Directional antenna is a kind of antenna that can focus the signal energy to radiate or receive in a specific direction, with strong directionality and high gain, it is suitable for the scenarios that need long-distance communication or reduce interference. Different types of directional antennas have different application areas due to structural and performance differences, the following are common types and their applications:
1. Yagi-Uda Antenna
Features: simple structure (consists of an active oscillator, multiple reflectors and directionals), medium gain (usually 6-12 dBi), high directionality, low cost.
Applications:
l TV signal reception (especially digital terrestrial TV signal capture in remote areas).
l Amateur radio communications (e.g. short to medium range directional communications for HAM stations).
l Point-to-point wireless surveillance (short distance fixed position video transmission, such as cell monitoring).
2. Log-Periodic Antenna
Features:Extremely wide bandwidth (can cover multiple frequency bands), moderate gain (5-15 dBi), directional stability, suitable for wideband signal transmission.
Applications:
Shortwave / Ultra Shortwave Communications (e.g. military communications, emergency communications, when multiple frequency bands need to be covered).
Radio and TV transmission and reception (especially in scenarios where compatibility with different channels is required).
Features:Consisting of a parabolic reflector and a feeder, it has very high gain (typically 20-40 dBi) and is extremely directional (narrow beamwidth down to 0.1°), making it suitable for long-distance communications.
Applications:
l Satellite communications (e.g. satellite TV receiving antenna ‘small pot’ ‘big pot’, satellite earth station).
l Microwave relay communications (long-distance microwave links for telecom operators, used in mountainous areas, deserts and other areas where fibre optics are difficult to lay).
l Radio astronomy observation (large parabolic antenna arrays, such as China's ‘Eye in the Sky’ FAST).
4. Panel Antenna
Features:Adopting microstrip array or planar reflection structure, it is small in size, light in weight, medium in gain (8-20 dBi) and easy to install.
Applications:
· Wireless network extension (e.g. long-distance bridging of enterprise-grade WiFi to connect the LANs of two office buildings).
· Directional coverage of 5G base stations (signal enhancement for specific areas, e.g. dense urban high-rise areas).
· UAV communications (long-range mapping and control signal reception for fixed-wing or multi-rotor UAVs)
5. Horn Antenna
Features:Expanded into a horn shape from the end of the waveguide, it has a wide bandwidth, low VSWR, and medium gain (10-25 dBi), making it suitable for the microwave band.
Applications:
· Radar systems (as transmitter/receiver antennas for radars, e.g. weather radars, ATC radars).
· Microwave measurements (used in the laboratory to calibrate other antennas or to test microwave devices).
· Satellite communication feeds (as feeds for parabolic antennas to focus signals onto reflective surfaces).
Summaries
The application core of different directional antennas is to match the distance requirement (near/medium/long distance), frequency band range (narrowband/wideband) and installation conditions (size, weight, environmental adaptability) of the scenario. For example, parabolic antennas are suitable for satellite communication across hundreds of kilometres, while yagi antennas are more suitable for TV signal reception within a few kilometres, and flat panel antennas are more advantageous in miniaturised and lightweight wireless network scenarios.
Shenzhen Keesun Technology Co.,Ltd was founded in Aug of 2012, a high-tech enterprise specializing in various types of antenna and network cable manufacturing.
