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RF Antenna Designer

RFConsult.UK · RFAnt R1.1 · thin-wire method of moments

Antenna family

Ground

Type εr σ (S/m)

Preset

Real ground (fast): currents and impedance are computed over perfect ground (MININEC/MMANA convention); the far field uses Fresnel reflection coefficients. Good for antennas higher than about 0.2λ.
Sommerfeld ground (exact): the near-field interaction with the lossy ground is computed exactly (Sommerfeld integrals, as NEC-2 GN 2), so impedance, current and ground loss are correct for low antennas, verticals and radials. Wires connected to the ground are treated as over perfect ground at the connection. The first run at a new ground/frequency builds an interpolation table (a few seconds).

Wires

show all rows

Coordinates and diameters in mm. Seg = 0 uses automatic segmentation from the density setting. Boresight convention: +x (azimuth 0).

Sources

Position 0-1 along the wire (0.5 = centre). A source at a wire end feeds the gap between that wire and the junction/ground.

Loads

Transmission lines

Wire 2 = 0 makes a terminated stub. Length 0 = straight-line distance. Crossed = transposed line (LPDA feeder).

Planar patch antennas & arrays

Coming in R2. This tab will design microstrip patch antennas (rectangular, circular, inset/probe/edge feed), printed dipoles, IFA/PIFA and patch arrays with corporate or series feeds, using the RFNetSim planar EM solver.

Patch synthesis (cavity / transmission-line models)
Full-wave verification with the RFNetSim planar MoM engine
Patch arrays: element pattern × array factor with active impedance
Substrate library (FR-4, RO4350B, RO4003C, PTFE ...)

colour by current show segment nodes overlay 3D pattern

Component Range (dB)

Range (dB) show cross-polar normalise to 0 dB cut through peak Cut az° Cut el°

Load (antenna) impedance

R (Ω) X (Ω) f (MHz)

Z0 (Ω) Cable Length (m)

Balun / unun at antenna Custom ratio (n:1) C across 50 Ω side (pF)

Balun/unun: ideal impedance transformer, antenna side high (n:1). The L-networks, stubs and feedline below are calculated on its 50 Ω side. "Use solved Zin" takes the antenna-side impedance and the model's feed transformer.