Parasitic Arrays

If a small light bulb were placed in the center of a large room, the illumination would be very poor. However, if a reflector were placed behind the bulb, the space in front of the reflector would be brighter and the space behind the reflector would be dimmer. The light rays would be concentrated. Also, if a lens were placed in front of the bulb, the light would be even more concentrated and a very bright spot would appear on the wall in front of the lens. A flashlight is a practical combination of the small bulb, the reflector, and the lens. The energy from an antenna can be reflected and concentrated in a similar manner.

Although we do not usually discuss the gain of a flashlight, we can continue the comparison of an antenna and a flashlight to explain the meaning of antenna gain. Suppose the spot on the wall in front of the flashlight becomes 10 times brighter than it was when only the open bulb was used. The lens and reflector have then produced a 10-fold gain in light. For antennas, the simple half-wave antenna corresponds to the open bulb in the flashlight. Suppose an antenna system concentrates the radio waves so that at a particular point the field strength is 10 times more than it would be at the same distance from a half-wave antenna. The antenna system is then said to have a gain of 10.

Parasitic arrays represent another method of achieving high antenna gains. A parasitic array consists of one or more parasitic elements placed in parallel with each other and, in most cases, at the same line-of-sight level. The parasitic element is fed inductively by radiated energy coming from the driven element connected to the transmitter. It is in NO way connected directly to the driven element.

When the parasitic element is placed so that it radiates away from the driven element, the element is a director. When the parasitic element is placed so that it radiates toward the driven element, the parasitic element is a reflector.

The directivity pattern resulting from the action of parasitic elements depends on two factors. These are (1) the tuning, determined by the length of the parasitic element; and (2) the spacing between the parasitic and driven elements. To a lesser degree, it also depends on the diameter of the parasitic element, since diameter has an effect on tuning.

OPERATION. - When a parasitic element is placed a fraction of a wavelength away from the driven element and is of approximately resonant length, it will re-radiate the energy it intercepts. The parasitic element is effectively a tuned circuit coupled to the driven element, much as the two windings of a transformer are coupled together. The radiated energy from the driven element causes a voltage to be developed in the parasitic element, which, in turn, sets up a magnetic field. This magnetic field extends over to the driven element, which then has a voltage induced in it. The magnitude and phase of the induced voltage depend on the length of the parasitic element and the spacing between the elements. In actual practice the length and spacing are arranged so that the phase and magnitude of the induced voltage cause a unidirectional, horizontal-radiation pattern and an increase in gain.

In the parasitic array in figure 4-31, view A, the parasitic and driven elements are spaced 1/4 wavelength apart. The radiated signal coming from the driven element strikes the parasitic element after 1/4 cycle. The voltage developed in the parasitic element is 180 degrees out of phase with that of the driven element. This is because of the distance traveled (90 degrees) and because the induced current lags the inducing flux by 90 degrees (90 + 90 = 180 degrees). The magnetic field set up by the parasitic element induces a voltage in the driven element 1/4 cycle later because the spacing between the elements is 1/4 wavelength. This induced voltage is in phase with that in the driven element and causes an increase in radiation in the direction indicated in figure 4-31, view A. Since the direction of the radiated energy is stronger in the direction away from the parasitic element (toward the driven element), the parasitic element is called a reflector. The radiation pattern as it would appear if you were looking down on the antenna is shown in view B. The pattern as it would look if viewed from the ends of the elements is shown in view C.

Figure 4-31. - Patterns obtained using a reflector with proper spacing.

Because the voltage induced in the reflector is 180 degrees out of phase with the signal produced at the driven element, a reduction in signal strength exists behind the reflector. Since the magnitude of an induced voltage never quite equals that of the inducing voltage, even in very closely coupled circuits, the energy behind the reflector (minor lobe) is not reduced to 0.

The spacing between the reflector and the driven element can be reduced to about 15 percent of a wavelength. The parasitic element must be made electrically inductive before it will act as a reflector. If this element is made about 5 percent longer than 1/2 wavelength, it will act as a reflector when the spacing is 15 percent of a wavelength.

Changing the spacing and length can change the radiation pattern so that maximum radiation is on the same side of the driven element as the parasitic element. In this instance the parasitic element is called a director.

Combining a reflector and a director with the driven element causes a decrease in back radiation and an increase in directivity. This combination results in the two main advantages of a parasitic array - unidirectivity and increased gain. If the parasitic array is rotated, it can pick up or transmit in different directions because of the reduction of transmitted energy in all but the desired direction. An antenna of this type is called a ROTARY ARRAY. Size for size, both the gain and directivity of parasitic arrays are greater than those of driven arrays. The disadvantage of parasitic arrays is that their adjustment is critical and they do not operate over a wide frequency range.

GAIN AND DIRECTIVITY. - Changing the spacing between either the director or the reflector and the driven element results in a change in the radiation pattern. More gain and directivity are obtained by changing the length of the parasitic elements.

The FRONT-TO-BACK RATIO of an array is the proportion of energy radiated in the principal direction of radiation to the energy radiated in the opposite direction. A high front-to-back ratio is desirable because this means that a minimum amount of energy is radiated in the undesired direction. Since completely suppressing all such radiation is impossible, an infinite ratio cannot be achieved. In actual practice, however, rather high values can be attained. Usually the length and spacing of the parasitic elements are adjusted so that a maximum front-to-back ratio is obtained, rather than maximum gain in the desired direction.

Q.38 What two factors determine the directivity pattern of the parasitic array?
Q.39 What two main advantages of a parasitic array can be obtained by combining a reflector and a director with the driven element?
Q.40 The parasitic array can be rotated to receive or transmit in different directions. What is the name given to such an antenna?
Q.41 What are the disadvantages of the parasitic array?