Multiple antennas on 3D ground plane

Hi Matlab, Matlab'ers,

Is there a way to put monopole antennas on the same groundplane?

I essentially have a box with multiple antennas on it connected to the same structure but am meeting errors:

Code:

ant1 = monopole('Height',0.492,'GroundPlaneLength',0.1,'GroundPlaneWidth',0.1);
% figure; returnLoss(vhf,50e6:1e6:1e9,50);

ant2 = monopole('Height',0.162,'GroundPlaneLength',0.1,'GroundPlaneWidth',0.1,'TiltAxis','Y','Tilt',180);
% figure; returnLoss(uhf,50e6:1e6:1e9,50);

n = 1e-1;
ant3 = monopole('Height',n,'Width',0.02,'GroundPlaneLength',0.34,'GroundPlaneWidth',0.1,'TiltAxis','Y','Tilt',90);
% figure; returnLoss(boom,50e6:1e6:500e6,50);

c = conformalArray('Element',{ant1,ant2,ant3},...
    'ElementPosition',[ 0 0 0.17 ;
                        0 0 -0.17;
                        0.05 0 0],'Reference','origin');

figure(1); show(c);

Error:

Error using conformalArray/meshGenerator (line 224)
Intersection detected in specified geometry.

Error in em.MeshGeometry/updateMesh

Error in em.MeshGeometry/getMesh

Error in em.EmStructures/analyze

Error in em.EmStructures/pattern (line 143)
analyze(obj,frequency, parseobj.Results.ElementNumber,                  ...

Error in gp (line 19)
figure(2); pattern(c,70e6);

Answer 1

[Sudarshan Kolar]

Hi Christopher,

The error is expected because 'conformalArray' is supposed to create an Antenna Array and not a custom antenna. When you are designing an array, the elements do not intersect.

Infact, if you remove the intersection of the antennas:

ant1 = monopole('Height',0.492,'GroundPlaneLength',0.1,'GroundPlaneWidth',0.1);
% figure; returnLoss(vhf,50e6:1e6:1e9,50);

ant2 = monopole('Height',0.162,'GroundPlaneLength',0.1,'GroundPlaneWidth',0.1,'TiltAxis','Y','Tilt',180);
% figure; returnLoss(uhf,50e6:1e6:1e9,50);

n = 1e-1;
ant3 = monopole('Height',n,'Width',0.02,'GroundPlaneLength',0.34,'GroundPlaneWidth',0.1,'TiltAxis','Y','Tilt',90);
% figure; returnLoss(boom,50e6:1e6:500e6,50);

c = conformalArray('Element',{ant1,ant2,ant3},...
'ElementPosition',[ 0 0 0.18 ;
0 0 -0.18;
0.05 0 0],'Reference','origin');

figure(1); show(c);

figure(2); pattern(c,70e6);

Everything works perfectly fine.

Since you want to design custom antenna (and not array) please refer the following documentation and hopefully this should help you get started:

https://www.mathworks.com/help/antenna/ref/customantennageometry-object.html?searchHighlight=customAntennaGeometry&s_tid=doc_srchtitle

-Sudarshan

[Sudarshan Kolar]

Other documenttion links:

1. https://www.mathworks.com/help/antenna/examples.html

2. https://www.mathworks.com/videos/design-of-cutting-edge-antennas-and-antenna-arrays-using-matlab-119213.html

Hope that helps.

Sudarshan

[Christopher Bridges]

Thanks Sudarshan - but I've already seen these. I'm studying how these antennas interfere with each other - use 2016a, and trials of the toolbox. Not sure I have everything to complete this - could be my problem:

ca = customAntennaGeometry
Undefined function or variable 'customAntennaGeometry'.

While I have you - how would I add differing materials? E.g. some basics like copper, aluminium, and carbon fibre?

And lastly, if I use one of these examples which one goes into 3D structures with multiple feeds? Vaguely close will do!

Thanks! C

[Christopher Bridges]

Is there a response to this on creating a system with multiple antennas on the same ground plane? Still waiting but now have 2018 versions of the toolboxes!