook’, 4th Edition, by John Volakis, McGraw-Hill, 2007
3. ‘Principles and Applications of Electromagnetic Fields’, by Robert Plonsey and
Robert E. Collin, McGraw-Hill, 1961
4. “Microwave Radio Links, from theory to design”, by Carlos Salema, Wiley, 2003

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