So far….

• VSWR Measurement:
– Slotted line method
– Double minimum method
• Power measurement:
– Schottky Barrier power detector
– Bolometer
– Calorimeter
– Calorimeter Watt meter
• Frequency measurement:
– Wave meter method
– Slotted line method
– Down conversion method
• Impedance Measurement:
– Slotted line method
– Reflectometer
• Scattering Parameter:
– Vector Network Analyzer
• Dielectric Constant:
– Waveguide method and
 MANAKULA VINAYAGAR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
DEAPARTMENT OF ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING

Antenna Radiation Pattern and Gain

Measurements
Antenna
• An antenna is the interface between radio waves propagating
through space and electric currents moving in metal conductors,
used with a transmitter or receiver.
• In transmission, a radio transmitter supplies an electric current to
the antenna's terminals, and the antenna radiates the energy from
the current as electromagnetic waves.
 MICROWAVE ANTENNA
MEASUREMENTS
• The most important parameters to determine the
performance characteristics of microwave antennas
are:
– Radiation amplitude and phase patterns
– Absolute gain
– Directivity
– Radiation efficiency
– Beam width
– Input impedance
– Bandwidth and
– Polarizations
Radiation Pattern
•The term radiation
pattern (or antenna pattern or far-
field pattern) refers to
the directional (angular)
dependence of the strength of
the radio waves from the antenna.
 Radiation Pattern Measurement
• The radiation pattern is a representation of the radiation
characteristics of the antenna as a function of elevation
angle and azimuthal angle for a constant radial distance
and frequency.
• The three-dimensional pattern is decomposed into two
orthogonal two-dimensional patterns in E and H field
planes where the Z-axis is the line joining the
transmitting and receiving antennas and perpendicular
to the radiating apertures.
• In addition, the radiation pattern is a function of
frequency. As a result, the measured radiation pattern is
only valid at the frequency the source antenna.
• We need two antennas for measurement of radiation
pattern one will transmit and other will receive.
• Initially, two antennas are aligned in the line of their
maximum radiation direction by adjusting the angle
and height by the controller and antenna mast.
• Effects of all surroundings are removed through:
– increased directivity
– low side lobes of the source antenna
– clearance of LOS
– absorption of energy reaching the range surface.
Experimental setup
 For better accuracy in Radiation pattern
• Mutual coupling due to scattering and reradiation of energy by test
and source antenna causes error in measurement.

• Effect of curvature of the incident phase front produces phase

variation over the aperture of test antenna and this restricts the
range R.

• If the illuminating field is not constant over the region of the test
aperture, it will give deviation of the measured pattern from the
actual.

• Interference from spurious radiating sources should he avoided.

 ANTENNA GAIN
• Gain is a parameter which measures the degree of
directivity of the antenna's radiation pattern. A high-
gain antenna will preferentially radiate in a particular
direction.
• Specifically, the antenna gain, or power gain of an
antenna is defined as the ratio of the intensity (power
per unit surface) radiated by the test antenna in the
direction of its maximum output, at an arbitrary
distance, divided by the intensity radiated at the same
distance by a hypothetical isotropic antenna.
 Method 1:Standard Antenna Method
• This method uses two sets of measurements with the test and
standard gain antennas. Using the test antenna of gain G r in receiving
mode, the received power Pr, is recorded in a matched recorder. The
test antenna is then replaced by a standard gain antenna of gain G s,
and the received power Ps, is again recorded without changing the
transmitted power and geometrical configuration. Then

• Thus, by measuring the received power with test and standard gain
antennas and knowing gain G, of the standard gain antenna, the gain
of the test antenna can be found.
 Two-Antenna Method
• In this method, the signal is transmitted from a transmitting
antenna of gain Gt, and the signal is received by the test antenna of
gain Gr, placed at far-field distance R. The received power is
expressed by
 Three-Antenna Method
• In the two antenna method, if the measuring systems are not exactly
identical, error will be introduced.
• Hence, the three antenna method is the most general method to find gain of
all the three antennas. Any two antennas are used at a time i.e. 1 and 2, 2
and 3, and 3 and 1, respectively. The following equations can be developed
for the received and transmitted powers.
For better Gain accuracy:
For accuracy of the measurements, care must be taken so
that
• All antennas meet the far field criteria: R  2D 2
/
• The antennas are aligned for bore-sight radiation face-to-
face.
• The measuring system is frequency stablized.
• Impedance mismatched in the system components is
minimum.
• Polarization mismatch is minimum.
• Reflection from various background and support
structure is minimum.
 UNIT - III
• Optical Fibers (Syllabus):
• Element of an Optical Fiber Transmission link,
Propagation of light,
• Optical fiber structures, acceptance angle, Numerical
aperture.
• Fiber attenuation - absorption, scattering and bending
losses.
• Dispersion –Material and waveguide dispersion. Signal
distortion in SM fibers,
• Polarization Mode dispersion,
• Design Optimization of SM fibers-RI profile
• Cut-off wavelength.
 Optical Fibers
• Optical:

• Fiber:
 Fiber Optic Communication
• Fiber optics communication refers to the
medium and the technology associated with
the transmission of information as light pulses
along a glass or plastic strand or fiber. Fiber
optics is used long-distance and high-
performance data networking.
 History Bytes
• Narinder Singh Kapany  (born
31 October 1926) is an Indian
physicist known for his work
in fiber optics.
•  He was named as one of the
seven "Unsung Heroes"
• "Father of Fiber Optics“
• The term fiber optics was coined
by Singh Kapany in 1956
Why Fiber optic communication
 Next class
• Element of an Optical Fiber Transmission link
• Propagation of light
• Optical fiber structures
• Acceptance angle
• Numerical aperture