The Radiation Resistance of Resonant Transmission Lines

Abstract

For resonant sections of a transmission line consisting of parallel silver rods extending vertically above a metal ground plane, the resonance curves of input admittance as a function of line length have been drawn by a synchronized recording meter apparatus, and the effective total resistance of each resonant line calculated. This has been done for frequencies between 300 Mcps and 1400 Mcps, for resonant line lengths up to several wavelengths, for line sections with both open-circuit and short-circuit termination at the top, and in each case with and without a large metal pipe shielding the test line. Radiation resistance is obtained as the difference between the resistance calculations for any one resonant line section unshielded and shielded. With a probable error of about 5 percent the radiation resistance is found to be proportional to the square of the frequency, and to be independent of line length and of whether the top termination is an open circuit or a short circuit. The absolute values agree reasonably well with the theory of Storer and King [Proc. Inst. Radio Engrs. 39, 1408 (1951)] and disagree conclusively with some predictions of earlier theories.