Antenna

A length of wire or similar that radiates (such as a transmitting antenna) or absorbs (such as a radio antenna) radio waves.

Also known as an Aerial.

Adcock Aerial

An Adcock aerial is a radio aerial system consisting of two vertical open-spaced dipoles.

Beverage Antenna

A horizontal, long-wire antenna designed for reception and transmission of low-frequency, vertically polarized ground waves.

Also known as a Wave Antenna.

Bidirectional Array

An array that radiates in opposite directions along the line of maximum radiation.

Broadside Array

An array in which the direction of maximum radiation is perpendicular to the plane containing the elements.

Centre Feed Method

Connecting the center of an antenna to a transmission line which is then connected to the output stage of the transmitter.

Colinear Array

An array with all the elements in a straight line. Maximum radiation is perpendicular to the axis of the elements.

Combination Array

An array system that uses the characteristics of more than one array.

Corner Reflector Antenna

A half-wave antenna with a reflector consisting of two flat metal surfaces meeting at an angle behind the radiator.

Counterpoise

A network of wire connected to a quarter-wave antenna at one end. The network provides the equivalent of an additional one-fourth wavelength.

Directional Antenna

An antenna that radiates most effectively in only one direction.

Driven Element

The element of an antenna connected directly to the transmission line

End Fire Array

An array in which the direction of radiation is parallel to the axis of the array.

Folded Dipole

An ordinary half-wave antenna that has one or more additional conductors connected across the ends parallel to each other.

Four Element Array

An antenna array with three parasitic elements and one driven element.

Ground Plane Antenna

A type of antenna that uses a ground plane as a simulated ground to produce low-angle radiation.

Half Wave Dipole Antenna

An antenna, consisting of two rods in a single line, that radiates electromagnetic energy.

Hertz Antenna

A half-wave antenna that is installed some distance above ground and positioned either vertically or horizontally.

Horn Radiator

A tapered, tubular or rectangular microwave antenna that is widest at the open end.

Long Wire Antenna

An antenna that is a wavelength or more long at its operating frequency.

Marconi Antenna

A quarter-wave antenna that is operated with one end grounded and is positioned perpendicular to the earth.

Multi Element Array

An array that consists of one or more arrays and is classified as to directivity.

Multi Element Parasitic Array

An array that contains two or more parasitic elements and a driven element.

Omnidirectional Antenna

An antenna that radiates and receives equally in all directions.

Parasitic Array

An antenna array containing one or more elements not connected to the transmission line.

Parasitic Element

The passive element of an antenna array that is connected to neither the transmission line nor the driven element.

Rhombic Antenna

A diamond-shaped antenna used widely for long-distance, high-frequency transmission and reception.

Three Element Array

An array with two parasitic elements (reflector and director) and a driven element.

Top Hat Antenna

An antenna that is centre-fed and capacitively loaded.

Triatic

A special type of monopole antenna array.

Turnstile Antenna

A type of antenna used in vhf communications that is omnidirectional and consists of two horizontal half-wave antennas mounted at right angles to each other in the horizontal plane.

Unidirectional Array

An antenna array that radiates in only one general direction.

V Antenna

A bidirectional antenna, shaped like a V, which is widely used for communications.

Wave Antenna

Also known as a Beverage Antenna.

Yagi Antenna

A directional antenna consisting of a rod pointed in the direction of the transmission/reception and several cross bars.

See also: Adcock Aerial, Antenna Beam Width, Antenna Coupler, Antitransmit Receive Tube, Broadside Array, Centre Feed Method, Colinear Array, Combination Array, Corner Reflector Antenna, Directional Antenna, Driven Element, Dummy Load, End Fire Array, Feeder, Folded Dipole, Four Element Array, Front to Back Ratio, Ground Plane Antenna, Half Wave Dipole Antenna, Hertz Antenna, Hits Per Scan, Horn Radiator, Induction Field, Lobe, Long Wire Antenna, Marconi Antenna, Multi Element Array, Multi Element Parasitic Array, Multicouplers, Nutating, Omnidirectional Antenna, Parabolic Reflector, Parasitic Array, Parasitic Element, Power Gain, Radiation Field, Radiation Pattern, Radiation Resistance, Receiver Antenna, Reciprocity, Rhombic Antenna, Skip Distance, Space Diversity, Three Element Array, Triatic, Turnstile Antenna, V Antenna, Yagi Antenna.