Designing Dipole Antenna for TV Application

and Rectangular Microstrip Antenna

Working at 3 GHz for Radar Application
Suci Rahmatia1), Enggar Fransiska DW1,), Nurul Ihsan Hariz Pratama1), Putri Wulandari1), Octarina Nur
Samijayani1)
1
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Al Azhar Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia

Abstract—This paper presents two antenna design, the first
antenna design a dipole antenna made of two material, aluminum
and iron to works at TV channel frequency (450MHz-950MHz)
in Jakarta, Indonesia. The second antenna design is a rectangular
microstrip antenna with line feed method for radar application
such as weather radar working on S-band at 3GHz frequency, we
used rectangular shape because it is the simplest design of
microstrip antenna. The paper methodology is to determine the
frequency range the simulation will use, then design the antenna
and start the simulation. Performance investigation of the design
conducted by observing the bandwidth, return loss, and radiation
of both antenna in simulation. For the rectangular patch
antenna, determining the patch width, length and dielectric
constant are the major critical parameters are needed. The
simulation results show the comparison of performance between
the dipole antenna two materials and the rectangular microtsrip
patch antenna’s performance using the dimension of selected
parameters.
Keywords—Dipole Antenna, Aluminum, Iron, TV Channels,
Rectangular Microstrip Patch
and missiles; where size, weight, cost, performance, ease of
installation and aerodynamic profiles are important [2].
Microstrip Patch antenna consist of a radiating patch on
one side of a dielectric substrate which has a ground plane on
the other side. The patch can assume any shape like
rectangular, circular, triangular, elliptical but regular shapes
are generally used to simplify analysis and performance
prediction. For good antenna performance thick substrates
with low dielectric constant is used to enhance the fringing
fields that accounts for the radiation and larger bandwidth but
it results in larger antenna size [3].
In this research, aluminum (annealed) and iron dipole
antenna and rectangular microstrip antenna are designed to
observe the performance result before the designed is applied
in the real implementation.
II. DIPOLE ANTENNA

I. INTRODUCTION
The antenna is an electromagnetic device that can transmit
and receive radio waves. Antenna consist of electrical
conductor designed for working on radio frequency. Dipole
antenna is a radio frequency antenna that can be made very
simply by just using a wire. It is belong to wire antenna. It is
made of one transmitter element which is divided into two
parts. Power of radio frequency is applied in the middle of
antenna, between the two conductors. This antenna has
omnidirectional pattern which means the antenna radiates
energy in a particular field, equally in all directions. Fig. 1. The structure of λ/2 dipole antenna [5].
Dipole antenna is one type of antenna that is commonly
used because its fabrications is easier and cheaper than other http://www.arrl.org/single-band-dipoles
types of antenna. An appropriate design is required to get Dipole antenna has current distributions for the length of
optimal results from the manufacturing of dipole antenna. This = λ/10, λ/2, λ and 1.5λ. Dipole antenna that is commonly
research focuses on the design of a dipole antenna using two used is single dipole antenna or a half-wave dipole antenna.
different materials, namely aluminum (annealed) and iron for The length of a single dipole antenna is ½λ, the corresponding
TV application. The real frequency range of TV channel in input impedance is 73Ω and has a figure-eight shaped
Jakarta is 450MHz-900MHz [1]. radiation pattern toward the front of the wire [4]. Fig.1 shows
the structure of λ/2 dipole antenna.
Nowadays, antenna become the component that is most
needed in modern industry. Another type of antenna is The wavelength of dipole antenna can be determined by
microstrip antenna. Microstrip antennas have found using Eq.(1) [4].
applications in high performance aircraft, spacecraft, satellite
 c −
1
λ= (1) ε r + 1 ε r −1  12h  2
f ε reff = + 1+ (6)
2 2  W 
where:
is wavelength in meter
c is velocity of electromagnetic wave (3x108 m/s) Find the effective length
f is center frequency in Hz c
Leff = (7)
2 f r ε reff
To determine the total length of the dipole antenna wire we
use Eq.(2), Eq.(3) and Eq.(4) [6] [7]. Find the fringing length (ΔL)
Length of half-wave dipole antenna, W 
 ε reff + 0.3   h + 0.264 
143 ΔL = 0.412h 
 ε − 0.258   W 
L= (2) (8)
f  reff  + 0.8 
 h 
Feeding gap of the antenna,
Find the actual length L and the width and length of the
L Ground
g= (3)
200 L = Leff − 2ΔL (9)
Radius of the wire,
Lg = 2 L (10)
λ
R= (4)
1000 Wg = 2W (11)
Equations above are used for the starting point to measure
the dimension of dipole antenna. In this research optimization IV. RESEARCH METHOD
was done to meet the specifications. The research method is done in several steps. Fig.3 shows the
III. GEOMETRY OF RECTANGULAR MICROSTRIP PATCH flowchart of the research.
ANTENNA USING LINE FEED

Fig. 2. Rectangular microstrip patch antenna line feed [8].

The structure of this rectangular microstrip patch antenna

is shown in Fig.2. In designing rectangular microstrip patch
antenna using line feed, we use equation from Eq. 5 to Eq. 11
[8].

Find width
1
c  εr +1 2
W=   (5)
2 fr  2 

Find the effective dielectric constant Fig. 3. Research framework.

 V. DESIGN OF DIPOLE ANTENNA
TABEL I. Dimension of alumunium dipole antenna

Material Gap (mm) Length (mm) Radius (mm)

Aluminum 10 200 0.2

Vacuum 10 200 30

Iron 10 200 30

In this research, software that is used for designing antenna

is CST. The dimension of aluminum (annealed) and iron
dipole antenna’s design is shown in Table I. The Aluminum is
hollow (vacuum), while the iron is solid. The appearances of
both antennas in CST are shown in Fig. 4 (a) and Fig. 4 (b)
respectively.
b.
Fig. 5. Physical design of rectangular microstrip patch antenna in CST a).
Front view b). Back view
TABEL III. Dimension of rectangular microstrip patch antenna using line feed

No Paramater Dimension (mm) Detail

1. fi 15.01 Length of gap
2. gpf 6.1 Width of gap
3. h 1.6 Thickness of FR-4
4. L 26 Length of patch
5 Lg 52 Length of substrate
6. t 0.035 Thickness of copper
7. W 90.7 Width of patch
a. 8. wf 2.3 Width of feeding
9. wg 181.4 Width of substrate

VII. RESULT AND DISCUSSION

b.

Fig. 4. Phyisical design of dipole antenna in CST a). Design of aluminum

dipole antenna b.) Design of iron dipole antenna
a.

VI. DESIGN PARAMETERS OF RECTANGULAR MICROSTRIP

ANTENNA
The rectangular microstrip patch antenna in this research is
designed for working at 3GHz. It is the range of S-band. This
antenna is used for radar application. The design of the
antenna is shown in Table II. This antenna use FR-4 for the
substrate and copper for patch and ground. The effective
dielectric constant of FR-4 is 4.4. It will be used in calculation
of the design parameters based on Eq.5 to Eq.11. The physical b.
design of the antenna in simulation is shown in Fig. 6
Fig. 6. The simulation results a). S11 Parameter Dipole Antenna of Aluminum
(Red-dotted) and Iron (green-dashed) b). VSWR Dipole Antenna of
Aluminum (Red-dotted) and Iron (Green-dashed)

Based on design and simulation, can be seen the

performance result of Aluminum and Iron dipole Antenna.
Fig. 6 (a) shows the S11 parameters of both antenna and Fig. 6
(b) shows the Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) of both
material for equal dimension. Fig. 6 (a) shows that Aluminum
and Iron dipole antenna works on operating frequency
a.
mentioned in previous section since the value of S11 Table III shows that the directivity and gain of Iron is
parameter is less than -10dB. It shows that energy from bigger than aluminum except for upper frequency. The greater
antenna for both material is fully transmitted. Aluminum has gain means that antenna is more efficient to transfer the power
lower and upper operating frequency from 470 to 889.35 MHz from input to be radiated. So Iron is more efficient for
respectively. The total bandwidth is 419.35 MHz. On the other transferring the power from source. While directivity is the
hands, Iron has 470 to 889.46 MHz as lower and upper ability of antenna to radiate the energy from antenna in the
operating frequency with total bandwidth is 419.46 MHz. For certain direction. Thus, Iron has better directivity rather than
the equal dimension, dipole antenna using Iron has bigger Aluminum. In addition, the directivity and the gain for both
bandwidth than Aluminum. It means Iron is more appropriate aluminum and iron is getting increase from lower, center and
for designing antenna with large bandwidth. It can be seen upper frequency. It means that the antenna will be maximally
from Fig. 6 (a) that the lowest value of S11 parameter of Iron operated at the upper frequency.
(-16.99 dB) is lower than Aluminum (-16.8 dB). The bigger
value of S11 parameter will affect the reflection coefficient of TABEL III. The performance result of Aluminum and Iron dipole antenna for
antenna. Reflection coefficient must be zero in order to make another parameters
the antenna match (VSWR < 2). The good value of VSWR is
1 that means antenna is in matching condition. The condition
of VSWR is shown in Fig. 6 (b) It shows the operating Frequency Directivity Gain HPBW
Material
bandwidth of antenna. This graph means that antenna is (MHz) (dBi) (dB) (deg)
working since the VSWR is less than 2 for both aluminum an
Iron. From Fig. 6 (a) can be analyzed that Iron has better
VSWR rather than aluminum since the value of maximum 470 2.053 2.05 83.2
VSWR is 1.7355 while Aluminum is 1.7995
Aluminum 680 2.272 2.27 75.0

Dipole antenna in this research has omnidirectional 890 2.702 2.70 66.4
radiation pattern. This result is consistent with the theory [4].
Fig. 7 shows the radiation pattern of Aluminum and Iron 470 2.055 2.05 83.2
dipole antenna in upper, center and lower frequency. Both of
pattern is equal. The difference thing is the value of Iron 680 2.274 2.27 74.9
directivity, gain and HPBW. The value of this parameter can
be seen in Table III. The similar condition also experienced by 890 2.695 2.69 66.4
dipole antenna using Iron. Half Power Beam Width (HPBW) also can be investigated
from Table 4. Iron and aluminum has no significant difference
for HPBW but in center frequency. The HPBW of Iron is less
than Aluminum’s. It might be caused by the characteristic of
the material itself.

Based on design and simulation, performance result of

rectangular microstrip patch antenna using line feed method
also can be analyzed. Fig. 8 shows the return loss (S11
parameters), Fig. 9 shows the bandwidth and Fig. 10 shows
the VSWR of antenna.
a.

Fig. 8. S11 Paramete of Rectangular microstrip patch antenna using line feed.

b.

Fig. 7. Radiation Pattern in the Upper, Middle, and Lower Frequency of a).
Aluminum b).Iron

Fig. 9. Bandwidth of rectangular microstrip patch antenna using line feed.
Fig. 10. VSWR of rectangular microstrip patch antenna using line feed.
From Fig. 8 can be seen that the antenna works at 3GHz as
the return loss of antenna is less than -10dB. The total
bandwidth of antenna in Fig. 9 is 0.056235GHz or 56.235
MHz with lower and upper frequency is 2.9715GHz and
3.0278GHz respectively. Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 also shows that
antenna resonate at 3GHz with return loss is -42dB. The
VSWR of antenna in 3GHz is 1. It shows that antenna is in
match condition. All the signal will totally radiated at 3GHz,
no signal will be reflected. It makes antenna works very well
at 3GHz.
The impedance of antenna is 57.14 ohm as shown in Fig.
11, which is close to the required impedance of 50 ohm. Fig.
12 shows the simulated 3-D radiation pattern at frequency of 3
GHz. It shows that proposed antenna radiates in omni-
directional nature. It also shows that the directivity of
proposed antenna is 5.708 dBi at resonating frequency of 3
GHz.
Fig. 11. Characteristic impedance of rectangular microstrip antenna.
Fig. 13 shows the radiation patterns at the resonating
frequency of 3 GHz. The radiation pattern of antenna is
directional for the ground covers all the surface of antenna so
the signal will be totally reflected into a certain direction.
Fig. 12. 3D Radiation pattern of patch antenna at 3 GHz.
Fig. 13. 2D Radiation pattern of patch antenna at 3 Ghz.
VIII. CONCLUSION
From this research, researchers have successfully designed
and investigate the performance of a dipole antenna using
aluminum and iron. After doing performance investigation
from the result of simulation it can be conclude that Iron is
better to be used for large bandwidth with value of directivity
and gain is bigger than aluminum except for upper frequency.
On the other hand, aluminum is better to be used for higher
frequency with the small bandwidth since the directivity and
the gain of aluminum in upper frequency is bigger than iron.
Both of aluminum and iron has no significant difference for
HPBW but in the center frequency.
A microstrip line fed single frequency microstrip patch
antenna has been designed and simulated too. This operating
frequency of this antenna is 2.9715GHz – 3.0278GHz. It has
successfully covered 3GHz (S-band) for radar communication
standard. The simulated bandwidth is around 56.235MHz
which is small enough, with the corresponding value of return
loss ia -42 dB. The antenna also has a good impedance
matching of 57.14 ohm. However, the size of the microstrip
antenna, reported here, is not very small. Cutting inclined slots
on the patch, the size of the microstrip antenna may be
reduced, also the bandwidth may be enhanced. Work is going
on to achieve even better results with good axial ratio over a
wide bandwidth.
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