ANTENNA CONSIDERATIONS
GENERAL ANTENNA RULES
The choice of antennas is a critical
The following general rules should help in maximizing antenna performance.
and
consideration.
often
overlooked
The
design
range,
1. Proximity to objects such as a user’s hand, body, or metal objects will cause an
antenna to detune. For this reason, the antenna shaft and tip should be
positioned as far away from such objects as possible.
performance, and legality of an RF link
are critically dependent upon the
antenna. While adequate antenna
performance can often be obtained by
trial and error methods, antenna
design and matching is a complex
2. Optimum performance will be obtained
from a 1/4- or 1/2-wave straight whip
mounted at a right angle to the ground
plane. In many cases, this isn’t desirable
OPTIMUM
for practical or ergonomic reasons, thus,
NOT RECOMMENDED
task.
A
professionally designed
Figure 20: Linx Antennas
USEABLE
an alternative antenna style such as a
helical, loop, or patch may be utilized
antenna, such as those from Linx, will
help ensure maximum performance and FCC compliance.
Figure 22: Ground Plane Orientation
and the corresponding sacrifice in performance accepted.
Linx transmitter modules typically have an output power that is slightly higher
than the legal limits. This allows the designer to use an inefficient antenna, such
as a loop trace or helical, to meet size, cost, or cosmetic requirements and still
achieve full legal output power for maximum range. If an efficient antenna is
used, then some attenuation of the output power will likely be needed. This can
easily be accomplished by using the LADJ line or a T-pad attenuator. For more
details on T-pad attenuator design, please see Application Note AN-00150.
3. If an internal antenna is to be used, keep it away from other metal components,
particularly large items like transformers, batteries, PCB tracks, and ground
planes. In many cases, the space around the antenna is as important as the
antenna itself. Objects in close proximity to the antenna can cause direct
detuning, while those farther away will alter the antenna’s symmetry.
4. In many antenna designs, particularly 1/4-wave
VERTICAL λ/4 GROUNDED
ANTENNA (MARCONI)
whips, the ground plane acts as a counterpoise,
forming, in essence, a 1/2-wave dipole. For this
reason, adequate ground plane area is essential.
A receiver antenna should be optimized for the frequency or band in which the
receiver operates and to minimize the reception of off-frequency signals. The
efficiency of the receiver’s antenna is critical to maximizing range performance.
Unlike the transmitter antenna, where legal operation may mandate attenuation
or a reduction in antenna efficiency, the receiver’s antenna should be optimized
as much as is practical.
E
DIPOLE
ELEMENT
λ/4
The ground plane can be a metal case or ground-fill
I
areas on a circuit board. Ideally, it should have a
surface area > the overall length of the 1/4-wave
radiating element. This is often not practical due to
size and configuration constraints. In these
instances, a designer must make the best use of the
area available to create as much ground plane as
GROUND
PLANE
VIRTUAL λ/4
DIPOLE
λ/4
It is usually best to utilize a basic quarter-wave whip until your prototype product
is operating satisfactorily. Other antennas can then be evaluated based on the
cost, size, and cosmetic requirements of the product. You may wish to review
Application Note AN-00500 “Antennas: Design, Application, Performance”
Figure 23: Dipole Antenna
possible in proximity to the base of the antenna. In cases where the antenna is
remotely located or the antenna is not in close proximity to a circuit board,
ground plane, or grounded metal case, a metal plate may be used to maximize
the antenna’s performance.
ANTENNA SHARING
In cases where a transmitter and receiver
module are combined to form a transceiver,
0.1μF
it is often advantageous to share a single
Module
V
DD
Transmitter
0.1μF
Antenna
5. Remove the antenna as far as possible from potential interference sources. Any
frequency of sufficient amplitude to enter the receiver’s front end will reduce
system range and can even prevent reception entirely. Switching power
supplies, oscillators, or even relays can also be significant sources of potential
interference. The single best weapon against such problems is attention to
placement and layout. Filter the module’s power supply with a high-frequency
bypass capacitor. Place adequate ground plane under potential sources of noise
to shunt noise to ground and prevent it from coupling to the RF stage. Shield
noisy board areas whenever practical.
antenna. To accomplish this, an antenna
switch must be used to provide isolation
between the modules so that the full
0.1μF
GND
0.1μF
GND
Receiver
Module
transmitter output power is not put on the
0.1μF
sensitive front end of the receiver. There
Select
are a wide variety of antenna switches that
are cost-effective and easy to use. Among
Figure 21: Typical Antenna Switch
the most popular are switches from Macom and NEC. Look for an antenna
switch that has high isolation and low loss at the desired frequency of operation.
Generally, the Tx or Rx status of a switch will be controlled by a product’s
microprocessor, but the user may also make the selection manually. In some
cases, where the characteristics of the Tx and Rx antennas need to be different
or antenna switch losses are unacceptable, it may be more appropriate to utilize
two discrete antennas.
6. In some applications, it is advantageous to
place the module and antenna away from the
CASE
main equipment. This can avoid interference
problems and allows the antenna to be
oriented for optimum performance. Always use
GROUND PLANE
NUT
(MAY BE NEEDED)
50Ω coax, like RG-174, for the remote feed.
Figure 24: Remote Ground Plane
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