Microwave antenna
A device for sending and receiving microwaves across various applications.
A microwave antenna is a physical device that transmits and receives microwaves between locations. Beyond broadcasting, it is employed in radar, radio astronomy, and electronic warfare. Applications include one-way and two-way communication via communications satellites, as well as terrestrial microwave relay links in telecommunications networks—such as backbone or backhaul carriers in cellular networks that connect base transceiver stations to base station controllers and mobile switching centers. It also serves radar, radio astronomy, communications intelligence, and electronic warfare.
Several antenna types exist. Reflector antennas, like parabolic antennas, use a curved parabolic reflector to direct radio waves, ranging from about six inches to over twelve feet in diameter. Horn antennas consist of a flaring metal waveguide shaped like a horn, commonly used at UHF and microwave frequencies above 300 MHz. Lens antennas use a lens to direct or collect microwave radiation. Array antennas are high-gain designs composed of multiple smaller antenna elements. Leaky wave antennas radiate from a leaking transmission line. Spiral antennas, shaped as a spiral, can function independently or as a feeder for satellite communication reflector antennas, providing excellent impedance matching and radiation pattern performance across their operating frequency band.
- Frequency range
- Above 300 MHz (UHF and microwave frequencies)
- Diameter range
- 6 inches to more than 12 feet (for parabolic reflector antennas)
- Applications
- Television broadcasting, communications satellites, terrestrial microwave relay links, radar, radio astronomy, communications intelligence, electronic warfare
Lore & Background
Microwave antennas encompass several types, each with distinct characteristics. Reflector antennas, such as the parabolic antenna, use a parabolic reflector—a curved surface with the cross-sectional shape of a parabola—to direct radio waves. These devices range from 6 inches to more than 12 feet in diameter depending on application and use. Horn antennas consist of a flaring metal waveguide shaped like a horn to direct radio waves in a beam, and are widely used at UHF and microwave frequencies above 300 MHz. Lens antennas use a lens to direct or collect microwave radiation, while array antennas are high-gain antennas consisting of an array of smaller antenna elements. Leaky wave antennas use a leaking transmission line to obtain radiation. Spiral antennas, configured in the shape of a spiral, can function independently or as a feeder for satellite communication reflector antennas, ensuring excellent impedance matching and radiation pattern performance across the entire operating frequency band.
Reader's Guide
Microwave antennas are significant in modern telecommunications and sensing systems. They enable one-way broadcasting, such as television, and two-way communication via communications satellites. Terrestrial microwave relay links serve as backbone or backhaul carriers in cellular networks, linking BTS-BSC and BSC-MSC. Beyond telecommunications, these antennas are integral to radar systems for detection and tracking, radio astronomy for observing celestial objects, communications intelligence for signal interception, and electronic warfare for countermeasures. The variety of antenna types—reflector, horn, lens, array, leaky wave, and spiral—allows engineers to select designs optimized for specific frequency bands, gain requirements, and radiation patterns. The legacy of microwave antennas lies in their foundational role in global connectivity, defense, and scientific exploration, with each type contributing unique capabilities to the broader field of microwave engineering.
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