EXPERIMENT 5 – SOFTWARE SIMULATIONS AND HARWARE MODELLING OF A

MONOPOLE ANTENNA

The experiment will focus on the high frequency end of the radio frequency spectrum.
This top end range where the wavelength of the radio waves is small, typically
centimeters to millimeters, is known as the microwave range (1GHz – 100 GHz). The types
of antenna that can be utilized within this region are, microwave horn antenna, antenna
with parabolic reflectors and lens antenna. These can be further categorized as primary
and secondary antenna. Primary antenna is already complete by itself, it does not
require ancillary devices in order to enhance its performance, whereas the latter requires
auxiliary devices in order to radiate properly; an example is an antenna with parabolic
reflector wherein a dipole, a horn antenna and a monopole can be used as a primary
antenna.
The monopole antenna is introduced on the first part of the experiment. It will be found
that the characteristics of the monopole is the same as that of the dipole except for its
size which turned out to be quarter wavelength long. Radiation patterns will be analyzed
using both NEC-Win software and hardware modeling. Monopole phasing will be
investigated and the effect to its individual radiation pattern.
The microwave antenna to be used in this experiment are horn antenna using a
monopole as the primary element and a parabolic dish using a dipole feed.

Part I. THE MONOPOLE

Objectives

When you have completed this part of the experiment, you will:

 Understand how a monopole performs over both perfect and real ground,
 Have determined its gain relative to a dipole.

Introduction

In earlier experiments, you have seen how the reflections due to ground give rise to an
image antenna, and how the reflections interact with the direct radiation to modify the
antenna patterns.

There is effectively a mirror image of the real antenna the same distance below the
ground. Because there is only half the ‘hardware’ up in the air (compared with the true
two-dipole system), the single dipole above perfect ground produces only half the gain
(-3dB).

It would seem reasonable to assume that an effective dipole could be produced by only
having hardware of half of the dipole, with the other half reflected by ground. This system
is shown in Figure 1. Because the antenna is half a dipole, it is called a monopole and,
because the ground is horizontal, the monopole must be vertical!
Monopole Antenna

Perfect Ground

Other ‘Virtual’ half

66 Communications Laboratory
 Figure 1: The Monopole
A. Software Simulation of the Monopole

Run the NEC – Win and click New File on the toolbar.
Enter the co-ordinates of the two ends of the monopole into the table as (0,0,0) and
(0,0,0.05) meters.

Enter the diameter of the wire as 0.004 meters (4cm).

Enter 7 segments.

Click on the Src/Ld box and place a source at segment 1.

Use perfect conductors.

Ensure that the perfect ground is set and that the frequency is set to 1500MHZ.

Click on Save As and save as mono1.

Click on the Run NEC button and then examine the azimuth and elevation plots
produced.

Question 1

Describe your plot___________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________.

Question 2

Do you get radiation below ground with the theoretical simulation? ____________________.

Question 3

What is the gain of this antenna along the horizontal? _________________________________.

Question 4

How does this compare with the gain of a dipole (in free space)? ______________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________.

The dipole in free space is radiating at all vertical angle, whereas the monopole above a
perfect ground theoretically only radiates in directions above ground.

Question 5

Could this account for the extra gain associated with the monopole? ___________________

C. Real Ground

Go back to the main NEC-Win table and change the ground to Real Ground and select
the Urban and Industrial Area preset.

Replot the graphs.

67 Communications Laboratory
Question 6

Has the gain changed, if so, how? ____________________________________________________.

Thus the monopole has an omni-directional azimuth pattern with a gain over a free
space dipole 3dB when operated over perfect ground.

In any practical set-up the ground would not be perfect, so there will be a lowering of
gain and an increase in vertical angle of the lobes.

B. Hardware Modeling of Monopole Antenna using EANC

Identify the four main elements of the unit: interface, transmitter and receiver towers and
antenna kit.

Take a look at the interface and observe the connector for each element (RF generator,
stepper motor and spectrum analyzer). The RF generator will be used to set up the
transmission frequency, the stepper motor to move the antenna and the spectrum
analyzer to measure the different parameters.

Now, take a look at the transmitter and receiver towers. Observe the two holders to fix
the antenna of the transmitter tower to be characterized. Observe the logarithmic
antenna mounted on the receiver antenna.

Take the monopole antenna with ground plane from the antenna kit and mount it on
vertical position

Check that the transmitter and receiver tower are 1.5 meters distance from each other.
Verify that both antennas are aligned. Check that the degrees indicator is over the
degree disc in the 0º position.

Connect the elements to each connector. The transmitter antenna to the RF generator
output connector, the stepper motor to the motor controller connector and the receiver
antenna to the RF input connector. Verify that the circuit breaker at the back of the unit
is in the “ON” position, switch on the unit.

Open the EANC software and press the „START‟ button.

Choose in the “Antenna test” the “Antenna Radiation Pattern”. Choose in the “Antenna
Type” the “Monopole Antenna with ground plane”

Push the “START TEST” button to start the antenna radiation pattern procedure. Wait until
the software indicates that the test is finished (the unit has to make the 360º Radiation
Pattern and go back to the original position).

Sketch the generated radiation pattern.

68 Communications Laboratory
Question 7

Describe your plot. ___________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________.

Question 8

How do the plots compare with those obtained by software simulations? _______________
_____________________________________________________________________________________.

Repeat the “Antenna Radiation Pattern for “Monopole Antenna” and “Dropping
Monopole Antenna” and sketch the generated radiation pattern for each antenna and
sketch the plots obtained for the three types of monopole antenna of EANC.

69 Communications Laboratory
Question 9

Give your observations on the differences between the three plots? ___________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________.

C. Bandwidth of a Monopole antenna

Connect a Monopole Antenna with ground plane to the platform.

Choose the correct antenna in the EANC software.

Choose antenna bandwidth test. Click Start Test and wait until the test is finished

Graph the generated bandwidth to SWR plot.

70 Communications Laboratory
Question 10

Based on the graph, what range of frequencies does the antenna have a relatively low
SWR? _______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________.

Question 11

Based on the graph, what range of frequencies does the antenna have a relatively high
SWR? _______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________.

Perform a bandwidth test for other types of monopole antennas in the trainer.
A. Antenna Type: Dropping Monopole
B. Antenna Type: Monopole Antenna

Graph the generated bandwidth to SWR plot of the two antennas

71 Communications Laboratory
Question 12

Compare all three bandwidth graphs, which antenna do you think has relatively the
lowest SWR in its range of frequencies?
____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________.

Part II. PHASE MONOPOLES

Objectives

When you have completed this part of the experiment, you will:

 Appreciate that changes in spacing between two driven monopoles affects the
polar pattern.
 Appreciate that changes in-phase between two driven monopoles affects the
polar patter.

Introduction

In this experiment, two monopoles will be combined and the changes due to different
spacing and feeding the monopoles in different phases will be investigated.

72 Communications Laboratory
Software Simulation of Two Monopoles

Azimuth Plot

Run NEC-Win and click Open File on the toolbar. Open mono1.

Now put in another monopole, spaced by 5mm from the first. To do this, enter the
coordinates of the two ends of the second monopole onto the table as (0.05,0,0) and
(0.05,0,0.05) meters.

Enter the diameter of the wire as 0.004 meters (4mm).

Enter 7 segments.

Click on the Src/Ld box and place a source at segment 1.

Use perfect conductors.

Ensure that perfect ground is set and that the frequency is set to 1500MHz.

Click on Save As and save as 2mono.

Click on the Run NEC button and then examine the azimuth and elevation plots
produced.

Question 13

Describe the plot obtained___________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________.

Changing the Phase

Go back to the main NEC-Win table and click on the Src/Ld box of Wire 2.

Click on the green icon for the source and change the phase of the source to 90˚.

Click on the Run NEC button and then examine the azimuth plot produced.

Question 14

How does this plot compared with the single monopole simulations in Part 1
?____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________.

Changing to Current Feed

Go back to the main NEC-Win table and click on the Src/Ld box Wire 1.

Click on the green icon for the source and change the source to Current Source.

Do the same for Wire 2.

Click on the Run NEC button and then examine the azimuth plot produced.

73 Communications Laboratory
Question 15

How does the new azimuth plot compare with the previous plot?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________.

From this experiment you should have found that changes in spacing between two
driven antennas, of changes in the relative phases by which they are driven, has a
significant effect on the radiation pattern for the system.

The ability to get more directivity, or to ‘beam’ the radiation in a specific direction, is an
important property of many antenna systems in practice.

74 Communications Laboratory