Parabolic Antenna Feeding Systems

Spill Over & Back Lobe
• In addition to the desired radiation, some of the desired

rays are not captured by the reflector and these constitute
spill over (overflowing or spreading into another area).
• While receiving, spill over increases noise pickup which is

particularly troublesome in satellite ground stations.
• Some radiations from the primary radiator occur in the

forward direction in addition to the desired parallel beam.
• This is known as backlobe radiation as it is from the

backlobe of the primary radiator.
• Backlobe radiations are not desirable as it can
interfere destructively with the
beam
reflectedand hence radiators
practical
designed to minimize this. are
• The directivity of the paraboloidal reflector is a
function of the primary antenna directivity and
the ratio of the focal length to reflector diameter.
• This focal length to diameter ratio is known as

aperture number.
• The aperture number determines the angular

aperture of the reflector.
• This in turn determines how much of the primary

radiation is intercepted by the reflector.
• The effective area is given by, Ae =ᶯA
• Where ᶯ - aperture efficiency
• A – physical area of the reflector = πD2/4
• When the aperture number f/D >λ/4, the focal

point is outside the reflector and spill over loss
occurs.
• However the primary radiation is not much

reduced and the reflector illumination
approaches a uniform value. This increases the
aperture efficiency.
• However if f/D is very much greater than λ/4, the
spill over loss gets increased and the aperture
efficiency decreases.
• When f/D < λ/4, then the focal point is inside the
reflector, no spill over loss occurs but the
illumination of the reflector becomes non-
uniform and this again reduces efficiency.
• The relationship between aperture number and

angular aperture is given by, f/D = ¼ cot (θ/2) =
0.25 cot(θ/2)
Feed Systems of Reflector Antennas
• The antenna placed at the focus of a paraboloid is
known as feed radiator or primary radiator or simply
feed and its radiation pattern is known as primary
pattern.
• The parabolic reflector is known as secondary radiator.
• An ideal feed would be that radiator which radiates

towards reflector in such a way that it illuminates the
entire surface of the reflector and no energy is radiated
in any other directions. But it is not available in
practice.
Various Feeds Used in
Reflector
• Dipole Antenna
• Horn Antenna
• End fire Antenna
• Cassegrain Feed
Feeding Structures
Dipole Antenna Feed
• It is not very much suitable but occasionally used.
• The simplest and generally used is a dipole with

parasitic reflector (i.e Yagi uda) or small plane
reflector which is fed with a coaxial line.
• Typically spacing between driven element and

parasitic element is 0.125λ and for a plane
reflector, it may be around 0.4λ.
End Fire Feed
• The double dipoles are so spaced and phased
such that end fire pattern is produced which
illuminates the paraboloid reflector.
Horn Feed
• The most common feed radiation for paraboloid
reflector antenna is waveguide horn. The horn
feed is a waveguide feed.
• Horn antenna is pointing the paraboloid and the

direct radiation from the horn antenna is
minimum.
• If circular polarization is required, conical horn or

helix antenna can be used as feed at the focus of
paraboloid.
• For getting maximized beam pattern along the
parabolic axis, feed is placed at the focus.
• But if the feed is moved laterally from the

focus i.e., perpendicular to axis, limited beam
motion can be obtained.
• If the feed is moved along the axis, the pattern

is broadened.
• This important position of feed is the focus.

Cassegrain Feed
• Here primary feed radiator is positioned
the
around an opening near the vertex of the
paraboloid instead of at focus i.e., horn antenna
is placed at the vertex and secondary feed is the
sub reflector usually hyperboloidal reflector.
• The focus of hyperboloid coincides with the focus

of paraboloid. In this system, the paraboloid is
the main reflector. The hyperboloid is the sub
reflector.
•The radiations emitted
from primary feed
radiator reach sub
reflector. The sub reflector
reflects and illuminates
the main parabolic
reflector. The main
reflector reflects the rays
parallel to the axis.
•It becomes important to minimize the length of
the transmission line or waveguide connecting
the feed radiator with receiver or transmitter. This
is needed specially to avoid losses.
Advantages of Cassegrain Feed
• Reduction in spill over and minor
lobe radiation
• Simple in construction
• Quite inexpensive
• Widely used in fixed point to point micro wave
communication.
• Satellite reception and tracking
• Ability to place feed in a convenient location.
Disadvantage of Cassegrain
Feed
• The disadvantage is that some of the radiation
from the paraboloid reflector is obstructed
because of the presence of sub reflector along
the path of parallel rays.( Aperture blocking)
• This is not a serious problem in greater
dimensions paraboloid, to minimize this sub
reflector should be small compared to
parabola.
Offset Paraboloidal Reflector
• The aperture blocking defect can be avoided
by using an offset reflector which is applicable
to focal point feed.
• An offset dish antenna or off-axis dish antenna

is a type of parabolic antenna. It is so called
because the antenna feed is offset to the side
of the reflector.
Offset Paraboloidal Reflector
Thank You

Parabolic Antenna Feeding Systems

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Spill Over & Back Lobe

• In addition to the desired radiation, some of the desired

• While receiving, spill over increases noise pickup which is

• Some radiations from the primary radiator occur in the

• This is known as backlobe radiation as it is from the

• This focal length to diameter ratio is known as

• The aperture number determines the angular

• This in turn determines how much of the primary

• When the aperture number f/D >λ/4, the focal

• However the primary radiation is not much

• The relationship between aperture number and

• The parabolic reflector is known as secondary radiator.

• An ideal feed would be that radiator which radiates

• The simplest and generally used is a dipole with

• Typically spacing between driven element and

• Horn antenna is pointing the paraboloid and the

• If circular polarization is required, conical horn or

• But if the feed is moved laterally from the

• If the feed is moved along the axis, the pattern

• This important position of feed is the focus.

• The focus of hyperboloid coincides with the focus

• An offset dish antenna or off-axis dish antenna

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