Helical Antenna

(Helix Antenna)
BHAVIN V KAKANI
IT-NU
Introduction
 It is basic broadband VHF and UHF antenna which
provides circular polarization.
 The helical antenna is a hybrid of two simple radiating
elements, the monopole and loop antenna.
 Consist of a thick cooper wire/tube wound in the form
of a screw thread forming a helix.
 Types of Helix

Bifilar Helix antenna Quadfilar Helix antenna

Used in aircrafts and LEO satellites, each terminal is 180 degree out of phase to each other.
• The radiating element is a helix of wire, driven at one end and radiating
along the axis of the helix.
• A ground plane at the driven end makes the radiation unidirectional
from the far (open) end.
• There are different types of ground plane:
• Flat ground plane
• Cylindrical cavity
• Frustum cavity
Radio telescope at the ohio state university radio observatory with array of 96 11-turn
monofilar axial-mode helical antennas mounted on a tiltable ground plane 50 m long.
This array was used to make some of the first and most extensive maps of the radio sky.
Frequency Range

 The frequency range of operation of helical antenna is

around 30MHz to 3GHz.
 This antenna works in VHF and UHF ranges.
Applications

 Helical beam antenna was proposed and invented by

J.D.Krauss in 1946.
 Mostly used for extraterrestrial communication in which
satellite relays are involved.
 Used as a feed for parabolic dish/ reflector antennas for
improving gain.
 A single helical antenna or its array is used to transmit
and receive VHF signals.
 It is also used for space probe applications.
 Used for telemetry links with ballastic missiles and
satellites at Earth stations
 Used to establish communications between the moon
and the Earth in Chandrayaan-I.
 Applications in radio astronomy.
Advantages

 Simple design
 Highest directivity
 Wider bandwidth
 Can achieve circular polarization
 Can be used at HF & VHF bands also
Disadvantages

 Antenna is larger and requires more space

 Efficiency decreases with number of turns
Design Parameters

 D = diameter of helix
 S = spacing between turns
 N = number of turns
 C = circumference of helix = πD
 A = total axial length = NS
 = pitch angle
 Basic Construction

• D - Diameter of a turn on the helix antenna.

• C - Circumference of a turn on the helix antenna (C=pi*D).
• S - Vertical separation between turns for helical antenna.
•𝜶 −
𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒, 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑠 ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑓𝑎𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑥 𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑛𝑎 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑠.

𝑆
𝛼= 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1
𝐶
• N - Number of turns on the helix antenna.
• H - Total height of helix antenna, H=NS.

𝐿= 𝑆2 + 𝐶2 = 𝑆 2 + (𝜋𝐷)2
 If one turn of helix is unrolled, the
relationship between S,C, , length of
wire per turn, L, are obtained as
 S = L sina = C tana
 L = (S2 + C2 )1/ 2 = (S2 +π2D2 )1/ 2
 Becomes a linear antenna when its
diameter approaches zero or pitch angle
goes to 90 degree
 Can be seen as loop antenna of N turns
when spacing vanishes or pitch angle
approaches 0 degree.
Left and Right hand circularly polarized
Helix
Modes of Operation

 There are 2 modes of operation : Normal and Axial

Normal Mode Axial Mode

NS<< l 3/4 l < C < 4/3 l
 Normal/Perpendicular Mode

 Radiates maximum in broadside direction

i.e. Normal to the axis of the helix
 This mode is obtained if the helix dimensions are made very
small as compared to wavelength NS<< λ.
 Pattern is figure of 8 rotated about its axis.
 BW of such helix is very narrow and radiation efficiency is low.
 The limiting geometries of the helix are a loop and a dipole,
the far field radiated by a small helix in the normal Mode can
be described in terms of 𝐸𝜃 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐸𝜑 .
 Consider helical antenna is made
up of number of small loops and
short dipoles arranged in series
 Loop diameter is D and length of
small dipole equal to the spacing
between two helix S.
 The far field of a small loop is given
by
 Similarly, the far field of short dipole is
given by

 From above two equation, the two

fields are in phase quadrature.
 The Axial Ratio (AR) of elliptical
polarization is the ratio of magnitudes
of the two fields.
 The axial ratio is given by
 AR = 0  Linear horizontal Polarization
 AR = ∞  Linear vertical polarization
 AR =1  Circular Polarization
So the condition for circular polarization is given by
This is the condition for pitch angle to get circular polarization.

NOTE : This mode of operation is very narrow in bandwidth and its

radiation efficiency is very small. Practically this mode of operation
is limited and it is hardly used.
C << λ
Cλ
 Conclusion
 The resultant field is dependent on the ratio of the field
strengths/ amplitudes of the two components.
 Amplitudes of field components depends upon pitch angle.
 Even though the RP of the loop and short dipole are same their
polarizations are at right angles.
 Hence the resulting field is either circularly polarized/elliptically
polarized.
 When is small, the radiation from loop is dominant
 When is large, the radiation from short dipole is dominant
 So in limiting conditions, both the polarizations are linear.
 Axial Mode

 Dimension of Helix in the axial mode are not critical.

 So, Axial or endfire helical antenna can be used to achieve
circular polarization over a wider bandwidth.
 For space communication, this antenna are most suited as
they have wide Bandwidth (56% of centre frequency), Higher
directivity (as high as 25dB), and circular polarization.
 To transmit/receive VHF signal from ionosphere, array of
helical antennas are used.
 By controlling the size of the geometrical properties
compared to wavelength, the radiation characteristics can
be varied.
 The input impedance is critically dependent upon the pitch
angle and size of the conducting wire.
 The general polarization of antenna is elliptical.
 Circular and linear polarization can be achieved over
different frequency ranges.
 The axial mode of operation is most practical because it can
achieve circular polarization over a wider BW.
Axial/Endfire Mode of Radiation

 Radiating field is maximum in the end fire direction or along the axis of
helix
 polarization of wave is either circular or nearly circular
 This mode is possible if the circumference is selected of the order of
one wavelength and spacing is selected approx. equal to pi/4.
 In axial mode, the pitch angle varies from 12-18 degree.
 Optimum pitch angle is 14 degree.
 The terminal impedance is resistive at the resonant frequency
 It becomes reactive at higher and lower frequencies.
 The terminal impedance is given by
𝟏𝟒𝟎𝑪
𝑹=
𝝀
 In this mode, the antenna gain and beam width both depend on
the length of helix i.e. N.S
 The beam-width between half power points is given by

 The Axial Ratio (AR) is given by

𝟏
𝑨𝑹 = 𝟏 +
𝟐𝑵
 Dimension of Helix are critical in normal mode and it limits
the BW of antenna an also radiation efficiency.
 But in axial mode, dimensions are not so important.
 So both parameters are greater in this mode
Normalized radiation pattern of Helix
antenna
Online Calculator
1. Design an end-fire right-hand circularly polarized helix having a
half-power beam-width of 45o , pitch angle of 13o , and a
circumference of 60 cm at a frequency of 500 MHz.
Determine
i. Turns needed
ii. Directivity
iii. axial ratio
iv. lower and upper frequencies of the bandwidth over which the
required parameters remain relatively constant
v. input impedance at the center frequency and the edges of the band
from part- iv)
Answer: N = 6,
D = 20.8 (13 dB),
AR = 1.083,
375-667 MHz,
140, 105, 187 W
2. Design a helical antenna with a directivity of 15 dB that is operating
in the
axial mode and whose polarization is nearly circular. The spacing
between the runs is l/10.
Determine the
1. number of turns
2. axial ratio, both as a dimensionless quantity and in dB
3. Directivity according to Krauss equation (in DB)
Answer:
N=21,
AR =1.02,
HPBW= 36.8º
D= 14.5dB or 15dB
3. Design a 10 turn helical antenna so that at the center frequency of 10
GHz, the circumference of each turn is 0.95l. Assuming a pitch angle
of 14o,
determine the
a. mode in which the antenna operates
b. half-power beamwidth (degrees)
c. directivity in dB.
Answer: Axial mode, HPBW=36o , D=15dB
4. A lossless 10-turn helical antenna with a circumference of one-wavelength is
connected to a 78-ohm coaxial line, and it is used as a transmitting antenna in a 500
MHz spacecraft communication system. The spacing between turns is l/10. The power
in the coaxial line from the transmitter is 5 watts.
Assuming the antenna is lossless:
a. what is radiated power?
b. If the antenna were isotropic, what would the power density (W/m2) be at a
distance of 10 km?
c. What is the power density at the same distance when the transmitting antenna is
a the 10-turn helix and the observation are made along the maximum of the major
lobe?
d. it at 10 – km along the maximum of the major lobe an identical 10-turn helix
was placed as a receiving antenna, which was polarization-matched to the
incoming wave,
what is the maximum power (in watts) that can be received?
Answer: Answer: R= 140 W, Prad=4.595W, Siso=3.656nW/m2,
D=15, Shelix =54.8nW/m2, Ae=0.6m2, P-rec=26.6nW
5. Calculate the directivity of 20 turn helix with pitch angle
12 degree and circumference equal to one wavelength.
Answer: 63.75

6. For a 20 turn helical antenna operating at 3GHz with a

circumference of 10cm and spacing between the turns
0.3𝜆 𝑖𝑠 𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑡 3𝐺𝐻𝑧. 𝐶𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑡𝑦 and half
power beam-width.
Answer: D = 900 and HPBW = 21.23 degree