Digital and analog communication systems (2nd edn): Leon W Couch IICollier Macmillan, UK (1987) 650 pp, £18.95, ISBN 0-02-325380-0

Abstract

In wireless communication, the antenna represents a fundamental component of the radio and exerts a major influence on its link budget. Therefore the choice of a proper antenna system becomes of paramount importance to ensure satisfactory connectivity amongst the various communicating devices. On the other hand, a poorly designed antenna impacts both the transmit and receive chains of the radio. In the uplink for example, an inefficient antenna could force the power amplifier along with the other gain stages in the transmit path to operate at higher gain causing, amongst other things, excessive current consumption. In the downlink, a poorly designed antenna impacts the sensitivity of the receiver and hence the area of coverage under which the wireless device should be able to operate.When designing an antenna, there are many factors and specifications that have to be taken into consideration. The antenna gain and directivity, the signal bandwidth and data throughput, the frequency band or bands of operation, path loss and radio frequency (RF) propagation environment, the interfaces to the antenna, and the matching networks are just a few of the key parameters that impact the performance of the radio as a whole via the antenna. Other factors involved in the design that must be well understood are the antenna form factor, the interaction between the antenna and its environment such as the package in which the antenna is housed, or the interaction between the antenna and the human body and other nearby objects. Given the intricacies of modern digital communication systems, it is then imperative that the antenna be designed as part of the whole radio rather than as an individual element.