Directional Antennas with Closely-Spaced Elements By John D. Krous,* W8JK NE of the simplest and most efficient radiators used on short waves ia the borizontal halfowave antenna. Offand ‘it might not appear that two such antennas would make a good redisting system, if placed parallel to cash other a small fraction of a wavelength part and fed with currents 180 degroes out. of phase. Tt ls true, however, that this arrangement forms a simple and very compact directional sntenna, Fig. 1 ls o sketeh of two half-wave radiators oriented in the horizontal plane us described and placed high above the ground. The spacing may bea small fraction of a wavelength. If Uhe wires Miao Moon mo, icto Haupaave eres comes Ske IN HAM SUR a Bat apm nat ton nhc in o Tisanem ders sre not placed too eloso together, tho pair will tate the same power as would a single helf- ‘wave aatenna with the same input, But, because of the closespacing and out-of-phase currents, the direction in which the radiation tales place fe profoundly altered. G. 1. Brown? was the first to point out the advantages of using such close spacing. ‘As tndioted by tho arrows in Fig. 1, the radia- tion from the pair Is very small—tWeoretically sero—olf the ends and uo. vertically. ‘The Tadiation horizontally brosdside is s maximum fand is considerably greater than from a single halfavave antenna fed with the same power. Fig. 2 shows the close spacing ides applied to a number of practical directive antenna systems. ‘The type of Fig. 2A is 82 fost long. It has two half-wave. radiators epaced one-eighth waver insiga Bird, Ana Atbor, Mish. TA SEiee eitnt of ea earetaritin of heen tal antennae has boos seen By Goory Cramer 7, ‘Novy In; and Mare, S07. TG," drown, "Direoadl Aotaanan” Proc LR, sans ia, length and fed at the center. The cross-over foods ‘the two radiators 180 degrees out of phase. ‘The feeders eonnect on at the middle of the erost-over. ‘The radiation from the antenna is maximum in both directions broadside aad minimum off the ‘ends, The gain in both dizections broadside ie as ‘much as of moze than in the one preferred dineo- tion when a half-wave radiator is usod with a reflector one-quarter wavelength bebind. Dimen- sions are given for fundamental operation in the 1Mo. band. The antenna is aetually w multe band affair, giving approximately the same horizontal bi-directional pattem on 28 Me. sx on [4 Me, or on any frequency bebween these taro bands. "When sed on 50 Me. the horizontal pattern has four lobes. Por fundamental opera ion on 28 Me, the dimensions of Fig. 2-A should be halved. This emaller array would have about ‘he sume bi-directional pattern on hott: 28 and 55 Me. ‘An antenna of about the same size as the one ‘of Fig 2-A is shown in Fig. 2B. The antonna fend instead of centered. Au array having two sootions, which uses four helf-wave elements, ie ‘shown in Fig. 2-C. It ia 62 feet long. The array’ ‘of Fig. 2D haa 4 sections or 8 half-wave elements ‘and ts 112 foot long. ‘The autennaa of Mig. 2-By Chand D have the bi-directional pattern oaly om ‘thelr fundamental frequency—-14 Mc. in this ase ‘When operated on 23 Me. thelr horizontal pat- terns will have four main lobes, Por fandamental ‘operation on 28 Me. the dimensions should, of ‘ours, be halved. ‘To make one of theee antenna as unit eo that it may be supported hetween two poles it is convenient to use spreaders, whlch for a 14-Me. fantennay are about 0 feet Tong. These may be tither of bamboo or I- by -inch strips of wood. ‘A suggested urrangement for a. two-seetion ‘antenna is given ia Fig. 2. Since the antenna ‘boars a string resemblance to one of tho "To fiat-top typos popular a decade or tro ago, itis called a “fat-top beam”* "The crosover at the middie of the Gattop Js made by using two 6-inch feeder-spreader Inaulators, one placed horizontally wt the center and the other vertically half-way betwoen the fenter and one end of the wooden spreader, The ‘bro-wire feed line comes up from below and eon- FD, Kaun, “Saall Bel ifewdvo Mattp Baum ‘edie, Maceh a Sune, Gt. January, 1938 2nects onto the crossover atthe hori- zontal center insulator. In orter to get greater separation at the cross- Over, the loeulators may be made longer by fastening two thinch feeder spreaders end-to-end. The wire length at the cross-over is of neces sity afew inebes more then the spac- ing. Thus, the wire length st the cromover of a 14-Mo, antenna (S feat 8 Inches spacing) may be about feet 11 inches, ‘The line used to support the long wooden epreadere at each end of the flet-top should preferably be of rope. In eave s d-section Bat-top ie used, @ method of accomplishing the addi tional crocwovers jx indicted. by dotted lines in Mig. 8. One vertical Feoder-spreader insulator is used al te middle of the long wooden spreader. ‘The recommended spacing lengthwise between the sections ofthe la-top ts about 2 foot. ‘The main characteristics of a Set-top direo- tional antenna ere the elosely-epaced elements, about one-eighth wavelength spart, and currents 180 degrees out of phase. All the elements aro driven. The spacing is not critical but one-eighth Wwavelengtlr swema to be about optinuin wien Ts0-degroe phasing ie ued, and is recommended, ‘The mutual coupling between closely spaced ‘oul-ofsphase wires is such that the Impedance at the center of the halfwave elements, becomes «quite small and, inversely, quite lange at the ends ‘Accordingly, the current flowing at voltage nodes in vory high. ‘The dimensions are not critical and the values ‘of Fig. 2 are recommended for use on any fre- ‘queney in the LiMo, bond, Compensation i made for any small variations when the antenna ‘tuned up, Either Zopp fooders or matehing stub and (00-ohm line can be usod to feed the antennas. ‘Tho Zepp feeders or the stud eonnest wt the 1G, 3—TOP VIEW SHOWING CONSTRUCTION OF A2SECTION ANTENNA WHICH 15 POPULARLY TERMED A“FLATTOP™ BEAN Matad of mating mover if xtra tector re aed na Te ee rio2_nounrvoesronusene ris Se ete nse jaar ioe me caree ahs ed matehind tub to ood the Section anietne of amie ‘ conter of the cross-over in the Hattop as shown in Fig. 3. The approtimate dimensions for a stub to food the antenna of Fig. 2-C is indicated in Fig. 2E, With more seotiona the 600-ohm line wall eonnect farther from, and with fewer sections ‘loser to, the ehorting wire. the stub. ‘Where the line i not over a wavelength or to long, the Zepp typeof feed is very practical [ts also convenient if one expecta to use the same fat-lop beam on a number of bands. Por example, the antenna of Fig. 2-A may be series fed at the transmitter on 14 Me. and parallel fed on 28 Mc ‘The feeder in this case would be elther one-half or one wavelength long, approximately, since this antenna is fed at, « current loop (oltage node) on 14 Me. A matching stub for this antenna ‘would alzo be either one-belf or one wavelangth fong on 14 Mo. and about & feet either longer or thorter on 28 Be, Tho other antennas, Figs. 2B, ©, and D, aro all fed close to current nodes as used on 1 Me, so that matebing stubs to food them should be either one-quarter OF three-quarter wavelengths long, Tt is often con venient to use s three-quarter wave- Jength stub as one may be able to ad- inst it from. the Rround efter the tantena es boca pulled up into place. It is ad~ Yisable to use good G-inch spreaderineulatora throughout the stub and 600-ohm line. Tin adjusting the stub the antenna ia shook excited from another antenna or from an ef line 22 QST forcoupled loosely to it. The shorting wire on the stub is then adjusted for a maximum of current through the short, The transmission lin is next connected on the stub a foot or two above the short and adjusted up or down the stub until the FIG, 4 COMPUTED RADIATION CHARACTERIS. ‘Ties THE VERTICAL PLANE FOR A SINGLE HALEAWAVE ANTENNA (DASHED) AND 22SEC. TION FLAT-TOP GOLID) BOTH AT A HEIGHT OF HIREEEIOHTEIS WAVELENGTH ABOVE ‘GROUND standing waves slong the transmission line aro a ‘minimum. A sensitive rf. current meter (0-200 ‘ma.) equipped with a single tura loop and an insulated hook ean be used to aide along one sid of the transmission line, go that readings may bbe made quickly at four or Sve poiate along the line spaced sbout an eighth wavelength apart. Insulation of the antenna and feeders from the ‘transmitter plate supply voltages is, of course, ‘important in any installation. Because of the out-of-phase currents, the ver- tieal radistion from the fat-top antanna ap proaches zero. As a result, the maximum radi ‘on in the vertial plane is lowered to a smaller vertical angle. In Fig. 4 the vertical radiation characteristics of a single half-wave antenna {dashed curve) and a 2-sbotion or element lat top antenae (old curve) are compared for s Tet in both enses of threoeighthe wavelength ‘shove ground. The plane in which the radiation is shown is at right angles to the anteonss. The relative field strength is plolled in arbitrary ‘units, end the curves are calculated on the basis ‘of tho same power to both antennas. Perfectly conducting ground is assumed, but with hori ‘zontal antennes and the height being considered the patterns for ordinary ground would probably be quite similar. Tt is apparent from Fig, 4 that the radiation maximum ia lowered from about 43 degrees in the ase of the half-wave antenna to about &2 dogreas for the flattop. ‘The maximum gain of the Bat top over tho half-wave does not occur at these fanglea, howover, but rsther at lower onee—5 Alegrecs snd leas Tt is these low angles which axe froquentiy the most effective in long distance communication, The effect of lowering the vertical ‘angle of maximum radiation from a fat-top beam January, 1938 is most pronounced at heights up to's half waye- Iength ot so above ground. At greater heights the angle of the lowest lobe hecomes nearly the same ‘as thas for a single bal-wave anteana. For l4-Me. ‘DX e height of three-quarters to one wavelength above ground seems worth wll, ‘Although much of the gain comes through vertical directivity, the horizontal gain is eloo Important. ‘This depends mainly on the number cof sections used. Fig. 5 shows the measured horizontal radiation pattern for a singlo-section antenna (00 Fig. 2-A). Tho maximum radiation Ie broadside and the minimum is off the ends of ‘the sntenna. ‘The radiation is 3 db down at an angle of about 35 degrees off the center line of the ‘beam (broadside). Ab 70 degrees the signal is over 20 db dows, representing a front-to-ide signal power ratio of well over 100 to I. ‘The relative field strength is plotted in decibels the minimum signal obeerved being tazen a 0 db. "The. power gain of a single-section flal-top compared to a single half-wave antenna is over 4£db. When used om ite second harmonie the gain FIG, $ MEASURED HORIZONTAL RADIATION PATTERN OF SINGEEQECTION FLATTOP AN "The relative fll rena Poted in decty, is about 6 db, ‘The horizontal radiation as meas tured from a Ssoetion fal-Lop (Fig. 2C) is only Aghtly narrower, the signal being 3 db down at About 0 degrees off the center, Thus, a section flattop puts out a very estistactory signal over fan angle of about 60 degross in each direction broadside, anda. usable eignal over an even wider angie. ‘The null off the ends, however, is ‘very. pronounced. Three. elon antennas Arranged at angles of 120 degrees with respect to tach other abould givo good coverage over 360 ogrees. The gain of a 2eection fattop is over ‘db. A Loostion array would have over db gain ‘and a stil narrower patie than the section type. pate of double-Zupp antennas, one stacked one-talf wavelength above the other, isa familiar (Continue on poe 87) 23messages, Unfortunately the printer didn’t doa very good job of following the rules, We are ro produeing the example in ite proper form and Fepeating the description and hints for copying ‘messages on a typewriter. First line: write the number, station of orig, operator's sign and cheek. “Third lin: place of origin, fling time if any), and date. ith line: the name of the addressee. Seventh line: one space after the lst word of ‘tho addresc's name, the addres, giving number and size ‘Bighth lino: name of the city immediately under strect and number. "The body of the mesage starts ab the left on the, tenth line. Copy ten words to the line. At the end of the Sith, Aiteenth, twenty-Gtt, ete, word, « double space should he left to aid in Sounting. the check. New York is written Newzons, as are all the names of places, and counted one word. “Two lines under the last word of the body appears the signature. f the Inst word of the Tony is too far to the vight, start the signature {iro lines down and in the center of te blank. ‘The message in serviced by the receiving operator by placing the call leters of the transmitting station to lines under the signature, followed by the time of receipt and day of the month ‘As the message is being copied between the ‘ith and tenth lines, a now blank may be placed in the typemniter 20 thet upon the removal ofthe completed message the ew blank appears in Spprosimately the right postion for the next ‘meseage, If earbon copies are made, considerable practice is required to get the new blanks in at the proper time. The Strongheart Boys (Conn fom poe 86) "The plane roars low over the island, drops & rmessage, and fies on. Horace races to' the spat ‘where the note falls and, picking It up, reads. ‘Giarence comes to stop behind him, try vain Iy to road over his shoulder. “Wa does it say, Hornee? Doos tay that he {a ending help? Maybe the U. 8. Navy ig on ite way.” Gee "Strongheart Boys with Unele Sam.”) Horace reads aloud. "Dear OM. Heard you calling a 11:52 BS.7 Your frequeney was 7301. Would appreciate ‘note saying you willbe in the lad in the fature. Yours for amateur radio. W1 glub glub.” Rebert J Block, W1BBK Directional Antennas (Continued fom 00 18 bisdirvetional aay of 4 elements. In many cases, ‘expecially where the lower doublo-Zepp is not very high off the ground, a 2eection fiat-top should give somewhat improved performance, that is Af the flat-top is placed at the eame height as the upper double-Zepp of the pair. A -section {lat-top should alo give more gain over a much ‘Wider horizontal angio than 4 oo-linear bali-wave ‘antennas in phase and at the same height above sound. ‘The small dimensions of the fat-top antenna sake it euitable for use in many’ locations ‘Through the use of close-epacing the gain is exceptionally good for an array ofits siz, The Cover MOBERN stvision sociving sear may ‘eemimple onee you understand the general idea, but it must be admitted that the apparatus doesn’t look simple, ‘The mess of sluminumware in the photograph’ belongs to an experimental vision recsiver built couple of weeks ago by Ros Hull, His objecta in building the affae were: ‘To discover if a pieture could be had in Hartford from Now York (about 105 miles); to soe if a haywire rig, builtin a hurry from standard parts, could be made to function without breaking ay blood vessels, and, to find out whether the whole Dasiness of building the set and fiddling with it could be deseribed in em language as fun. ‘The fouteome vas definite “yes” on all counts, Quite fair pictures were received from New York; the receiver functioned after » couple of hours of bug hnunting; it was plenty fun. Naturally, the pic= tues ware far from “commercial” quality singe the band-width of the receiver had to be sucri- Siced severely in order to allow enough gain. But fat that, they were « bunch of good-looking ghosts Walking szound the kineseope. A New Transmitting Tube—the 809 ANEW Babi, 25-vattplato-diipation tube, to be known as the 800, has been added to RCA’e Line of tranemitting tubes for amateurs. Ttean be used at maximum ratings at frequencies up to 60 mogacycles in rf. eorvio, and is dosigned {to operate with good plato elilency at relatively low plate voltage nnd driving power. ‘Tho S09 tls is eultable for Clase-B audio verve. “Tontative characteristics and ratings are given below: amet vats, fg vote ‘Blnmartcoest 25am olan... Sh ‘Grate za. Garam, 5 aa Pieces ot ar pits danipation. So ate Moe Bate nou i ate In Clase-B audio service, two tubes are capable of delivering 100 watts output at 760 volts, using (Contin om page 100) January, 1938 37