Antenna Family

Short Dipole Antenna Analysis

• Consider a finite, but short antenna with
l << situated in free space
• Current is charging the uniformly
distributed capacitance of the antenna
wire & so has a maximum at the middle
and tapers toward zero at the ends
• Each element dl radiates per our radiation
equations (previous slide), namely
• In the far field
E = ( I dl sin/(2 r )) cos {[t-(r/c)]}
• The  direction is in the same plane as the
element dl and the radial line from
antenna center to observer and
perpendicular to r
Short Dipole Antenna Result
• The resultant field at the observer at r is the sum of the
contributions from the elemental lengths dl
• Each contribution is essentially the same except that the current I varies
• Radiation contribution to the sum is strongest from the center and
weakest at the ends
• This can be summarized as the rms field strength in volts per
meter as
E,rms = [ Io le sin/(2 r )] -- V/m

• What do you think the effective length le & current Io are?

• The radiated power is
Pav = (E,rms)2/(2
Modifications for Half Wavelength Dipole
• For antennas comparable in size
to 
• Current distribution is not linear
• Phase difference between
different parts of the antenna
• Current distribution on
/2 dipole
• Antenna acts like open circuit
transmission line with uniformly
distributed capacitance
• Sinusoidal current distribution
results
Fields from /2 Dipole
• To take account of the phase
differences of the contributions
from all the elements dl we
need to integrate over the
entire length of the antenna as
shown by the figure (from
Skilling, 1948)
E = ∫±/4 ( Io sine/2 re ) cos
kx cos [t-(re/c)] dx
• Integral is from -/4 to /4, i.e.
over the antenna length
• Result of integration
E = (Io/2r) cos [t-(r/c)]
{cos [( /2) cos] / sin}
• We know that Er = E= 0 as for
the Hertzian dipole
/2 and  Dipole Antenna Pattern (E-field)
Monopole over a Conducting Plane -- /4 Vertical
/4 Vertical over Ground Plane & Real Earth

• Solid line is for perfectly conducting Earth

• Shaded pattern shows how the pattern is modified by a more
realistic Earth with dielectric constant k = 13 and conductivity G =
0.005 S/m
Yagi - Uda
• Driven element induces currents in
parasitic elements
• When a parasitic element is slightly
longer than /2, the element acts
inductively and thus as a reflector --
current phased to reinforce
radiation in the maximum direction
and cancel in the opposite direction
• The director element is slightly
shorter than/2, the element acts
inductively and thus as a director --
current phased to reinforce
radiation in the maximum direction
and cancel in the opposite direction
• The elements are separated by ≈
0.25
3
Element
Yagi
Antenna
Pattern
2.4 GHz Yagi with 15dBi Gain
• G ≈ 1.66 * N (not dB)
• N = number of
elements
• G ≈ 1.66 *3 = 5
= 7 dB
• G ≈ 1.66 * 16 =
27 = 16 dB
 Log-Periodic Antennas

• A log periodic is an extension of the Yagi idea to a broad-band,

perhaps 4 x in wavelength, antenna with a gain of ≈ 8 dB
• Log periodics are typically used in the HF to UHF bands
Parabolic Reflectors
• A parabolic reflector
operates much the same
way a reflecting
telescope does
• Reflections of rays from
the feed point all
contribute in phase to a
plane wave leaving the
antenna along the
antenna bore sight (axis)
• Typically used at UHF and
higher frequencies