Optimization of Radiation pattern of Yagi-Uda Antenna

Mirishkar Sai Ganesh

B.Tech (ECE),Chilkur Balaji Institute of Technology,
Moinabad, Ranga Reddy, Andhra Pradesh (affiliated to JNTU Hyderabad), India
(meet.msganesh@gmail.com)
Abstract: An Antenna is a transducer which is used
to transmit and receive the electromagnetic waves,
converting them into electric currents and vice versa.
A typical antenna finds its usage in every domain of
life whether it is broadcasting or space exploration.
Point to point communication, wireless LAN are
other important fields which can not suffice without
an antenna. Antenna can be deployed in any medium
whether it is air, space, soil or water. However, the
range of frequencies in which it can be used
efficiently narrows down in water and soil, but its
advantages outcast the limitations. The origin of the
word antenna relative to wireless apparatus is
attributed to Guglilmo Marconi. Several critical
parameters affecting on antenna's performance are
directivity, gain, electric field intensity, resonant
frequency, impedance, gain, aperture or radiation
pattern, polarization, efficiency and bandwidth. We
have simulated the radiation pattern of Yagi-Uda
antenna in MATLAB and 4NEC2 antenna modeler.
Our basic approach was to simulate in MATLAB and
model the antenna in 4NEC2 modeler and then
maximizing the output.
Keywords: Electromagnetic Waves, Yagi-Uda
antenna, Matlab, NEC

I. INTRODUCTION
A Yagi-Uda Antenna, commonly known
simply as a Yagi antenna or Yagi, is a
directional antenna system consisting of an
array of dipole and additional closely
coupled parasitic elements (usually a
reflector and one or more directors).

Figure 1. Geometry of a K elements Yagi-Uda

The second dipole in the Yagi-Uda array is

the only driven element with applied
input/output source feed, all the others
interact by mutual coupling since receive
and radiate electromagnetic energy, they act
as parasitic elements by the induced current.
It is assumed that an antenna is a passive
reciprocal device, then may used either for
transmission or for reception of the
electromagnetic energy this well applies to
Yagi-Uda also. These antennas are
directional along the axis perpendicular to
the dipole in the plane of the elements, from
the reflector toward the driven element and
the director(s). A Yagi-Uda Antenna is a
widely used Antenna design due to its high
forward gain capability, low cost and ease to
construction. It is commonly used as a roof
top television receiver. Basically as antenna
is a areal system that matches or coupled the
energy to the free space. One element is
energized directly by a feed transmission
line with the others act as parasitic radiators.
The function of these elements is to enhance
the radiation pattern in the source direction.
Generally the reflector will be 5% longer
than the driven element (ie dipole) and the
directors will be 5% shorter. Parameter
limits are:
Driven
Element:
0.45-0.49
wavelengths.
Directors: 0.4-0.45 wavelengths
separation between driven element
an parasitic: 0.15-0.25 wavelengths.
II. RADIATION PATTERN
The radiation capabilities of an antenna are
characterized by the characteristics of an

antenna such as the radiation pattern

(including amplitude and phase patterns),
polarization and gain. All these quantities
are measured on the surface of a sphere with
a constant radius. The radiation pattern is
nothing but a graph which shows the
variation of actual field strength of
electromagnetic field at all the points
equidistant from the antenna. Hence it is a
three
dimensional
graph.

Figure 2. Radiation Pattern

A radiator acting as a lossless, hypothetical

antenna radiating equally in all directions is
called isotropic radiator. An antenna with a
property of radiating or receiving the
electromagnetic waves more effectively in
some directions than in others is called
directional antenna. The radiation pattern of
such antenna is called directional pattern.
When antenna has maximum directivity
greater than that of half wave dipole is
known
as
directional
antenna.

Figure 3. Directional Pattern

Directional antennas like Yagi-Uda antennas

provide increased performance over dipole
antennas when much denser radiation is
found in in certain direction. The omnidirectional pattern is defined as a pattern
which is non-directional in given plane
while directional in any orthogonal plane.
So omnidirectional pattern is a special case
of a directional pattern.
III. OPTIMIZATION
Optimization of the Yagi - Uda Antenna can
be achieved by simulating the radiation
patterns for various lengths of the elements
and the spacing between them. Other factors
that effect the radiation pattern are:
For an antenna with a length of 6
wavelengths or more the overall gain
is independent of the director
spacing.
The reflector size and spacing have
negligable effect on the forward gain
and large effects on the backward
gain and input impedance.
The size and spacing of the directors
has a large effect on the forward
gain,backward gain and input
impedance.
More than one reflector provides
little improvement on the directivity
of the antenna.
The addition of more directors will
increase the gain of the antenna
although after the addition of
approximately 5 directors the
advantages of adding more directors
decreases significantly.
The use of a folded dipole will
increase the input impedance of the
driven element.This is an advantage
as the Yagi design generally has a
low input impedance and the
impedance needs to the transmission
line impedance.
So, in this project we have considered
following consideration :

The dimensions of the element are

frequency dependent.
Reflector length - 0.499*wavelength
Dipole length - 0.470*wavelength
Director length - 0.440*wavelength
Spacing between the elements
Reflector
to
Dipole
spacing
0.125*wavelength
Dipole
to
Director
spacing
0.125*wavelength
designing frequency around 200Mhz
= c/f
- wavelength in meters
c - Velocity of propagation in air (3*10^8
m/sec)
f - Frequency in MHz
Specification of Yagi antenna
Frequency of operation : 200MHz
Gain : 7dB
F/B ratio : 18dB
VSWR : 2:1

The three dimensional radiation pattern

consists of front lobe and back lobe

Figure 5. 3-Dimentional Pattern

The radiation pattern in 2 dimentional of

antenna with front lobe and back lobe.

IV. Implementation of the Yagi-Uda

Antenna Using 4NEC2
Yagi-Uda antenna consists of reflector,
director and driven element. Pictorial view
of Yagi-Uda antenna.

Figure 6. 2-Dimentional Pattern

The
radiation
pattern
is
pictorial
representation of the radiation properties of
thee antenna as a function of three
dimensional, below radiation pattern gives
gain, beam width and front to back ratio

Figure 4. Yagi-Uda Antenna in NEC

Figure 7. Polar plot of radiation Pattern

V. Matlab Code:
clear all;
s=1;
while s==1
antenna=input('\nIf you want to calculate the
radiation characteristics for a Yagi array,
type "yag"; \nfor a folded dipole or a yagi
array fed with a coplanar folded dipole, type
"cfd"; \nand for a yagi array fed with a
tranversal folded dipole, type "tfd". ','s');
p=1;
while p==1
if size(antenna)~=3
antenna=input('Enter not valid, "yag", "cfd"
or "tfd"? ','s');
else
p=0;
end
end
n=1;
while n==1
if antenna=='yag'
yagi
n=0;
elseif antenna=='cfd'
yag_fd_cop
n=0;
elseif antenna=='tfd'
yag_fd_tra
n=0;
else

antenna=input('Enter not valid, "yag", "cfd"

or "tfd"? ','s');
end
end
aux=input('\nDo you want to calculate the
parameters for another antenna [y/n]? ','s');
k=1;
while k==1
if aux=='n'
s=0;
disp('Thank you...')
k=0;
elseif aux=='y'
s=1;
k=0;
close(1)
close(2)
else
aux=input('Enter not valid, "y" or "n"? ','s');
end
end
end
FUNCTION FOR YAGI
% PROGRAM
clear all
input('\n\nProgram for a Yagi array fed with
a single dipole...Please press "intro"')
c=3e8;
mi=pi*4e-7;
epsilon=8.85418781761e-12;
etha=120*pi;
fc1=input('\nEnter the central frequency in
MHz: ');
fc=fc1*1000000;
tubos=input('\nEnter the number of elements
in the array: ');
if tubos~=1
talim=input('\nWhich element will be fed?:
');
else
talim=1;
end
diam1=input('\nEnter the diametre of the
array elements in wavelengths: ');

rtl=input('\nEnter the impedance of the

transmission line which will feed the folded
dipole: ');
wc=2*pi*fc;
lambdac=c/fc;
fraclam=1/10;
num=3;
vec=ones(1,tubos);
diam=diam1*vec*lambdac;
ltubo1=zeros(1,tubos);
xtubo1=zeros(1,tubos);
for n=1:1:(tubos)
ltubo1(n)=input(sprintf('\nEnter the length
of the element number %d in wavelengths:
',n));
xtubo1(n)=input(sprintf('Enter the position
over the x-axis of the element number %d in
wavelengths: ',n));
end
ltubo=ltubo1*lambdac;
xtubo=xtubo1*lambdac;
radio=diam/2;
ltubo2=ltubo*(num/(num+1));
lsegm=ltubo2/num;
w=2*pi*fc;
lambda=c/fc;
while lsegm(1)>lambda*fraclam
num=num+2;
ltubo2 = ltubo*(num/(num+1));
lsegm = ltubo2/num;
end
k=2*pi/lambda;
NY=tubos*num;
NT=NY;
Zmn=zeros(NT);
disp('Calculating
antenna
radiation
characteristics...please wait...')
%YAGI
for s = 1:tubos
for n = 1:num
Y(s,n)=(ltubo2(s)/2)-(lsegm(s)/2)-((n1)*lsegm(s));
ord((s-1)*num+n)=Y(s,n);
ordmas((s-1)*num+n)=ord((s-1)*num+n)
+lsegm(s)/2;

ordmenos((s-1)*num+n)=ord((s-1)*num+n)lsegm(s)/2;
ordgorro((s-1)*num+n)=ord((s-1)*num+n);
ordmasgorro((s-1)*num+n)=ordmas((s1)*num+n);
ordmenosgorro((s-1)*num+n)=ordmenos((s1)*num+n);
abscisa((s-1)*num+n)=xtubo(s);
abscisamas((s-1)*num+n)=xtubo(s);
abscisamenos((s-1)*num+n)=xtubo(s);
absgorro((s-1)*num+n)=xtubo(s)-radio(s);
absmasgorro((s-1)*num+n)=xtubo(s)radio(s);
absmenosgorro((s-1)*num+n)=xtubo(s)radio(s);
cota((s-1)*num+n)=0;
cotamas((s-1)*num+n)=0;
cotamenos((s-1)*num+n)=0;
cotagorro((s-1)*num+n)=0;
cotamasgorro((s-1)*num+n)=0;
cotamenosgorro((s-1)*num+n)=0;
arg((s-1)*num+n)=pi/2;
l((s-1)*num+n)=lsegm(s);
lsup((s-1)*num+n)=lsegm(s);
end
end
c1=i*w*mi/(4*pi);
c2=1/(i*4*pi*epsilon*w);
% Impedance Matrix
for n = 1:NY
for m = 1:NT
difarg=arg(n)-arg(m);
PSI=(1/l(n))*quad8d4plus('intd4plus',0, l(n),
1e-3,[],ordgorro(m), abscisa(n)-absgorro(m),
ordmenos(n)-ordgorro(m),cota(n)cotagorro(m), k, arg(n), difarg);
PSIHH=(1/l(n))*quad8d4plus('intd4plus', 0,
l(n), 1e-3, [], ordmasgorro(m), abscisa(n)absmasgorro(m),
ord(n)-ordmasgorro(m),
cota(n)-cotagorro(m),k, arg(n), 0);
PSIHL=(1/l(n))*quad8d4plus('intd4plus', 0,
l(n), 1e-3, [], ordmenosgorro(m), abscisa(n)absmenosgorro(m),
ord(n)-

ordmenosgorro(m), cota(n)-cotagorro(m),k,
arg(n), 0);
PSILH=(1/l(n))*quad8d4plus('intd4plus', 0,
l(n), 1e-3, [], ordmasgorro(m), abscisa(n)absmasgorro(m), ord(n)-ordmasgorro(m)l(n), cota(n)-cotagorro(m),k, arg(n), 0);
PSILL=(1/l(n))*quad8d4plus('intd4plus', 0,
l(n), 1e-3, [], ordmenosgorro(m), abscisa(n)absmenosgorro(m),
ord(n)ordmenosgorro(m)-l(n),
cota(n)cotagorro(m),k, arg(n), 0);
Zmn1(n,m)=c1*l(n)*lsup(m)*PSI;
Zmn2(n,m)=c2*(PSIHH-PSIHLPSILH+PSILL);
Zmn(n,m) =Zmn1(n,m)+Zmn2(n,m);
end
end
alim=(talim-1)*num+(num+1)/2;
for n=1:max(size(Zmn))
for m=n:max(size(Zmn))
Zmn(m,n)=(Zmn(m,n)+Zmn(m,n))/2;
Zmn(n,m)=Zmn(m,n);
end
end
format compact
Ymn=inv(Zmn);
Zin=1/Ymn(alim, alim)
Ro=(Zin-rtl)./(Zin+rtl);
VSWR=(1+abs(Ro))./(1-abs(Ro))
V=zeros(max(size(Zmn)),1);
V(alim)=1;
I=Ymn*V;
angulo=0:pi:pi;
Px=100*cos(angulo);
Py=100*sin(angulo);
for p=1:2
Ex1(p)=0;
Ey1(p)=0;
Ey2(p)=0;
Ez1(p)=0;
Ex2(p)=0;
for n=1:NT
A(1)=0;
B(1)=0;
C(1)=0;
D(1)=0;

E(1)=0;
F(1)=0;
G(1)=0;
H(1)=0;
K(1)=0;
L(1)=0;
M(1)=0;
N(1)=0;
O(1)=0;
zf=cota(n);
PSIa=quad8d4('intd6a',abscisamenos(n),abs
cisamas(n),1e-3,
[],zf,Px(p),Py(p),k,arg(n),ord(n));
PSIb=quad8d4('intd6b',abscisamenos(n),abs
cisamas(n),1e-3,
[],zf,Px(p),Py(p),k,arg(n),ord(n));
PSIc=quad8d4('intd6c',abscisamenos(n),abs
cisamas(n),1e-3,
[],zf,Px(p),Py(p),k,arg(n),ord(n));
PSId=quad8d4('intd6d',abscisamenos(n),abs
cisamas(n),1e-3,
[],zf,Px(p),Py(p),k,arg(n),ord(n));
PSIh=quad8d4('intd6h',ordmenos(n),ordmas
(n),1e-3,
[],zf,Px(p),Py(p),k,arg(n),abscisa(n));
PSIi=quad8d4('intd6i',ordmenos(n),ordmas(
n),1e-3,
[],zf,Px(p),Py(p),k,arg(n),abscisa(n));
PSIj=quad8d4('intd6j',ordmenos(n),ordmas(
n),1e-3,
[],zf,Px(p),Py(p),k,arg(n),abscisa(n));
A=(I(n)*c2)*((k^2*((Py(p)-ord(n))^2+(0cota(n))^2)+2)*PSIa+(2*i*k)*PSIb(3*i*k)*((Py(p)-ord(n))^2+(0cota(n))^2)*PSIc-3*((Py(p)-ord(n))^2+(0cota(n))^2)*PSId);
B=(I(n)*c2)*(Px(p)-abscisa(n))*(k^2*PSIh+(3*i*k)*PSIi+3*PSIj);
C=A+B;
Ex1(p)=Ex1(p)+C(1);
PSIk=quad8d4('intd6k',ordmenos(n),ordmas
(n),1e-3,
[],zf,Px(p),Py(p),k,arg(n),abscisa(n));
PSIl=quad8d4('intd6l',ordmenos(n),ordmas(
n),1e-3,
[],zf,Px(p),Py(p),k,arg(n),abscisa(n));

PSIm=quad8d4('intd6m',ordmenos(n),ordma
s(n),1e-3,
[],zf,Px(p),Py(p),k,arg(n),abscisa(n));
PSIn=quad8d4('intd6n',ordmenos(n),ordmas
(n),1e-3,
[],zf,Px(p),Py(p),k,arg(n),abscisa(n));
PSIe=quad8d4('intd6e',abscisamenos(n),abs
cisamas(n),1e-3,
[],zf,Px(p),Py(p),k,arg(n),ord(n));
PSIf=quad8d4('intd6f',abscisamenos(n),absc
isamas(n),1e-3,
[],zf,Px(p),Py(p),k,arg(n),ord(n));
PSIg=quad8d4('intd6g',abscisamenos(n),abs
cisamas(n),1e-3,
[],zf,Px(p),Py(p),k,arg(n),ord(n));
D=(I(n)*c2)*((k^2*((Px(p)abscisa(n))^2+(0cota(n))^2)+2)*PSIk+(2*i*k)*PSIl(3*i*k)*((Px(p)-abscisa(n))^2+(0cota(n))^2)*PSIm-3*((Px(p)-abscisa(n)+(0cota(n))^2)^2)*PSIn);
E=(I(n)*c2)*(Py(p)-ord(n))*(k^2*PSIe+(3*i*k)*PSIf+3*PSIg);
F=D+E;
Ey1(p)=Ey1(p)+F(1);
end
end
Etot1=zeros(1,2);
for n=1:2
Etot1(n)=sqrt((real(Ey1(n)))^2+
(real(Ex1(n)))^2+(imag(Ey1(n)))^2+
(imag(Ex1(n)))^2);
end
corrent=I(alim);
Gan1=(4*pi*1e4*((max(Etot1))^2))/
(377*(abs(corrent)^2)*real(Zin));
Gain=10*log10(Gan1)
FBR=20*log10(Etot1(1)/Etot1(2))
disp('Calculating radiation patterns...please
wait...')
patrondd
new_angulo=0:(2*pi/36000):2*pi;
new_Etot4=interp1(angulo,
Etot4,
new_angulo, 'spline');
new_Etot5=interp1(angulo,Etot5,
new_angulo, 'spline');

new_Etot6=new_Etot4./max(new_Etot4);
new_Etot7=new_Etot5./max(new_Etot5);
figure(1)
polar(new_angulo, new_Etot6, 'k');
title('Radiation pattern E-Plane');
hold on;
figure(2)
polar(new_angulo, new_Etot7, 'k');
title('Radiation pattern H-Plane');
hold on;
VI. Matlab Output

H Plane pattern

Radiation pattern

H-Plane
90

120

60

0.8
0.6
150

30
0.4
0.2

180

210

330

240

300
270

Figure 8. Radiation Pattern in H-Plane

E Plane pattern
Radiation pattern

E-Plane
90

120

60

0.8
0.6
150

30
0.4
0.2

180

210

330

240

300
270

Figure 9. Radiation Pattern in E-Plane

VII.

CONCLUSION

The Yagi Uda antenna is the most widely

used antenna for television signal reception.
The gain of this is found to be very high
and its radiation pattern is very much
directive in one direction which found from
the Matlab plot. The signal strength(using
NEC2) of the Yagi Uda antenna is
increased by increasing in number of
directors in antenna. Thus increasing the
number of elements in linear enhances the
performance of antenna. The simulated and
theoretical results are found to be in a good
agreement. The directivity of the antenna
first increases with frequency and then
decreases. The simulation, that of Matlab
and 4NEC2, proved the above mentioned
result. These 4NEC2 implementations can
also be expanded for other types of antennas
and results are obtained.
VIII. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors express their thanks to the
management of Chilkur Balaji Institute of
Technology and Department of Electronics
and Communication Engineering for their
support during this work.
IX. REFERENCES
[1]
Antenna Theory , Analysis And
Design By Constantine A. Balanis
[2]
Antenna Engineering
(A.W. Love and T.S. Bird)

Handbook

[3]
IEEE Antennas and Propagation
Magazine, Vol. 46, No.5, October 2004
[4]
Antenna and Wave Propagation By
K.D.Prasad
[5]
NEC-1, NEC-2 Lawrence Livermore
Library 1977.

[6]
Warren L. Stutzman, Antenna
Theory and Design, Chapter 5. 4. YagiUda Antenna
[7]
R.E. Collin, Antenna and Radio
Wave Propagation"
[8]
Robert S. Elliot, Antenna Theory
and Design
[9]
Antenna Design and Visualization
Using Matlab by Atef Z. Elsherbeni and
Matthwe J. Inman
[10] Antennas and Propagation, IEEE
Transactions On [Legacy, Pre - 1988]
Volume 27, Issue 2,Mar 1970 Page(s):267 270