DISCONE ANTENNA

SUBMITTED BY:-

• SANGHAMITRA BHUYAN (ECE-80/19)

• SIDDHARTHA SANKAR GOGOI (ECE-81/19)
• SIMRAN SHARMA (ECE-82/19)
• SWAGAT GOGOI (ECE-83/19)
Contents:

 Introduction of Discone antenna

 Radiation pattern
 Construction and analysis
 Advantages and dis-advantages of discone antenna
 Properties of discone antenna
 Applications of discone antenna
 Conclusion
INTRODUCTION:

• A discone antenna is a version of a biconical antenna in

which one of the cones is replaced by a disc. It is usually
mounted vertically, with the disc at the top and the cone
beneath.

• The disk is attached to the center conductor of coaxial feed

line and is perpendicular to its axis. The cone is centered at
its apex to the outer shield of the coaxial line.
 INTRODUCTION CONTD…

• Omni directional, vertically polarized and exhibiting unity gain, it is exceptionally wideband, offering a
frequency range ratio of up to ~10:1.
• The radiation pattern in the vertical plane is quite narrow, making its sensitivity highest in the plane
parallel to coverage makes it attractive in commercial, military, amateur radio and radio scanner
applications.
• When employed as a transmitting antenna, it is often less efficient than an antenna designed for a
more limited frequency range.
• SWR (standing wave ratio) is typically ~2:1 over the range of the design frequency to the second
harmonic and ~3.1 thereafter.
Radiation pattern:

The radiation pattern of a discone antenna is characterized by a strong

horizontal component, which provides good coverage in the azimuthal
direction (i.e., around the antenna). However, the vertical component is
weaker and provides less coverage in the elevation direction (i.e., above
or below the antenna).The radiation pattern of a discone antenna is also
affected by the height above ground and the presence of nearby objects.
In general, the higher the antenna is above ground and the fewer
obstacles there are in the surrounding environment, the better the
antenna's radiation pattern will be.Overall, the radiation pattern of a
discone antenna is generally suitable for applications that require
wideband coverage in all directions, such as in radio communication, radio
astronomy, and radar systems.
 CONSTRUCTION AND ANALYSIS:
• The disc-shapped top element is a flat circular metal plate that acts as the main radiating element of the
antenna. And the cone-shaped bottom element is a metal cone that acts as the ground plane of the
antenna.
• Together, the two elements form a wideband antenna that is capable of receiving and transmitting
signals over a wide range of frequencies.
• A discone antenna consists of three main parts: the disc, the cone, and the insulator.
• 1. The Disc: The disc should have an overall diameter of 0.7 times a quarter wavelength of the antenna's
lowest frequency. The antenna's feed point is at the center of the disc. It is usually fed with coaxial cable,
with the center conductor connected to the disc, and the outer conductor to the cone.
• 2. The cone: The length of the cone should be a quarter wavelength of the antenna's lowest operating
frequency. The cone angle is generally from 25 to 40 degrees.
• 3. The insulator: The disc and cone must be separated by an insulator, the dimensions of which
determine some of the antenna's properties, especially on near its high frequency limit.
 CONSTRUCTION AND ANALYSIS:

• A discone may be made from solid metal sheet (often copper), which is practical for small indoor UHF
antennas, such as for Wi-Fi.
• At lower frequencies a sufficient number of metal wires or rods in a spoke configuration is often used
to approximate a solid surface. This simplifies construction and reduces windloading.
• The spokes may be made of stiff wire, brazing rods or even coat hanger wire.
• The optimal number of rods comprising the disc and cone is often quoted as being from 8 to 16.
• In particular, this vertically polarized antenna is often used for communications and broadcasting in
the VHF (30 MHz-300 MHz) and UHF(300 MHz- GHz) spectrum.
• In addition to the discone's wide assortment of applications, it is fairly simple to fabricate, requiring
less material than some of the alternative geometrical structures (i.e. biconical).
• The geometrical dimensions associated with a typical
discone design are shown in figure and can be defined
as such:
D = Disc diameter
S = length of air gap between cone and disc
Ls = cone slant height
Lv = total cone height
α = cone flare angle
Cmin = minimum cone- upper diameter
Cmax or d = maximum cone-lower diameter
• Here, The inner conductor is connected to disc and the outer conductor is connected to cone.
Diameter of the cone = d
Diameter of the disc, D = d
Length of air gap between cone and disc, S = d/25
Angle between inner conductor and cone is = 30 degrees
Frequency range is 12MHz to 55MHz.
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF DISCONE
ANTENNA:
Advantages
 Wide Frequency Range: Discone antennas have a
wide frequency range, which makes them suitable
for use with many different types of communication
systems.
 Compact Size: Discone antennas are small and
lightweight, making them easy to install and
transport.
 Omnidirectional: Discone antennas provide an
omnidirectional pattern, which makes them suitable
for many different types of reception
 High gain: The discone antenna has high gain, which
means that it can receive weak signals and transmit
signals over long distances.
 Low profile design: The discone antenna has a low
profile design, which makes it suitable for use in
applications where space is limited.
Disadvantages
 Limited Gain: -Discone antennas have limited gain
compared to other types of antennas.
 Susceptible to Interference:- Discone antennas are more
susceptible to interference from other sources than
other types of antennas.
 Limited Bandwidth: -Discone antennas typically have a
limited bandwidth, which may not be suitable for all
applications.
 Size and weight: The discone antenna can be large and
heavy, which can make it difficult to install and transport.
 Cost: The discone antenna can be more expensive than
other types of antennas due to its complexity and size.
 Interference: The wide bandwidth of the discone
antenna can make it susceptible to interference from
other sources, which can affect its performance.
 PROPERTIES OF DISCONE ANTENNA:
• Broadband operation: The discone antenna is designed to operate over a wide range of frequencies,
typically from several megahertz to several gigahertz.
• Omnidirectional radiation pattern: The antenna has a relatively omnidirectional radiation pattern in
the horizontal plane, which means that it can receive or transmit signals from all directions.
• Low profile design: The discone antenna has a low profile design, which makes it suitable for use in
applications where space is limited.
• High gain: The antenna has high gain, which means that it can receive weak signals and transmit signals
over long distances.
• Wide beamwidth: The discone antenna has a wide beamwidth, which means that it can cover a large
area.
• Impedance matching: The discone antenna requires careful impedance matching to ensure optimal
performance.
• Wide frequency range: The frequency range of a discone antenna is typically wider than that of other
types of antennas.
• Easy to install: Discone antennas are easy to install and require minimal setup.
• Low cost: Discone antennas are inexpensive compared to other types of antennas.
Applications of Discone antenna :
 Communication systems: Discone antennas are commonly used in communication systems, including
military, aviation, and commercial systems. They can be used for both receiving and transmitting
signals over a wide frequency range.

 Surveillance systems: Discone antennas can be used in surveillance systems to detect and monitor
radio signals over a wide frequency range. This makes them useful for law enforcement agencies and
intelligence agencies.

 Spectrum analysis: Discone antennas can be used in spectrum analysis to measure the frequency
content of a signal. They are useful for identifying and analyzing signals in a wide frequency range.

 Radio astronomy: Discone antennas can be used in radio astronomy to detect and study radio waves
emitted by celestial objects. Their wideband and omnidirectional properties make them ideal for this
application.

 Wireless networking: Discone antennas can be used in wireless networking applications to transmit
and receive signals over a wide area. They are useful for providing internet access to remote locations
and for creating wireless mesh networks.
CONCLUSION:

• The radiation pattern of the discone antenna varies in accordance with the length of the cone side of
the discone antenna.
• The length of the cone side and its radiation pattern (gain) are inversely related.
• The gain pattern of the discone antenna doesn't depend on the feed pin radius.
• There is a slight variation observed with the change in gap between cone and disc. Gain of the antenna
varies in proportion with gap between cone and disc.
• The discone's wideband coverage makes it attractive in commercial, military, amateur radio applications.
• The discone's inherently wideband nature permits it to broadcast undesirable spurious emissions from
faulty or improperly filtered transmitters.