1) (10 pts.

) Find the current required to radiate a power of 100 Watts 100 MHz from a
0.01-m infinitesimal dipole antenna. Take the impedance of free space to be 377
Ohms. Hint: Consider the radiation resistance of the antenna.

2) (20 pts.) You are given a small dipole antenna, for which L/λ << 1/30. The antenna is
directed along the z-axis, with its midpoint at the origin. You are given that the current
#
distribution on the antenna is 𝐼(𝑧 ! ) = 𝐼" 𝛽($ − |𝑧 ! |). Calculate the spherical polar
components of the magnetic vector potential A.
 3) (20 pts.) Consider a half-wave dipole directed along the z-axis. Calculate the direction
of maximum directivity.

%&(()
So, the maximum of directivity is attained at the value of θ which satisfies: %(
= 0. We will
* *
see that this happens at 𝜃 = $ . Stating 𝐷(𝜃), saying that maximum occurs at 𝜃 = $
and giving
a reasonable explanation is sufficient. No detailed proof is necessary. Below is the detailed
explanation.

! $
+, - $* . * /012 /01(()3
"
For a half wave dipole, we have $
=$ . $
= $ , so: 𝐹(𝜃) = / 145(()
0 , which means:
! ! ! !
%& /012 /01(()3 1452 145(()3 145(()6/012 /01(()3 /01(()
"
%(
= 2/ 145(()
0 /" "
145" (()
"
0. It is not easy to solve this

equation, but one can make a useful observation. Since 0≤ θ≤π, sin(θ) is always non-
negative. cos(θ) can be negative, but the double cosine is always positive (since cosine is an
even function) and the numerator of the derivative is always non-negative. This means, we
need to find the value of theta for which the numerator becomes zero, but the denominator is
non-zero. This way, we find the point at which the derivative is zero. This is clearly satisfied
for θ= π/2, which is the plane perpendicular to the antenna itself. So, this is the direction of
maximum intensity and maximum directivity. This answer is also obvious from the physical
point of view. You can also solve this problem by trying a set of theta values as well. This
will not be a proof but will be sufficiently explanatory. You can also manually plot the
intensity function (by calculating various values of the function) to get the same answer.

4) (30 pts.) A z-directed infinitesimal dipole of length L with feed current I0 (assumed
constant along the antenna) is placed at a distance s from a perfectly conducting yz
plane, on the positive x-axis. Obtain the far-zone magnetic vector potential for the
region x>0. Assume that the current within the antenna is kept stable by an appropriate
mechanism. Hint 1: (1 ± 𝑝)68 ≈ 1 ∓ 𝑛𝑝, for p<<1. Hint 2: 𝑒 9 ≈ 1 + 𝑝, for p<<1.

In this problem, it is sufficient to express the image method, properly place the antenna and its
image, and express the total vector potential as a superposition of the two, to get 25 points.
Rest of the calculation brings 5 points.

There is a perfect conductor, an infinite plane, so we can apply the image method:

Current is defined as the direction of motion for positive charges. That means, for example,
when the original current points up, the image current will involve negative charges moving
up, so a downward current. The conducting plane can be considered as a plane mirror. So, we
have two infinitesimal dipoles, one at x = s and the other at x = -s.

The far zone vector potential for an infinitesimal dipole at coordinates (x’,y’,z’) is:

;# <# # ?+>
𝐴⃗ = 𝑎
= : =*> 𝑒 , where R2 = (x-x’)2 + (y-y’)2 + (z-z’)2. For our problem, y’ = z’ = 0 for
both the original and the image antennas. We simply have two antennas, whose vector
potential contributions will be superposed. Then, along the positive x-axis:

;# <# # ?+> ;# <# # ?+> ; < # @ %&'$ @ %&'"

𝐴⃗8@A = 𝑎
= : =*> 𝑒 $ − 𝑎
= : =*> = : #=*# ( >
𝑒 " = 𝑎 − >"
), where
$ " $
R12 = (x-s)2 + y2 + z2 and R22 = (x+s)2 + y2 + z2. (25 points up to this line.)

For far fields, we can Taylor expand the exponentials and the denominators, with s/r<<1.

$BC
𝑅- = √𝑟 $ − 2𝑥𝑠 + 𝑠 $ ≈ √𝑟 $ − 2𝑥𝑠 ≈ 𝑟 − D
and
$BC
𝑅$ = √𝑟 $ + 2𝑥𝑠 + 𝑠 $ ≈ √𝑟 $ + 2𝑥𝑠 ≈ 𝑟 + D
. Then:

@ %&'$ @ %&()*"+,) @ %&()*"+,/)) $BC @ %&()*"+,/))

>$
≈ "+, ≈ D
C1 + D"
D≈ D
up to O(1/r), and
D6
)
@ %&" @ %&()/"+,/)) @ %&()/"+,/)) $BC @ %&()/"+,/))
>"
≈ "+, ≈ D
C1 − D"
D≈ D
up to O(1/r). So, we have:
DE
)

𝜇F 𝐼F 𝐿 𝑒 ?+D 6?$+BC/D
𝐴⃗8@A = 𝑎
=: (𝑒 − 𝑒 E?$+BC/D )
4𝜋 𝑟

+BC
Since 𝑥 = 𝑟 sin(𝜃) cos(𝜙), we have D
= 𝑘𝑠 sin(𝜃) cos(𝜙). Far zone condition implies
s<<r, meaning that ks<<kr. Then, we can also Taylor expand the exponentials, which give:

?$+BC ?$+BC 𝑗2𝑘𝑥𝑠 𝑗2𝑘𝑥𝑠 𝑗4𝑘𝑥𝑠

𝑒6 D − 𝑒E D ≈ P1 − R − P1 + R=−
𝑟 𝑟 𝑟

Then, finally we have:

𝜇F 𝐼F 𝐿 𝑒 ?+D 𝑗4𝑘𝑥𝑠 𝜇F 𝐼F 𝐿 𝑘𝑠𝑒 ?+D

𝐴⃗8@A = −𝑎
=: = −𝑎
= :𝑗 sin(𝜃) cos(𝜙)
4𝜋 𝑟 𝑟 𝜋 𝑟
 5) (20 pts.) Explain the content of Friis transmission equation.

Pt: input power at the terminals of the transmitting antenna

Dt(𝜃t, 𝜙t): directivity of the transmitting antenna in the direction 𝜃t, 𝜙t
Pr: amount of power collected by the receiving antenna
Dr(𝜃r, 𝜙r): directivity of the transmitting antenna in the direction 𝜃r, 𝜙r
Γt: VSWR for the transmitting antenna
Γr: VSWR for the receiving antenna
ecdt: conduction and dielectric efficiency factor for the transmitting antenna
ecdr: conduction and dielectric efficiency factor for the receiving antenna
𝜌TA : polarization of the transmitting antenna
𝜌TD : polarization of the receiving antenna
R: distance between the antennas
λ: wavelength of the transmitted wave
This equation describes the ratio of the power received by an antenna, to the power input to
the transmitter antenna which is in communication with the receiver antenna. This ratio is
affected by various loss factors, such as the loss factors on the antenna structures, AC load
mismatches and polarization mismatches. We also observe that the ratio is directly
proportional to the square of the operating wavelength, which means that high wavelength
(low frequency) waves are transmitted with greater ratios compared to low wavelength (high
frequency) waves. The ratio is also inversely proportional to the square of the antenna
separation distance R.