UNIT III

TRAVELLING WAVE (WIDEBAND) ANTENNAS

Traveling Wave AntennasAntennas with open-ended wires where the current must go to zero (dipoles,
monopoles, etc.) can be characterized as standing wave antennas or resonant antennas. The current on these
antennas can be written as a sum of waves traveling in opposite directions (waves which travel toward the end
of the wire and are reflected in the opposite direction). For example, the current on a dipole of length l is given
by

Traveling wave antennas are characterized by matched terminations (not open circuits) so that the
current is defined in terms of waves traveling in only one direction (a complex exponential as opposed to a sine
or cosine).
A traveling wave antenna can be formed by a single wire transmission line (single wire over ground)
which is terminated with a matched load (no reflection). Typically, the length of the transmission line is several
wavelengths.

The antenna shown above is commonly called a Beverage or wave antenna. This antenna can be
analyzed as a rectangular loop, according to image theory. However, the effects of an imperfect ground may be
significant and can be included using the reflection coefficient approach. The contribution to the far fields due
to the vertical conductors is typically neglected since it is small if l >> h. Note that the antenna does not radiate
efficiently if the height h is small relative to wavelength. In an alternative technique of analyzing this antenna,
the far field produced by a long isolated wire of length l can be determined and the overall far field found using
the 2 element array factor.
Traveling wave antennas are commonly formed using wire segments with different geometries.
Therefore, the antenna far field can be obtained by superposition using the far fields of the individual segments.
Thus, the radiation characteristics of a long straight segment of wire carrying a traveling wave type of current
are necessary to analyze the typical traveling wave antenna.
Consider a segment of a traveling wave antenna (an electrically long wire of length l lying along the zaxis) as shown below. A traveling wave current flows in the z-direction.

If the losses for the antenna are negligible (ohmic loss in the conductors, loss due to imperfect round, etc.),
then the current can be written as

We know that the phase constant of a transmission line wave (guided wave) can be very different than
that of an unbounded medium (unguided wave). However, for a traveling wave antenna, the electrical height of
the conductor above ground is typically large and the phase constant approaches that of an unbounded medium
(k). If we assume that the phase constant of the traveling wave antenna is the same as an unbounded medium
($ = k), then

Given the far field of the traveling wave segment, we may determine the time-average radiated power
density according to the definition of the Poynting vector such that

The total power radiated by the traveling wave segment is found by integrating the Poynting vector.

The radiation resistance of the ideal traveling wave antenna (VSWR = 1) is purely real just as the input
impedance of a matched transmission line is purely real. Below is a plot of the radiation resistance of the
traveling wave segment as a function of segment length.

The radiation resistance of the traveling wave antenna is much more uniform than that seen in resonant
antennas. Thus, the traveling wave antenna is classified as a broadband antenna.The pattern function of the
traveling wave antenna segment is given by

The normalized pattern function of the traveling wave segment is shown below for segment lengths of
58, 108, 158 and 208.

As the electrical length of the traveling wave segment increases, the main beam becomes slightly
sharper while the angle of the main beam moves slightly toward the axis of the antenna.Note that the pattern
function of the traveling wave segment always has a null at 2 = 0o. Also note that with l >> 8, the sine function
in the normalized pattern function varies much more rapidly (more peaks and nulls) than the cotangent
function. The approximate angle of the main lobe for the traveling wave segment is found by determining the
first peak of the sine function in the normalized pattern function.

Traveling Wave Antenna Terminations

Given a traveling wave antenna segment located horizontally above a ground plane, the termination R L
required to match the uniform transmission line formed by the cylindrical conductor over ground (radius = a,
height over ground = s/2) is the characteristic impedance of the corresponding one-wire transmission line. If the
conductor height above the ground plane varies with position, the conductor and the ground plane form a nonuniform transmission line. The characteristic impedance of a non-uniform transmission line is a function of position.
In either case, image theory may be employed to determine the overall performance characteristics of the traveling
wave antenna.

Vee Traveling Wave Antenna

The main beam of a single electrically long wire guiding waves in one direction (traveling wave
segment) was found to be inclined at an angle relative to the axis of the wire. Traveling wave antennas are
typically formed by multiple traveling wave segments. These traveling wave segments can be oriented such
that the main beams of the component wires combine to enhance the directivity of the overall antenna. A vee
traveling wave antenna is formed by connecting two matched traveling wave segments to the end of a
transmission line feed at an angle of 22o relative to each other.

The beam angle of a traveling wave segment relative to the axis of the wire (2max) has been shown to be
dependent on the length of the wire. Given the length of the wires in the vee traveling wave antenna, the angle
22o may be chosen such that the main beams of the two tilted wires combine to form an antenna with increased

directivity over that of a single wire.

A complete analysis which takes into account the spatial separation effects of the antenna arms (the two
wires are not co-located) reveals that by choosing 2 . 0.8 2max, the total directivity of the vee traveling wave
antenna is approximately twice that of a single conductor. Note that the overall pattern of the vee antenna is
essentially unidirectional given matched conductors. If, on the other hand, the conductors of the vee traveling
wave antenna are resonant conductors (vee dipole antenna), there are reflected waves which produce significant
beams in the opposite direction. Thus, traveling wave antennas, in general, have the advantage of essentially
unidirectional patterns when compared to the patterns of most resonant antennas.
Rhombic Antenna
A rhombic antenna is formed by connecting two vee traveling wave antennas at their open ends. The antenna
feed is located at one end of the rhombus and a matched termination is located at the opposite end. As with all
traveling wave antennas, we assume that the reflections from the load are negligible. Typically, all four conductors of
the rhombic antenna are assumed to be the same length. Note that the rhombic antenna is an example of a nonuniform transmission line.

A rhombic antenna can also be constructed using an inverted vee antenna over a ground plane. The
termination resistance is one-half that required for the isolated rhombic antenna.

Yagi-Uda Array
In the previous examples of array design, all of the elements in the array were assumed to be driven with
some source. A Yagi-Uda array is an example of a parasitic array. Any element in an array which is not
connected to the source (in the case of a transmitting antenna) or the receiver (in the case of a receiving
antenna) is defined as a parasitic element. A parasitic array is any array which employs parasitic elements. The
general form of the N-element Yagi-Uda array is shown below.

o Driven element - usually a resonant dipole or folded dipole.

o Reflector - slightly longer than the driven element so that it is nductive (its current lags that of
the driven element).
o Director - slightly shorter than the driven element so that it is capacitive (its current leads that of the
driven element).
Yagi-Uda Array Advantages

Lightweight

Low cost

Simple construction

Unidirectional beam (front-to-back ratio)

Increased directivity over other simple wire antennas

Practical for use at HF (3-30 MHz), VHF (30-300 MHz), and UHF (300 MHz - 3 GHz)

Typical Yagi-Uda Array Parameters

o Driven element ! half-wave resonant dipole or folded dipole,

(Length = 0.458 to 0.498, dependent on radius), folded dipoles are employed as driven
elements to increase the array input impedance.

o Director ! Length = 0.48 to 0.458 (approximately 10 to 20 % shorter than the driven element),
not necessarily uniform.

o Reflector ! Length . 0.58 (approximately 5 to 10 % longer than the driven element).

o Director spacing ! approximately 0.2 to 0.48, not necessarily uniform.
o Reflector spacing ! 0.1 to 0.258

Log-Periodic Antenna
A log-periodic antenna is classified as a frequency-independent antenna. No antenna
is truly frequency-independent but antennas capable of bandwidth ratios of 10:1 ( fmax : fmin ) or more are
normally classified as frequency-independent.f

The elements of the log periodic dipole are bounded by a wedge of angle 2". The element spacing is
defined in terms of a scale factor J such that

where J < 1. Using similar triangles, the angle " is related to the element lengths and
positions according to

Combining equations (1) and (3), we find that the ratio of adjacent element lengths and the ratio of
adjacent element positions are both equal to the scale factor.

The spacing factor F of the log periodic dipole is defined by

where dn is the distance from element n to element n+1

Combining equations (3) and (10) shows that z-coordinates, the element lengths, and the element separation
distances all follow the same ratio.

Log Periodic Dipole Design

We may solve equation (9) for the array angle " to obtain an equation for " in terms of the scale factor J
and the spacing factor F.

The designed bandwidth Bs is given by the following empirical equation.

The overall length of the array from the shortest element to the longest element (L) is given by

Operation of the Log Periodic Dipole Antenna

The log periodic dipole antenna basically behaves like a Yagi-Uda array over a wide frequency range. As
the frequency varies, the active set of elements for the log periodic antenna (those elements which carry
the significant current) moves from the long-element end at low frequency to the short-element end at
high frequency. The director element current in the Yagi array lags that of the driven element while the
reflector element current leads that of the driven element. This current distribution in the Yagi array points
the main beam in the direction of the director.
In order to obtain the same phasing in the log periodic antenna with all of the elements in parallel, the
source would have to be located on the long-element end of the array. However, at frequencies where the
smallest elements are resonant at 8/2, there may be longer elements which are also resonant at lengths of n8/2.
Thus, as the power flows from the long- element end of the array, it would be radiated by these long resonant
elements before it arrives at the short end of the antenna. For this reason, the log periodic dipole array
must be driven from the short element end. But this arrangement gives the exact opposite phasing required
to point the beam in the direction of the shorter elements. It can be shown that by alternating the
connections from element to element, the phasing of the log periodic dipole elements points the beam in
the proper direction.

Sometimes, the log periodic antenna is terminated on the long- element end of the antenna with a
transmission line and load. This is done to prevent any energy that reaches the long-element end of the
antenna from being reflected back toward the short-element end. For the ideal log periodic array, not

only should the element lengths and positions follow the scale factor J, but the element feed gaps and radii
should also follow the scale factor. In practice, the feed gaps are typically kept constant at a constant
spacing. If different radii elements are used, two or three different radii are used over portions of the
antenna.
Example
Design a log periodic dipole antenna to cover the complete VHF TV band from 54 to 216 MHz
with a directivity of 8 dB. Assume that the input impedance is 50 S and the length to diameter ratio of
the elements is 145.
Solution:
With Do = 8 dB, the optimum value for the spacing factor F is 0.157 while the corresponding scale
factor J is 0.865. The angle of the array is