Artech House Introduction to Antennas and RF Propagation Analysis

This practical resource covers the basics of electromagnetics, wave propagation, and antennas for radiated RF projects. General, high-level scenarios of one-way, two-antenna RF transmission-reception (also known as the Friis Equation) systems are illustrated. Characteristics of electromagnetic waves, free space loss, multipath loss, and Fresnel zone loss are presented. Antenna groupings, including isotropic point source, wire, aperture, and slot and array are explained. Antenna measurements are also presented, including squared wavelengths, λ2, this electrical sizing resulting in low, medium, and high directivity (gain) antennas. antenna parameters are discussed, as well as mathematical analysis of the selected antennas and parameters, including electric and magnetic field intensity, power density, input impedance, total radiated power, directivity (and gain), efficiency, effective area, and effective height. Receiver noise and received noise that addresses various receiver-internal in-band noise and external noise that can be captured by antennas and sent to receiver-internal RF circuitry are examined. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), which discusses the necessity of establishing an appropriate SNR for the RF receiver and received RF signal application whether voice or digital, is presented. Written by an expert in the field with years of practical experience, this book will help readers understand the technical field of antennas and radiated RF wave propagation.