Ruggedized Surface-Mount Omnidirectional Antenna for Supersonic Aerial Platforms

Abstract

A rugged metal protected antenna that produces an omnidirectional radiation pattern is proposed in this letter. The omnidirectionality is achieved by using a cavity enclosed printed circuit board (PCB) with λ/4 transformers and ground shortening pins combination. The slotted cavity filled with ablative material is designed to maintain the radiation characteristics of the enclosed PCB and provide strength for the antenna arrangement, which can be effectively used on high-speed aerial platforms. The simulated and measured results demonstrate that the proposed antenna possesses a stable omnidirectional radiation pattern; its horizontal gain is higher than -1.5 dB, the azimuthal gain ripple is within ±0.7 dB, and the antenna efficiency exceeds 85% over the entire operational frequency band. In addition, the conformal, tapered, nonprotruding, low-profile, and dc-grounded design makes winged antennas a superior candidate for supersonic (Mach > 1) airborne applications.