Advanced Communication laboratory

EX.NO.7

MEASUREMENT OF ANTENNA REASONANCE AND VSWR

Objective
To study the difference between a reasonant and non-reasonant antenna and hence calculate
the reasonant frequency and measure the VSWR & impedance of reasonant antenna.
Equipments Required
Antenna transmitter,receiver
Pair of Dipole antennas,Log-Periodic,Discone,Biconical antennas
Antenna Tripod and with connecting cables,BNC-RF cable
Theory
An antenna is a device that transmits and/or receives electromagnetic waves. Electromagnetic
waves are often referred to as radio waves. Most antennas are resonant devices, which
operate efficiently over a relatively narrow frequency band. An antenna must be tuned to the
same frequency band that the radio system to which it is connected operates in, otherwise
reception and/or transmission will be impaired.An antenna is said to be resonant if its input
impedance is entirely real, i.e. Zin = R + j*0.In this case the voltage and current are in phase
at the antenna's terminals. This property makes the impedance matching of an antenna to a
transmission line and receiver easier, as the imaginary part of the impedance does not need
tuned out.
For efficient transfer of energy, the impedance of the radio, the antenna, and the transmission
line connecting the radio to the antenna must be the same. Radios typically are designed for
50 ohms impedance and the coaxial cables (transmission lines) used with them also have a 50
ohm impedance. Efficient antenna configurations often have an impedance other than 50
ohms, some sort of impedance matching circuit is then required to transform the antenna
impedance to 50 ohms.
In telecommunications, return loss is the loss of signal power resulting from the reflection
caused at a discontinuity in a transmission line or optical fiber. This discontinuity can be a
mismatch with the terminating load or with a device inserted in the line. It is usually
expressed as a ratio in decibels (dB);

where RL(dB) is the return loss in dB, Pi is the incident power and Pr is the reflected power.
Return loss is related to both standing wave ratio (SWR) and reflection coefficient ().
Increasing return loss corresponds to lower SWR. Return loss is a measure of how well
devices or lines are matched. A match is good if the return loss is high. A high return loss is
desirable and results in a lower insertion loss.

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Advanced Communication laboratory

Return loss is used in modern practice in preference to SWR because it has better resolution
for small values of reflected wave
The Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) is an indication of how good the impedance
match is. VSWR is often abbreviated as SWR. A high VSWR is an indication that the signal
is reflected prior to being radiated by the antenna. VSWR and reflected power are different
ways of measuring and expressing the same thing.
A VSWR of 2.0:1 or less is considered good. Most commercial antennas, however, are
specified to be 1.5:1 or less over some bandwidth. Based on a 100 watt radio, a 1.5:1 VSWR
equates to a forward power of 96 watts and a reflected power of 4 watts, or the reflected
power is 4.2% of the forward power.
Block Diagram

Figure 7.1 Antenna Reasonance and VSWR

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Advanced Communication laboratory

VSWR

Model Graph

Frequency(MHz)
Procedure
1. Connect the RLB to the transmitter tripod through the TX RF Connector.
2. Switch the transmitter attenuator downwards to avoid receiver saturation.
3. Connect the Dipole Antenna to the RLB at the ANT connector. Set the dipole
dimensions to around 24 cm end to end.
4. Connect the Receiver to the RLB at the RX connector using the BNC-RF lead
provided.
5. The RLB is matched to 75 ohms input impedance of receiver and 75 Ohms output
impedance of transmitter. It compares the antenna impedance to its internal reference
impedance of 75 Ohms. If the antenna is 75 Ohms then bridge is balanced and there
is no output at receiver end. The more antenna impedance differs from 75 Ohms the
more will be the output at the receiver. Maximum receiver output will be at Antenna
impedance shorted or open circuited. Even on a best match to 75 Ohms the lead
reactance and bridge directivity shall limit the null to 15 dB especially in UHF region.
At VHF the null could be as sharp as 35 dB
6. Press the memory UP/DOWN to bring the transmitter to location 1.
7. Press frequency UP/DOWN buttons to bring the transmitter to location 1.
8. Now press the STORE button once and 500 MHz will be stored at location1.
9. Now press memory UP button once to bring location 2.
10. Press frequency UP button to bring frequency to 510 MHz.Press the STORE button
and 510 MHz will be stored at location 2.
11. Similarly store frequencies to 750 MHz at 10 MHz intervals.
12. Repeat the same with receiver and store all the frequencies.
13. Now bring the transmitter and receiver to 500 MHz and take the reading in receiver.
14. Press memory up button in receiver and transmitter and both will shift to 510
MHz.Take this reading.Similarly take readings at 10 MHz intervals.
15. There will be a distinct dip in level due to bridge null where antenna reasonates.
16. Take more readings at 1 MHz interval near the null for a clearer picture.A narrow
band antenna can be further resolved with 100 KHz steps.
17. Keep your hands away from the antenna while taking measurements.
18. Change the antenna dimensions and observe that the null has shifted in frequency.
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Advanced Communication laboratory

19. Find the relation between resonant frequency and dipole antenna dimensions.
20. Repeat again for a non-resonant antenna like log periodic,discone,biconical to observe
the difference in their behaviour from a dipole antenna.
21. Find the VSWR for a given dipole antenna at its resonant frequency.

Tabulation

FREQUENCY (Hz)

RETURN LOSS (dB)

VSWR

Result
A Half Wave dipole whose element length is 12 Cm shall resonate at around 600
MHz as can be inferred from the graph.At the resonant frequency the SWR is minimum
for a resonant antenna.

Department of Electronics & Communication Engineering