What is Antenna?
What is Antenna?
Antennas or aerials are necessary for the radiations or
reception of radio wave which are electromagnetic in character. A system of
elevated conductors that couple or match the transmitter or the receiver to
space, can serves as antenna. A transmission line is employed to connect the
transmitting antenna to the transmitter. In according with Maxwell’s theory,
electromagnetic energy having the same frequency as the RF current flowing
through the antenna, is radiated in space For a straight-wire antenna, the
radiation COMPARISION AN ELECTRIC FIELD VECTOR IN A PLANE CONTAINING THE
ANTENNA, AND A MAGNETIC FIELD VECTOR TRANSVERES TO THE ELECTRIC FIELD.
The electric and the magnetic fields
oscillate At the frequency of the RF currents in the antenna. The amplitudes of
the fields vary directly as the amplitude of the RF current, and they fall off
inversely as the distance from the antenna. The fields travel through the space
with the velocity of light,. The orientation of the electric fields with
respect to the earth is referred to as the polarization of the electromagnetic
wave. The wave is horizontally or vertically polarized in accordance as the
electric field vector is parallel to the earth or vertical. The orientation of
the antenna determines the polarization of the wave. The antenna rods should be
horizontal to produce a horizontally polarized
waves, whereas they should be vertical to obtain a vertically polarized
wave.
Maximum radiation is found to occur in a direction at right
angles, i,e., broadside to the antenna. Parallel to the antenna the radiation is
a minimum. So, for a maximum radiation of energy in the horizontal direction,
the antenna should be vertical, whereas for a maximum radiation in the vertical
direction, the antenna should be horizontal.
The frequency of the radiated signal determines the length of
the antenna for effective radiation. The higher the frequency, the smaller the
antenna length since for efficient radiation the antenna length is of the same
order as the wavelength to be radiated. As the wavelength of audio frequency
lie in the range from about 107 to 104 m, inconveniently
large antenna would be necessary for a direct radiation of audio frequency.
On
the other hand, the wave length of a 1MHz radio wave is 300 m and antenna of
this order of size can be easily constructed. Therefore, the audio signals
containing the intelligence are used to modulate an RF CARRIER WHICH IS THEN
RADIATED FROM THE TRANSMITTER. For long distance communication, the choice of
the carrier frequency is determined, apart from the antenna size, by the
absorption characteristics of the propagating medium for the wave.
transmitter A uses a carrier frequency 700 kHz and the
transmitter B a carrier frequency 750 kHz, the programme radiated by
transmitter A is contained in the frequency range 695 to 705 kHz and that
radiated by transmitter B is contained in the frequency range 745 to 755 kHz
for amplitude modulation. The two programmes are thus shifted to different
regions of the frequency scale. By tuning the receiver to 700 kHz or 750 kHz,
either programme can be distinctly heard.
A transmitting antenna
can also be used as a receiving antenna,. The action of receiving antenna is
opposite to that of a transmitting antenna. A small portion of the radio waves
radiated by the transmitting antenna is intercepted by a receiving antenna. If
the rods of the receiving antenna are parallel to the electric field vector of
the radiated wave an electric currents is induced in the rods. The frequency and the waveform of the induced
current are the same as those of the radiated wave. The small voltage produced
by the induced currents is amplified and demodulated by the receiver. The
intelligence is thus extracted.
In
principle, the design and the sharp of the receiving antenna are the same as
those of the transmitting antenna. However in practical situations a convenient
length or loop of wires often serves as a receiving antenna due to space
restrictions. In the neighbourhood of the transmitter, these makeshift antenna
give sufficient voltage pickup, but in regions away from the transmitter, the
design of receiving antenna becomes elaborate. The shape and size of the antennas depend on several factors
including the frequency and the directivity of the radiation
and the objective required to be
served by the antenna.
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