What Is a Panel Antenna?

Flat antenna refers to an antenna that only propagates in a specific direction. Panel antennas are generally used in point-to-point situations. They are called "patch antennas". At present, there are several types of flat plate antennas, vibrator type and slot type. Their concentrated features are small size, light weight, small wind resistance, and convenient installation and use. The efficiency is high, especially suitable for the reception of live star TV.

The slot type flat plate antenna is also an array type antenna like a dipole type flat plate antenna.

Slot-type flat panel antennas can be divided into two types: resonant and non-resonant. Usually we usually use the resonance type, because its radiation direction is perpendicular to the flat panel antenna, easy to use, most of the current products fall into this category. Non-resonant slot flat plate antennas have not seen any products. Its biggest advantage is that it can change the radiation direction of the flat plate antenna by changing the feeding phase. This is actually a good way for us to automatically adjust the radiation direction of the antenna, but it is difficult and difficult to make this antenna.

Generally, the slot type flat panel antenna is composed of a three-layer metal plate after removing the plastic case. The top layer is called the slot radiation layer, which is a large number of well-ordered cracks that are neatly cut on the metal plate. These many cracks of the same size are equivalent to the half-wave vibrator radiating element of the vibrator-type flat panel antenna mentioned earlier, or each small crack is a slot antenna element. The slot antenna array composed of these many cracks constitutes this kind of flat plate antenna. Therefore, the slot plate antenna is also an array type plate antenna.

If we take a closer look at the size of this regular crack, you will find that the length of the crack radiating element is exactly equal to one-half of the average wavelength of the Ku band. Therefore, we say that the working principle of the slot-type flat plate antenna still conforms to the theory of a half-wave dipole antenna.

We also see that the distance between the centers of two adjacent slit radiating elements is exactly half a wavelength, so it is judged that this flat plate antenna is a resonant slot flat plate antenna. Its radiation is accumulated by a number of slit radiation units, and is perpendicular to the flat antenna. At this time, the distribution of the electric field on the aperture of the flat panel antenna is in phase, so it is also called a matched slot antenna.

The second layer of the slot-type flat panel antenna is the middle layer. We call it the conductive layer. "Coupled to the third waveguide feed layer or waveguide transmission layer.

The third layer of the slot plate antenna actually forms the waveguide transmission with the second conductive layer.

Introduction

If we cut the antenna face of a vibrator-type flat-panel antenna imported in the past, we will see that the antenna face is composed of five layers of material.

The first and fifth layers are antenna protection layers, also called radomes, which are made of corrosion-resistant media. It plays a role in preventing oxidation, attenuating the influence of ultraviolet rays on printed circuit boards, and preventing rain and snow erosion.

The second layer is the receiving antenna layer. It is a printed circuit board metal layer, and an antenna array formed by a lot of neatly arranged unit oscillators is printed on it, so it can be called an antenna substrate layer. This layer determines the technical quality of the flat panel antenna. The shape of the unit oscillator is various.

The third layer is the dielectric layer of the printed circuit board, which supports the second layer.

The fourth layer is the ground conductor layer, which is a layer of metal foil, which not only reflects the antenna array, but also is part of the feeder line, forming a microstrip transmission line. The output of the antenna array is connected with the high frequency head installed behind the flat plate antenna plate.

From this we can see that the flat-panel antenna has a relatively complicated structure, which uses the microstrip circuit technology in microwave technology, and has high requirements on its process, especially the phase homogeneity requirements of the feeding phase in the antenna array . It is very different from the structure of the reflective parabolic antenna, so it is difficult to design and manufacture. The theory of flat panel antennas has been proposed for more than 20 years. So far, we have seen the appearance of high-quality and low-cost flat panel antennas in the domestic market. The reason is probably that. ^[2]

At present, there is no technical standard for flat panel antennas in China, and there are not many flat panel antennas on the market. It is difficult to say exactly how to select flat panel antennas. We can only talk about a few points from a practical perspective.

1. Select the applicable frequency band of the flat panel antenna. Since the flat panel antenna is an antenna used for satellite TV, and the flat panel antenna has a working frequency band, the selected flat panel antenna must be able to receive the frequency band of the satellite TV that you intend to receive. Although the working frequency band of the flat antenna has a full frequency band, such as 10.7 ~ 12.75GHz, it is not as good as the single frequency band such as 12.2 ~ 12.75GHz or 11.7 ~ 12.75GHz. The flat panel antenna has obvious resonance characteristics.

First, point the flat-panel antenna to the south. If you have a satellite TV signal in the south direction, you can first receive the satellite signal in the south direction.

Secondly, make sure whether the satellite TV signal you are going to receive is horizontally polarized or vertically polarized. If you are receiving a vertically polarized signal, then please set the flat antenna surface in place. Conversely, if a horizontally polarized signal is received.

Then start adjusting the azimuth of the antenna, which can be adjusted in place by adjusting the third adjustment ring between the flat antenna surface and the support rod. If the received satellite orbital position is higher than the orbital position of the satellite that you are facing south, then turn the flat plate antenna to the east. Otherwise, if the received satellite orbital position is lower than your satellite position that is southbound, Then turn the flat antenna west.

After the azimuth has been adjusted roughly, the elevation angle will begin to adjust, and the adjustment of the middle adjustment ring (17B) between the flat antenna surface and the support rod will complete the elevation angle adjustment.

After roughly adjusting the azimuth and elevation, return to the adjustment

Electrical parameters: Electric Specifications

Frequency range: Frequency rang-MHz 1920-2170

Bandwidth: Bandwidth -MHz 250

Gain: Gain -dBi 14

Lobe width: beam width-° H: 30 V: 30

Standing wave ratio: VSWR 1.5

Input Impedance: Input Impedance- 50

Polarization method: Polarization Vertical

Maximum power: Max power -W 50

Mechanical parameters: Mechanical Specifications

Antenna size: Size -mm 225 * 195 * 47