Antennas In Satellite

Communication

Chapter Six
 Introduction
➢An antenna is defined as a device for radiating and receiving
radio waves. They are everywhere: at our homes and
workplaces, on our cell phones, cars and aircrafts.
➢Antennas can be broadly classified according to function—as
transmitting antennas and receiving antennas.
➢ Although the requirements for each function, or mode of
operation, are markedly different, a single antenna may be,
and frequently is, used for transmitting and receiving
signals simultaneously.
➢ Another way in which antennas for use in satellite
communications can be classified is into earth station
antennas and satellite or spacecraft antennas.
➢ Although the general principles of antennas may apply to
each type, the constraints set by the physical environment
lead to quite different designs in each case.
➢ Antennas form the link between transmitting and
receiving equipment, and the space propagation path.
Figure 6.1: (a) Transmitting antenna. (b) Receiving antenna
 General Properties and Definitions for
Antennas

• Reciprocity Theorem for Antennas

➢The reciprocity theorem for antennas states that if a current I
is induced in an antenna B, operated in the receive mode, by
an emf applied at the terminals of antenna A operated in the
transmit mode, then the same emf applied to the terminals of
B will induce the same current at the terminals of A.
 • The Radiated Fields

➢There are three main components to the radiated

electromagnetic fields surrounding an antenna: two
near-field regions and a far-field region.
➢Only the far-field region is of interest here, which
applies for distances greater than about 2D2/l
Figure 6.4: The electromagnetic-field regions surrounding an antenna.
 • Power Flux Density

➢The power flux density of a radio wave is a quantity used in

calculating the performance of satellite communications
links.
➢Power flux density is a vector quantity, and its
magnitude is given by
 • The Isotropic Radiator and Antenna Gain

➢The word isotropic means, rather loosely, equally in all

directions. Thus, an isotropic radiator is one which radiates
equally in all directions. No real antenna can radiate equally
in all directions, and the isotropic radiator is therefore
hypothetical.
 • Radiation Pattern

➢The radiation pattern shows how the gain of an antenna varies

with direction.
➢The radiation pattern gives the directional properties of the
antenna normalized to the maximum value, in this case the
maximum gain.
➢For most satellite antennas, the three-dimensional plot
of the radiation pattern shows a well-defined main lobe.
Figure 6.6: (b) The beam width in the H-plane. (c) The beam width in the E-plane.
 • Effective Aperture

➢An important concept used to describe the reception

properties of an antenna is that of effective aperture.
➢In antennas, the received power will be proportional to
the power density of the incoming wave.
➢The constant of proportionality is the effective aperture
Aeff which is defined by the equation:
 Types of Antennas in Satellite
• The Half-Wave Dipole
➢The half-wave dipole is a basic antenna type which finds
limited but essential use in satellite communications.
➢Some radiation occurs in all directions except along the
dipole axis itself, and it is this near omnidirectional
property.
➢It finds use for telemetry and command signals to and
from the satellite, essential during the launch phase when
highly directional antennas cannot be deployed.
 • Aperture Antennas

➢The open end of a waveguide is an example of a simple

aperture antenna.
➢It is capable of radiating energy being carried by the guide,
and it can receive energy from a wave impinging on it.
 • Horn Antennas
➢In satellite communications, the most commonly
encountered aperture antennas are horn and reflector
antennas.
➢ The horn antenna is an example of an aperture antenna that
provides a smooth transition from a waveguide to a larger
aperture that couples more effectively into space.
➢Horn antennas are used directly as radiators aboard satellites
to illuminate comparatively large areas of the earth.
➢They are also widely used as primary feeds for reflector type
antennas both in transmitting and receiving modes.
 There are Three Most Commonly Used Types of Horns
Antennas are:

1) Smooth-Walled Conical Horn Antennas

2) Corrugated-Walled Conical Horn Antennas
3) Pyramidal Horn Antennas.
 • The Parabolic Reflector
➢Parabolic reflectors are widely used in satellite
communications systems to enhance the gain of antennas.
➢The reflector provides a focusing mechanism which
concentrates the energy in a given direction.
➢The most commonly used form of parabolic reflector has a
circular aperture.
➢ The circular aperture configuration is referred to as a
paraboloidal reflector.
Figure 6.15 A parabolic reflector.
➢The geometric properties of the paraboloidal reflector of
interest here are most easily demonstrated by means of the
parabola, which is the curve traced by the reflector on any
plane normal to the aperture plane and containing the focus.

The focal length f = SA and a ray path SPQ.

➢An important ratio is that of aperture diameter to focal length.
Denoting the diameter by D, then
 • The Offset Feed

➢With Center fed arrangement the primary horn and its

supports present a partial blockage to the reflected wave.
➢With the center-fed arrangement described in the previous
section,
the blockage results typically in a 10 percent reduction in
efficiency
➢ Thus, offset feed is assumed. In this instance the radiation
pattern of the horn is offset so that it illuminates only the
upper portion of the reflector.
The offset feed for a paraboloidal reflector
 • Double-Reflector Antennas
➢With reflector-type antennas, the feeder connecting the feed
horn to the transmit/receive equipment must be kept as short
as possible to minimize losses.
➢The feed horn is mounted at the rear of the main reflector
through an opening at the vertex.
➢The rear mount makes for a compact feed, which is an
advantage where steerable antennas must be used, and access
for servicing is easier.
Double-Reflector Antennas
➢Two main types are in use:
1) The Cassegrain antenna, is widely used in large earth-
station installations.

Fig. 6.23: Ray paths for Cassegrain antenna

2) The Gregorian antenna form consists of a main paraboloid
and a sub reflector, which is an ellipsoid.

Ray paths for Gregorian antenna.

 The Antenna Subsystem
➢The antennas carried aboard a satellite provide the dual
functions of receiving the uplink and transmitting the
downlink signals.
➢They range from dipole-type antennas where omnidirectional
characteristics are required to the highly directional antennas
required for telecommunications purposes and TV relay and
broadcast.
➢Directional beams are usually produced by means of
reflector-type antennas—the paraboloidal reflector being the
most common.
➢The gain of the paraboloidal reflector, relative to an isotropic
radiator, is given:

➢ The 3-dB beam width is given approximately as:

➢Wide beams for global coverage are produced by simple
horn antennas at 6/4 GHz.
➢In the 14/12-GHz band, circular reflectors are used to
provide spot beams, one for east and one for west.
➢simple biconical dipole antenna is used for the tracking and
control signals.

The antenna subsystem for

the INTELSAT VI satellite