A high-efficiency broadband HF wire-antenna system

Abstract

The purpose of this antenna design is to provide an efficient, broadband, wire-antenna system for RF communications. The benefits of the antenna include a single integrated antenna system for total band coverage, high system efficiency across the operating band, the capability to transmit and receive multiple signals instantaneously, and simple mechanical assemblies. The antenna design comprises various configurations of multiple transceivers, connected to a set of RF filters and associated impedance-matching networks, which are used to excite a plurality of trapped-antenna elements. The antenna system offers control over the antenna's directivity and the antenna's driving-point impedance by using sub-band systems, as defined by a series of RF filters and traps that divide the physical antenna element into varying radiating lengths. Continuous coverage over the entire frequency band of interest is achieved by using different physical antenna elements for adjacent sub-bands. The utilization of sub-bands reduces the impedance-matching network requirements, and helps to more efficiently radiate energy over the entire frequency band of interest. The resultant higher antenna system efficiencies allow for moderate and feasible performance specifications for transmitters, receivers, and matching-network components. The design can utilize various configurations and orientations of monopoles, dipoles, associated arrays, and RF traps.