What is a Monopole Antenna?

A Monopole antenna is half the size of a dipole antenna. It was first discovered by a radio expert Guglielmo Marconi in the year 1895. He patented this antenna after one year in 1896. This radio expert was successful in performing various historical experiments in the field of radio communication.

After the invention, the monopole antenna was also called as Marconi antenna. It is normally arranged above a conducting ground plane. Let us discuss the antenna in detail, its types, how it works, and the benefits of the monopole antenna.

Different Types of Monopole Antenna

Now, we will further discuss the various types of a monopole antenna in this section. The different kinds of monopole antennae are as under:

1. Helical antenna

A helical antenna is a kind of antenna that contains one or more conducting wires wounded in a helix form. A helical antenna developed with one helical wire is called a monofil. On the other hand, helical antenna designed with 2 or more wires is known as bifilar.

2. Inverted-F antenna

Inverted F-antenna is used at UHF and microwave frequencies in the area of wireless communication. This antenna contains a monopole antenna that works parallel to the ground plane and is grounded at one end. It is widely used in military zones.

3. Whip antenna

The next type is the Whip Antenna. It is a very flexible antenna and does not break easily. This antenna mainly contains a straight flexible wire, and the bottom of the antenna is attached to the transmitter or receiver of the radio. Normally, the whip antennas are used in various radio bands such as UHF, VHF, and HF. They are widely used in devices such as walkie-talkies, Wi-Fi-enabled devices, and FM radios.

4. Random wire antenna

A random wire antenna is a kind of Monopole Antenna that contains a long wire that is suspended on the ground where the wire is straight. Efficiency in this wire changes from one fix to the second. This antenna is used as a receiving antenna on the short wave, medium wave, and long wave bands. Random wire antennas are used for temporary transmitting stations and small outdoor and indoor places.

5. Mast Radiator

A mast radiator is a kind of monopole antenna which is in the form of a radio mast or a radiating tower. It is generally used in transmitting antennas that work at low frequencies within LF and MF bands. Apart from that, the mast radiator is also used for AM radio broadcasting stations. This antenna is generally mounted on a nonconductive support to protect it from the ground.

6. T-antenna

T-antenna is a type of Monopole Antenna that includes multiple horizontal wires that are kept balanced between 2 radio masts. This antenna is used in LF, MF, VLF, and shortwave bands. It is used for amateur radio stations and AM broadcasting stations.

7. Folded Unipole antenna

A folded unipole antenna is a kind of monopole mast radiator antenna that is used as a transmitting antenna or AM radio broadcasting station. It contains a vertical metal rod or a mast that is attached to the grounding system that contains buried wires. It is one of the best Types of Monopole antenna used for FM broadcasting.

8. Umbrella antenna

An umbrella antenna is a kind of wire monopole antenna that is widely used as a transmitting antenna in different bands such as LF, MF, and VLF bands. It is an antenna in which the external end of every radial wire slopes down from the pinnacle of the antenna and is attached to the supporting rope via an insulator attached to the earth. Radial wires give an umbrella-like look to the antenna.

9. Rubber Ducky antenna

A Rubber Ducky Antenna is a short antenna that works as a base-loaded whip antenna. It mainly contains a narrow helix-shaped wire closed within a rubber jacket to protect the antenna. It is widely used in handheld radio equipment at UHF and VHF frequencies.

Benefits of Monopole Antenna

Monopole antennas are used in different devices like FM radios, handheld devices, and so on. The different benefits of using a monopole antenna are:

·        It is very easy to build monopole antennas and they can be easily installed.

·        A long monopole antenna provides better efficiency than a short monopole antenna.

·        It is a cost-effective antenna to build and has a rugged construction.

·        Monopole antennas can handle communication within any path except on the top of the antenna.

·        A monopole antenna is a kind of omnidirectional antenna that requires less space.

·        These antennas provide various benefits such as low profile, less weight, low cost, simple fabrication, and combination with other devices.

·        A monopole antenna is normally used for a frequency that is shorter than 2/3rd of the wavelength.

·        These antennas have higher reactive impedance above the frequency range.

·        You do not need any special tools or equipment to install monopole antennas.

·        They are widely used in various fields such as biomedical, space science, radar technology and research work.

How does the Monopole Antenna Work?

Monopole antennas work when the power is fed to the monopole. When the power is supplied to the Coaxial Monopole Antenna, it radiates signals in all directions vertical to the length of the antenna above the ground plane on which you have mounted this antenna.

Monopole Antenna has an omnidirectional radiation pattern and it radiates signals equally in all the directions at right angle to the antenna. Radiated power from the monopole antenna changes with elevation angle via the radiation that drops off at zero at the peak of the antenna’s axis.

The radiation pattern of the monopole antenna represents the antenna wavefront emission. When the power is supplied from the monopole antenna, it can work even farther away. Radiate power from the Military antenna changes with the elevation angles by the dropping-off radiation to zero at the peak of the antenna’s axis. Monopole antennas radiate polarized radio waves vertically.

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