University of Technology

Department of Communications Engineering

Optical Communication Systems Engineering Branch

DIPOLE ANTENNA ANALYSIS

Experiment No.1
Antennas Laboratory

Mousa Saad Luaibi

Third Stage

Morning Study

Group (B)

31st October 2021

Antennas Laboratory Experiment No.1

➢ Object
To study the input impedance, gain, and radiation pattern of a dipole antenna
using personal computer aided antenna design (PCAAD) program.

➢ Theory

The dipole antenna or dipole aerial is one of the most important and also one
of the most widely used types of antennas. It can be used on its own, or there are
many other types of antennas that use the dipole as the basic element within the
antenna. The base construction of a dipole is quite straightforward - a simple dipole
antenna can be constructed from a few simple pieces of wire. In this way antennas
including FM dipole antennas or antennas for the short-wave bands can easily be
made. These antennas, while not having the performance of other more complicated
types of antennas can nevertheless prove very effective and quite satisfactory in many
applications. The name dipole means two poles and the antenna does in fact consist
of two "poles" or sections, as shown in figure (1).

Figure (1) e basic dipole antenna configuration

These are normally equal in length, making the antenna what is termed a centre
fed antenna. Sometimes a dipole may not be fed in the centre, although this is
not normally done in most antenna designs. The power is applied to the dipole
antenna itself through a feeder. Conversely if the dipole antenna is used for
receiving, the received signals are taken away to the receiver through a feeder.
The feeder serves to transfer the power to or from the antenna with as little loss
as possible. The most common form of dipole has an electrical length of half a
wavelength. As a result, this antenna is called a half wave dipole, as shown in
figure (2).
 Antennas Laboratory Experiment No.1
0

Figure (2) The basic half wave dipole antenna

As before the lengths of the wires are both the same. As the total length of the
dipole is a half wavelength, this makes each section or leg of the dipole a quarter
wavelength long.

• Current and voltage on a dipole

In order that power flows into or out of an antenna that is receiving
or transmitting, there must be associated currents and voltages. The
levels of current and voltage vary along the length of the antenna, and it
is found that the current distribution along a dipole is roughly sinusoidal.
It falls to zero at the end and is at a maximum in the middle. Conversely
the voltage is low at the middle and rises to a maximum at the ends. It is
generally fed at the Centre, at the point where the current is at a
maximum and the voltage a minimum. This provides a low impedance
feed point which is convenient to handle. High voltage feed points are far
less convenient and more difficult to use. When multiple half wavelength
dipoles are used, as shown in figure (3), they are similarly normally fed in
the Centre.

Figure (3) Three half wavelength wave dipole antenna

Antennas Laboratory Experiment No.1

Here again the voltage is at a minimum and the current at a maximum.

Theoretically any of the current maximum nodes could be used.

• Dipole feed impedance

All antennas have what is termed feed impedance. This is the
impedance that is seen at the point in the antenna where the feeder is
connected. The impedance is measured in ohms, and to ensure that the
maximum amount of power is transferred between the feeder and the
antenna, it is necessary to ensure that the antenna and feeder
impedances are matched, i.e., they have the same value. The feed
impedance of a dipole antenna depends upon a variety of factors
including the length, the feed position, and the environment. A half wave
Centre fed dipole antenna in free space has an impedance 73.13 ohms
making it ideal to feed with 75-ohm feeder. The feed impedance of a
dipole can be changed by a variety of factors, the proximity of other
objects having a marked effect. The ground has a major effect. If the
dipole antenna forms the radiating element for a more complicated
antenna, then elements of the antenna will have an effect. Often the
effect is to lower the impedance, and when used in some antennas the
feed impedance of the dipole element may fall to ten ohms or less, and
methods need to be used to ensure a good match is maintained with the
feeder.

The radiation resistance of a dipole antenna is given by:

𝑙 2
2
𝑅𝑟 = 80𝜋 ( )
𝜆

Where:
𝑅𝑟 = The radiation resistance
𝑙 = The length of the dipole antenna
 Antennas Laboratory Experiment No.1

➢ Procedure
1. Set the block parameters of the dipole antenna as: Dipole length = 50 𝑐𝑚, dipole
radius = 0.01 𝑐𝑚, number of PWS expansion modes = 1, and the position of the
feed generators = 1.

2. Calculate the center frequency (design frequency) with frequency step =

0.015 𝐺𝐻𝑧, and the number of frequencies = 7.

3. Calculate the input impedance at the center frequency and the gain of the dipole
antenna.

4. Plot the polar field pattern of the dipole antenna in E-plane and H-plane, and then
calculate the 3𝑑𝐵 beamwidth.

5. Plot the voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) against the frequency, and then
calculate the VSWR at the center frequency for 𝑍𝑜 = 50Ω & 70Ω , respectively.

6. Repeat the steps above for the short dipole antenna.

➢ Discussion
1. Discuss the obtained results.

• In the first part, half-wave dipole antenna was designed with (𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ =
50 𝑐𝑚) and (𝑅𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠 = 0.01 𝑐𝑚), and the following results were
obtained:

Subject Result Notes

Input Impedance (𝑍𝑖𝑛 ) 42.5 + 73.1𝑗 Ω at 𝐶𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 = 0.3 𝐺𝐻𝑧
Gain 2.2 𝑑𝐵 ‫ــ‬
Voltage Standing Wave
1.5 at 𝑍𝑜 = 50,75 Ω
Ratio (VSWR)
 Antennas Laboratory Experiment No.1

• In the second part, short dipole antenna was designed with (𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ =
10 𝑐𝑚) and (𝑅𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠 = 0.01 𝑐𝑚), and the following results were
obtained:

Subject Result Notes

Input Impedance (𝑍𝑖𝑛 ) 42.4 + 73.1𝑗 Ω at 𝐶𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 = 1.5 𝐺𝐻𝑧
Gain 2.2 𝑑𝐵 ‫ــ‬
Voltage Standing Wave 2.18 at 𝑍𝑜 = 50 Ω at 𝐶𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 =
Ratio (VSWR) 1.76 at 𝑍𝑜 = 75 Ω 1.5 𝐺𝐻𝑧

2. What are the types of the dipole antenna?

• Short dipole.
• Half-wave (Hertz) dipole.
• Folded dipole.
• Broadband dipole.

3. Compare between half-wavelength dipole antenna and short dipole

antenna.

Subject Short Dipole Half-Wave Dipole

Length 𝜆 𝜆
10 2
Construction consists of two co-linear consists of the feeder
conductors that are connected to two quarter
placed end to end with a wavelength conductors
small gap between them
for the feeder
Radiation Pattern This antenna is a centre fed so; the maximum
current offers maximum radiation in the plane
which is in perpendicular direction, and the
radiation pattern will be circular and take the
shape of a "number eight."
Frequency Range 3 KHz – 30 MHz 3 KHz – 300 GHz
Small size, low cost, and
the input impedance
Advantages Ease of construction, matches the transmission
due to small size line resistance, and
there is no sensitivity to
the input impedance
 Antennas Laboratory Experiment No.1

Subject Short Dipole Half-Wave Dipole

It is not majorly used as
Resistive losses and
an independent antenna
power dissipation is
Disadvantages and thus is used as the
high, also signal-to-
basic element for other
noise ratio and
antennas that operate at
radiation is low
very high frequencies
Narrow band Radio and television
Applications applications and receivers
tuner circuits

𝜆
4. Why the current distribution in the dipole antenna is sinusoidal?
2
• Because the current equal to 0 at the ends, and will be reaches a maximum
value at the centre.

𝜆 𝜆 𝜆
5. Calculate the radiation resistance of , , dipole in free space.
2 4 8
𝜆
• For :
2
𝜆 2
ℓ 2 2
𝜆 2 2
1 2
ℓ= , 𝑅𝑟 = 80𝜋 ( ) = 80𝜋 ( ) = 80𝜋 ( ) = 197.39 Ω
2 𝜆 2𝜆 2

𝜆
• For :
4
𝜆 2
𝑙 2 2
𝜆 2 2
1 2
ℓ= , 𝑅𝑟 = 80𝜋 ( ) = 80𝜋 ( ) = 80𝜋 ( ) = 49.348 Ω
4 𝜆 4𝜆 4

𝜆
• For :
8
𝜆 2
𝑙 2 2
𝜆 2 2
1 2
ℓ= , 𝑅𝑟 = 80𝜋 ( ) = 80𝜋 ( ) = 80𝜋 ( ) = 12.337 Ω
8 𝜆 8𝜆 8

6. How does a dipole receive?

• Receiving antennas, the output signal to the receiver is taken, between the
two halves of the antenna, and each side of the feedline to the receiver is
connected to one of the conductors.