1

Chapter 2. Antenna Basics

2-7-1. Directivity.
Show that the directivity D of an antenna may be written

E  ,  max E   ,  max 2
r
D Z
1 E  ,  E   ,   2
4  4
r d
Z
Solution:

U (  ,  )
D  max
U av

1
, U ( ,  ) max  S ( , ) max r 2 , U av 
4   U ( ,  )d
4

E  ,  E   ,  
U ( ,  )  S ( , )r 2 , S ( , ) 
Z
Therefore
E  ,  max E   ,  max 2
r
D Z q.e.d.
1 E  ,  E   ,   2
4  4
r d
Z

Note that r 2  area/steradian, so U  Sr 2 or (watts/steradian) = (watts/meter2)  meter2

2-7-2. Approximate directivities.

Calculate the approximate directivity from the half-power beam widths of a unidirectional
antenna if the normalized power pattern is given by: (a) Pn = cos , (b) Pn = cos2 , (c) Pn
= cos3 , and (d) Pn = cosn . In all cases these patterns are unidirectional (+z direction)
with Pn having a value only for zenith angles 0    90 and Pn = 0 for 90    180.
The patterns are independent of the azimuth angle .

Solution:

40,000
(a)  HP  2 cos 1 ( 0. 5)  2  60 o  120 o , D  278 (ans.)
(120)2
40,000
(b)  HP  2 cos 1 ( 0.5 )  2  45o  90 o , D  4.94 (ans.)
(90)2