SHIP's ANTENNAS

BY
J. Kapiti
 General Information
• A ship's antenna arrangement consists of several different transmitter and receiver
antennas,
• However, on a ship space is limited therefore, the antenna locations are often a
result of various compromises.
 Radio waves
• A radio transmission consists of electromagnetic waves (an electric
and a magnetic field),
• Task of the transmitter antenna is to convert the high frequency
antenna current into electromagnetic radiation.
Antenna Operation
Radio wavelengths and frequencies
• Propagation speed
The propagation speed of radio waves is equal to the speed of light,
which is approximately 300.000 km/sec. or 300 000 000 meter/sec.
• Wavelength
The wavelength, symbolized by the Greek letter lambda, is the
distance from one wave top to another.
• Period
A period, or cycle, is the time it takes for a wave to move from zero
to 360 degrees.
Wavelength, Amplitude and Period
Table of wavelengths
 Propagation of Radio Waves
The Ionosphere
• The upper part of the atmosphere consists of several layers of
electrically charged particles known as the ionosphere.
• The ionosphere is composed of three layers designated respectively,
from lowest level to highest level, as D, E, and F.
• The F layer is further divided into two layers designated as Fl(the
lower level) and F2 (the higher level).
• The presence, or absence, of these layers in the ionosphere, and their
height above the earth, vary with the position of the sun.
IONOSPHERE
IONOSPHERE
IONOSPHERE
 IONOSPHERE
The D layer
• The D layer ranges from distances of approximately 40 km to 90 km
from the earth.
• Ionization of the D layer is low, because it is the lowest region of the
ionosphere.
• This layer has the ability to refract signals of low frequencies.
• High frequencies pass right through it but are attenuated in so doing.
• After sunset the D layer disappears because of the rapid recombination
of its ions.
 IONOSPHERE
The E layer
• The E layer is confined to distances of approximately 90 to 145 km
from the Earth.
• The rate of ionic recombination in this layer is quite rapid after sunset
and is almost complete by midnight.
• This layer has the ability to refract signals of higher frequency than
those refracted by the D layer.
• In fact, the E layer can refract signals with frequencies as high as 20
MHz
 IONOSPHERE
The F layer
• The F layer exists at distances from about 145 km to 400 km from the Earth's surface.
• During daylight, the F layer separates into two layers, the F 1 and F2clayers.
• The ionization level of these layers is quite high and varies widely during the course
of a day.
• At noon, this portion of the atmosphere is closest to the sun, and the degree of
ionization is maximum.
• Since the atmosphere is rarefied at these heights, the recombination of the ions occurs
slowly after sunset.
• Therefore, a fairly constant ionized layer is present at all times.
• The F layer allows high-frequency long distance transmissions due to its refractive
capabilities for frequencies up to 30 MHz, and also due to the long skip distance
provided by refraction from such high elevation.
VHF Communications
 VHF Communications
• The typical VHF antenna is an omnidirectional antenna radiating the radio signals
in all directions.
• The VHF communication system is also called a line-of-sight communication
system, because the range of the transmission is limited to open or free visibility
between the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna.
• Frequencies higher than 30 MHz are normally not refracted in the ionosphere,
and the VHF radio waves follow the Earth's surface only to a lesser extent.
• Range (km) = 4.1 x ( )), Where h1 and h2 are antenna height in meters.
 MF Communications
• The medium wave band (MF) consists of frequencies between 1605 and 4000kHz.
• The propagation of radio waves can be described in the following way:
• In the day time, the radio waves are propagated only along the surface of the earth,
as ground waves.
• The safe communication range is about 150 nautical miles, 280 km.
• At night, the radio waves are more or less refracted by the E layer of the
ionosphere, and the range will increase considerably.
• As previously mentioned, the intensity of the layers of the ionosphere is
dependent on the radiation of energy from the sun, therefore the ionosphere's
refraction ability will vary from day to night time.
MF Communications
 HF Communications
• High frequency communication is based on the refraction of signals in the F-layer
of the ionosphere.
• HF communication is also called sky wave communication.
• Sky waves are those waves radiated from the transmitting antenna in a direction
that produces a large angle in relation to the Earth.
• A sky-wave has the ability to strike the ionosphere, be refracted back to the
ground, strike the ground, be reflected back to the ionosphere, and so on.
• The refraction and reflecting action of the ionosphere and the ground is called
skipping.
HF Communications
The E-layer's effect on skip distances
 Inmarsat-B antennas
• The Inmarsat-B terminal uses a parabolic dish antenna.
• The antenna is capable of tracking (following) the satellite by means of an auto-
tracking system.
• The gyro stabilization framework takes care of pitch and roll compensation.
• This antenna works with frequencies in the range of 1.5- 1.6 GHz.
• The antenna framework and the power/control unit is protected by a radome.
• The antenna must have free visibility in all directions over an elevation of 5
degrees.
• The radome should be kept at least 5 meters away from the HF antenna, and 3
meters or more from magnetic compasses.
• The radome should also be kept away from the rotating area of the radar scanner,
and heat and smoke from the funnel.
 Inmarsat-C antennas
• The Inmarsat-C is an omnidirectional antenna.
• This type of antenna must be placed as high and free as possible.
• The frequency range is the same as that of the Inmarsat-A system, 1.5 - 1.6 GHz.
• The antenna interface is a standard 50 ohm coax cable.
• In accordance with the manufacturer's specifications, the antenna can be mounted
up to 100 meters away from the transceiver unit.
 Simplex and duplex channels
• Simplex transmission
• In a simplex communication system, only one frequency is used.
• This means that both transmitter and receiver are tuned to the same frequency, and
only one station at a time is able to transmit.
• Example: Intership frequencies and the 2182 kHz frequency.
• Duplex transmission
• In duplex communication systems, two different frequencies are used.
• One frequency for transmission, and one for reception.
• Example: ITU calling channel 821: Receiver (RX) :8779 kHz Transmitter (TX):
8255kHz
 Antenna maintenance
Wire antennas

• Wire antenna insulators and lead-in insulators must be regularly cleaned to

remove soot and salt.
• A low antenna-to-ground resistance will lead to reduced signal radiation, and the
efficiency of the antenna will be reduced.
• Damaged antenna wire and insulators should be replaced.
• IMAGE FOR WIRE ANTENNA
 Antenna maintenance
Whip antennas

• Whip antennas are often made of fibre glass material.

• Swaying over a long period due to wind, may cause tiny cracks in the fiberglass
material, and thus allow the penetration of water into the copper wire.
• This will create a path of conduction to ground and reduce the amount of radiated
power.
• Antennas with a bad coating, or no coating at all, should be replaced.
 Antenna maintenance
Coax cable
• The most commonly used coax cables on board ships have an impedance of 50
ohms.
• If the cable is damaged by water leakage, the impedance of the cable will alter.
• The result will be antenna mismatch and too much reflected power.
• Another possible result may be a short circuit of the transmitter's power amplifier
stage.
 Antenna maintenance
Cable connectors/plugs
• The most commonly used connectors are UHF or N-connectors.
• The connectors can be cleaned by using different types of electronic
cleaners.
Thank you
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