1204 PIERS Proceedings, Suzhou, China, September 1216, 2011

Analysis of the Design and Optimization of a Yagi Antenna with

High Gain in Meteorological Communication
Jue Li1 , Bin Fang1 , Shi-Sheng Jin1 , and Wei-Wei Cheng2
1
Guizhou Meteorological Information Center, Guiyang, Guizhou 550002, China
2
Institute of Microelectronics and Optoelectronics
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310027, China

Abstract This paper designs a 3-element Yagi beam aerial in free space for a frequency of
150 MHz using EZNEC, which has the maximum possible gain at the frequency, and is with
front/back ratio of at least 10 dB, and input impedance to be purely resistive. Besides, it de-
termines the optimum length of each element and the optimum spacing between elements (S),
which requires readjustment of the element lengths.

1. INTRODUCTION
The Yagi-Uda antenna was invented by Shintaro Uda of Tohoku Imperial University, Sendai, Japan,
with the collaboration of Hidetsugu Yagi, also of Tohoku Imperial University. The Yagi beam an-
tenna is unidirectional. It can be vertically polarized or horizontally polarized with little difference
in performance (other than the polarization) [1]. The Yagi antenna can be rotated into position
with little effort. Yet the Yagi antenna shows power gain (so it puts out and receives a stronger
signal), reduces the interfering signals from other directions, and is relatively compact [1].
2. YAGI ANTENNA DESIGN AND ADJUSTMENT
In fact, the structure of Yagi antenna is very simple. The basic Yagi antenna consists of three
elements, as shown in Figure 1.
In order to minimize the number of variables, it does not use different spacing between the
dipole and the other two elements. Hence, there are four variables to optimize: reflector length,
director length, driven element length and spacing S [3].
Hence, it got the computing results from the above equations. The director length is 0.938 m;
driven element length is 0.9713 m; reflector length is 1 m which is a half wavelength; spacing length
is 0.2886 m. Considering the effect of environment, it got a wavelength 1.99862 m according to
150 MHz from the software EZNEC, so the above parameters change a little. And in practice, it
adjusted the length of the three elements and the space. The following figures and some results
are the most excellent parameters which are brought from the optimization process. The director
length is 0.9373 m; driven element length is 0.9706 m; reflector length is 0.9993 m which is a half
wavelength; spacing length is 0.2884 m. Figure 2 is the main window of EZNEC, and the operating
frequency is set to 150 MHz, and the wavelength is 1.99862 m.
Figure 3 is the wire setting window of Yagi antenna, and it adopted 3-element structure which
includes three wires in EZNEC.

Figure 1: The basic Yagi antenna. Figure 2: The main window of EZNEC.
Progress In Electromagnetics Research Symposium Proceedings, Suzhou, China, Sept. 1216, 2011 1205

Figure 4 is the 3D plot of the designed Yagi antenna with three elements, and it set the second
wire as the source port.
Once finished the design, it provides the far field plot of designed Yagi antenna, shown in
Figure 5. And in this figure, it is obvious that the front/back gain is 17.9 dB, which is more than
the requirement that front/back gain is at least 10 dB.
Figure 6 is a snapshot of all the active windows of the design of Yagi antenna, which display
the designed parameters, effect plot, wire setting and the FF plot.

Figure 3: The wire setting window of Yagi antenna.

Figure 4: The 3D plot of the designed Yagi antenna Figure 5: The far field plot of designed Yagi antenna.
with three elements.

Figure 6: A snapshot of all the active windows of the design of Yagi antenna.
1206 PIERS Proceedings, Suzhou, China, September 1216, 2011

3. IMPEDANCE MATCHING OF YAGI ANTENNA

It is common practice to match impedances of antenna, transmission line, and either receiver or
transmitter. The feedpoint impedance of most beam antennas is lower than the one of a half
wavelength dipole, despite that the half wavelength dipole is a driven element.It adopts the gamma
match shown in Figure 7 [4]. It consists of a piece of coaxial cable connector such that its shield
is to the center point on the radiating element (L), and its center conductor goes to the matching
device.
The dimensions of the gamma match of Figure 10 are as follows:
L L
L is the driven element length, A = 10 , B = 70 , where: L, A and B are in meters.

4. EFFECT OF THE VARIATION OF FREQUENCY

Figure 8 is the far field plot of designed Yagi antenna with frequency varying in the frequency range
+/ 6% from the centre frequency.
From Figure 8, evidently the forward gain and F/B ratio of the designed Yagi antenna decrease
according to the frequency shifting.
The resonant frequency depends on the dimensions of the Yagi antenna, and the dimensions
of the Yagi antenna depend on the wavelength of the operating frequency, therefore, with the
operating frequency shifting, the dimensions of the Yagi antenna keep their original values, then
the forward gain and F/B ratio of the designed Yagi antenna are not the optimized situation, so
they are decrease definitely [5].

Figure 7: Gamma match.

Figure 8: The far field plot of designed Yagi antenna with frequency varying in the frequency range +/ 6%
from the centre frequency.
Progress In Electromagnetics Research Symposium Proceedings, Suzhou, China, Sept. 1216, 2011 1207

5. CONCLUSIONS
This paper includes the process of designing a Yagi antenna, the design software usage, the dia-
grams of computing and simulation results, the rules of matching the antenna and the 50 cable,
and comments on the adjustment of the length and space of antenna, including discussion of gain
variation and radiation. And the design of a 3-element Yagi beam aerial in free space for a fre-
quency of 150 MHz using EZNEC, which has the maximum possible gain at the frequency, and is
with front/back ratio of at least 10 dB, and input impedance to be purely resistive, meeting the
requirements from the simulation results.
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