4/30/2019 Types of Signal Propagation (Radio Wave Propagation) - Antenna and Radio Wave Propagation - MHE - Electromagnetic Field

c Field The…

Antenna Parameters and Characteristics

Antenna Parameters and Characteristics

Antenna pattern can be explained in terms of different patterns
as follows:

a. Field Pattern This is a plot of the radiated electric or

magnetic field magnitude at a constant radius.

b. Power Pattern This is a plot of the radiated antenna

power at a constant radius.

c. E-Plane Pattern or Vertical Pattern This is a pattern plot

containing the direction of maximum radiation and the
electric field vector. In other words, this is the plot of
normalised |Es| versus θ for a constant φ.

d. H-Plane Pattern or Horizontal Pattern This is a pattern plot

containing the direction of maximum radiation and the
magnetic field vector. In other words, this is the plot of
normalised |Es| versus φ for .

Radiation pattern of a generic directional antenna

 
From Fig. the following features may be noted:
a. Main Lobe This is the radiation lobe containing the
direction of maximum radiation.
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b. Minor Lobe All the lobes other than the main lobe are
called the minor lobes. These lobes represent the
radiation in undesired directions. The level of minor lobes
is usually expressed as a ratio of the power density in the
lobe in a particular direction to that of the major lobe.
This ratio is known as the side-lobe level (expressed in
decibels). In most wireless systems, minor lobes are
undesired. Hence, a good antenna design should
minimise the minor lobes.

c. Back Lobe This is the minor lobe diametrically opposite to

the main lobe.

d. Side Lobes These are the minor lobes adjacent to the

main lobe and are separated by various nulls. Side lobes
are generally the largest among the minor lobes.

Figure  shows a rectangular plot of the pattern instead of a polar

plot. We plot the field intensity along the z-axis vertically, and we
plot the angle θ along the horizontal axis. Both plots display the
same information. We see a very clear-cut main beam,
diminishing side lobes—in this case, a back lobe and several
distinct nulls.
 

Rectangular plot of a radiation pattern

2. Radiation Intensity
 

Radiation intensity of an antenna is defined as the power

radiated from an antenna in a given direction per unit
solid angle. It is expressed in watts per steradian (W/sr).

3. Directive Gain and Directivity

 

The directive gain (gd) of an antenna is the ratio of

radiation intensity in a given direction to the average
radiation intensity.
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Directivity for antennas

Type of Antenna Value of Directivity (D)

Isotropic antenna 1

Hertzian antenna 1.5

Half-wave dipole antenna 1.64

4. Power Gain
 

The power gain of an antenna in a given direction is the

amount of energy radiated in that direction compared to
the energy an isotropic antenna would radiate in the
same direction when driven with the same input power.
In other words, power gain is the ratio of the radiation
intensity in a given direction to the total average input
power.
 

where, Pi is the total input power. 

Also,
 

where, Prad is the total radiated power

 

and PL is the total power loss in the antenna.

5. Radiation Efficiency, or Antenna Efficiency

 

The antenna efficiency is a parameter which takes into

account the amount of losses at the terminals of the
antenna and within the structure of the antenna. These
losses include
Reflections because of mismatch between the
transmitter and the antenna

I2R losses in antenna conductors

Dielectric losses

Leakage losses in insulation

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Antenna efficiency or the radiation efficiency of an antenna is
Types of Signal Propagation (Radio Wave Propagation) - Antenna and Radio Wave Propagation - MHE - Electromagnetic Field The…

defined as the ratio of the power gain in a specified direction to

the directive gain in that direction.
 

Thus, antenna radiation efficiency is the percentage of the real

input power that is radiated by the antenna.
7. Antenna Bandwidth
 

The bandwidth of an antenna is defined as the range of

usable frequencies within which the performance of the
antenna, with respect to some characteristic, conforms
to a specified standard. The bandwidth can be the range
of frequencies on either side of the centre frequency
where the antenna characteristics like input impedance,
radiation pattern, beamwidth, polarisation, side-lobe level
or gain, are close to those values which have been
obtained at the centre frequency.

8. Antenna Beamwidth, Beam Solid Angle, or Beam Area (ΩA),

Main Beam Angle (ΩMB) and Beam Efficiency (ηB)
a. Antenna Beamwidth Antenna beamwidth is defined
as the angular separation (in degree) between
two half-power points on the power-density
radiation pattern.

b. Beam Solid Angle, or Beam Area (ΩA) The beam

area or beam solid angle (ΩA) of an antenna is
defined as the integral of the normalised power
pattern over a unit sphere.

c. Main Beam Angle (ΩMB) The main beam solid

angle (ΩMB) is defined as the angle between the
main lobes and is given as,
 

d. Beam Efficiency (ηB) The fraction of the total

beam solid angle inside the main beam is called
the main beam efficiency or, loosely, the beam
efficiency (ηB).
 
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Radiation resistance for some typical antennas

 

Type of antenna Radiation resistance

Hertzian dipole antenna  

Half-wave dipole antenna Rrad = 73 Ω

Quarter-wave monopole antenna Rrad = 36.5 Ω

 
Loop antenna
(S is the loop area)

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