Cairo University Department of Electronics and

Faculty of Engineering Communications Engineering

EXERCISE V: ANTENNA ARRAYS

Problem (1)
Find the space factor in the following cases (use conventional coordinate system):
1. Two equal in-phase sources at (0, 0, 0) and (d, 0, 0).
2. Two equal in-phase sources at (0, 0, 0) and (d, d, 0).
3. Four equal in-phase sources at (0, 0, 0), (d, 0, 0), (0, d, 0) and (d, d, 0).
4. Three in-phase sources at (0, 0, 0), (0, 0, d) and (0, 0, 2d) with ratio of
magnitudes 1:2:1.

Problem (2)
Show that the array factor of a binomial array with four elements excited in phase
with relative amplitudes 1:3:3:1 is given by:
 kd 
S    cos 3  cos , d is the inter - element spacing
 2 
Hence, draw the pattern and determine the 3-dB beam width for d=/2.

Problem (3)
1. Show that for long linear arrays of isotropic sources the beam width between
the first nulls is approximately given by:
 2
 , in case of broadside array
 Nd
BWBFN  
2 2 , in case of end - fire array

 Nd
where N is the total number of elements
d is the inter-element spacing
2. For a large broadside array, show that the amplitude of the mth side-lobe
relative to the main beam is approximately given by:
1
N sin 2 N 2m  1


Problem (4)
1. Use the directional pattern of a thin center-fed /2 dipole to obtain the
pattern of a center-fed  dipole.
2. Show how the radiation pattern of a straight travelling wave wire antenna of
arbitrary length can be obtained using the principle of pattern multiplication.

Problem (5)
Determine the space factor of a linear end-fire array of eight elements spaced /4
apart, giving directions and relative magnitudes of side-lobes. Sketch the pattern
showing the positions of nulls.

1
Problem (6) (Jan. 1997)
A two-element antenna array consists of thin half-wave dipoles on the Z-axis at z=0
and z=d. The dipoles are parallel to the X-axis with feed currents I0 and I0ejd.
Find  and d in order to have zero radiation in the negative Z direction and maximum
in the positive Z direction. Sketch the directional patterns in the principal planes.

Problem (7)
Four vertical antennas, parallel to Z-axis, are equally spaced along the X-axis, and
excited with equal currents. If the inter-element spacing is 0.8, determine the
radiation pattern in the XY-plane.

Problem (8)
1. A linear array of N=50 equally spaced elements with d=/2 is excited for end-
fire operation. If the elements are along the Z-axis, give an expression for the
space factor S and find its first two zeros.
2. If the array consists of equal dipoles parallel to the X-axis find the radiation
pattern in the XY and XZ planes. What is the difference for N=49?

Problem (9)
A linear array 80 wavelengths long has equally spaced elements with /2 inter-
element spacing. The elements are excited with equal in-phase currents. Assuming
isotropic elements, determine the directions and widths of the principal maximum as
well as the side-lobe level in the two cases:
1. All elements (N=161) in operation.
2. Elements 1, 5, 9,......, 157, 161 in operation.

Problem (10)
Consider a two-element array with d=2, fed with in-phase, equal magnitude
currents. Sketch, without formulation, the space factor pattern, showing nulls and
maxima. Comment on the values of lobe maxima.
The inter-element separation is now filled with three additional elements to form a 5
element broadside array. Obtain an expression for the space-factor (S) and
determine the zeros as well as the side-lobe level (SLL).

Problem (11)
A linear array consists of 60 parallel coplanar equally spaced /2 dipoles parallel to
the Z-axis, operating at 1 GHz with equal magnitude current excitation. The array is
placed /4 above and parallel to a perfectly conducting screen in the XZ plane with
inter-element spacing of 0.4.
1. Determine, for broadside operation, the radiation pattern in XY and XZ plane.
2. Give the beam width between nulls and the directions and relative levels of
side-lobes with beam scanning 60 off broadside in the XY plane, keeping the
exciting current magnitude unchanged. Give the change in maximum
radiation intensity relative to its value at broadside.