Stacked Patch Dual-band Circularly Polarized

Antenna for GPS applications

Abstract

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a worldwide radio- navigation system formed from a
constellation of 24 satellites that continuously orbit the earth. GPS are used for tracking and
location mapping in most of the aircraft carriers, ships, and automobile. A low profile, dual-
band, wide beam circularly polarized (CP) stacked antenna is proposed for global positioning
systems (GPS) and vehicle applications. Antenna’s configuration consists of stacked unequal
circular-patches integrated microstrip radiators with coaxial feed. The dual-band CP radiation
is achieved by integrated unequal circular-patches at the corners of lower and upper square
microstrip radiators. Low-profile dual-band CP microstrip antenna design for GPS using
single-feed is a challenge because the frequency ratio of the bands is small. A dualband CP
microstrip antenna over high impedance surface ground plane has been realized based on the
strategy of combining the microstrip mode and annular-slot mode.

Report Organisation

The report is organized into five chapters where each chapter describes the information and
the data used in carrying out this project and consequently the results generated.
Chapter 1 introduces the need for using dual band circular polarization for GPS applications,
motivation for selecting the project statement and specifies the problem statement.
Chapter 2 presents the review of literature, introducing how GPS works, microstrip patch
antenna, advantage of using circular polarization and significance of the L1 and L2 frequency
bands.
Chapter 3 describes the problem solution and implementation methodology followed.
Chapter 4 presents the results we have simulated after the project was implemented in HFSS
software.
Chapter 5 presents the work done so far and the work to be done in the next semester.

Table of Contents

Abstract
List of Figures
1. Introduction
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 Motivation 2
1.3 Problem Statement 2
2. Literature Overview
Li
2.1 Global Positioning Systems (GPS) 3
st
2.2 Rectangular Microstrip Antenna 4
2.3 Circular Polarization 8
of
2.4 Significance if L1 and L2 frequency bands 9 Fi
3. Design procedure for dual-band CP antenna gu
3.1 Dual Band 11 re
3.2 Circular Polarization 12 s
3.3 Implementation 12
3.4 Design dimensions of the dual band CP antenna 15
4. Results and Discussion Fig
2.1
4.1 VSWR v/s Frequency (GHz) 16 Vis
4.2 S11 (dB) v/s Frequency (GHz) 17 ible
4.3 Radiation Pattern 18 Sat
ellit
5. Project Status and Future work 21 es
Literature Cited 22 in a
GP
Acknowledgement 23
S
Fig
2.2 Rectangular Microstrip Antenna
Fig 2.3 Circular Polarization
Fig 2.4 GPS Satellite Signals
Fig 3.1 Proposed Dual-band antenna geometry cross-sectional view
Fig 3.2 Proposed CP antenna top view
Fig 3.3.1 Implementation of dual-band antenna
Fig 3.3.2 Implementation of dual-band CP antenna
Fig 3.3.3 Cross-sectional view indicating coaxial feed
Fig 4.1 VSWR v/s Frequency (GHz) plot
Fig 4.2 S11 (dB) v/s Frequency (GHz) plot
Fig 4.3.1 H Plane Radiation Pattern at L1 band centre frequency
Fig 4.3.2 E plane Radiation pattern at L2 band centre frequency
Fig 4.3.3 3D Polar plot at L1 band centre frequency
Fig 4.3.4 3D Polar plot at L2 band centre frequency
Fig 4.3.5 Axial Ratio (dB) v/s Frequency (GHz)
Fig 4.3.6 Parametric study of Radii

Abbreviations

GPS Global Positioning Systems

CP Circular Polarisation
GHz Giga Hertz
dB Decibels
H Magnetic
E Electric
W Watt
km Kilometres
fr Resonant Frequency
VSWR Voltage Standing Wave Ratio
3D 3 Dimensional
LHCP Left Hand Circularly Polarised
RHCP Right Hand Circularly Polarised
HFSS High Frequency Structure Simulator