International Conference on Recent Issues in Engineering, Science & Technology-ICRIEST '16

QUADRIFILAR HELIX ANTENNA FOR SMALL SATELLITES

R.Rini Sowmya1, Dr.G.Murugesan2
1
PG Scholar, Department of ECE,Kongu Engineering college
2
Professor, Department of ECE,Kongu Engineering college

Abstract: In this paper, we discuss the

quadrifilar helix antenna used for small
satellites. The quadrifilar helix antenna is
designed at 250 MHz for both open and
closed end configuration and their
performance is analysed.

Index terms: Quadrifilar helix antenna,

small satellites.

I Introduction

The quadrifilar helix antenna (QHA) Figure 1: Structure of QHA

is the multifilar helical antenna with four
II Design
helical elements. The QHA is becoming a
popular choice for mobile devices, satellites, The geomentry of the QHA is similar
GPS, satellite mobile phones, etc., because to that of helix antenna with the
of their inherent properties like circular performance characteristics given by the
polarization, high gain and less weight number of turns of the helix(N), height of
designs. the helix(H), pitch angle(α), spacing(S),helix
radius(R) and the arm length(L). The
Small satellites are satellites with
relations between the various geometric
less mass, size and low cost compared to
parameters of the helix are given in (1)-(3).
their counter parts. Hence the antennas
H = N*S (1)
needed for the small satellites should be
L= 𝑆 2 + (2𝜋𝑅)2 (2)
compact with less mass and low cost. The
QHA suits the profile in an elegant manner. tan 𝛼 = 𝑆/(2𝜋𝑅) (3)
The antenna model is simulated
The structure of QHA consists of using HFSS 14.0. There are six main steps
two half turn bifilar or one half turn in HFSS for creating and solving a model.
quadrifilar loops. The bifilar loops are They are
oriented in mutually orthogonal axis. The
diagrammatic representation is as follows  creating model/geomentry with feed
 assigning boundries

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 assigning excitation antenna design as a feed point. Lumped ports

 setup solution are similar to traditional wave ports, but can
 solve be located internally and have a complex
 post-process the results user- defined impedance.
The solution frequency is used
This model creation can be done with by HFSS to determine the maximum initial
HFSS using 3D modeller as shown in the tetrahedral size and is the frequency at which
figure 2 and 3. HFSS explicitly solves the given model. For
this antenna design, the solution frequency is
given as 250 MHz.

III Results and Analysis

The close-ended and the open-ended

QHA are designed and simulated using
HFSS. The results obtained are as follows:

Return loss:

Return loss is the ratio of incident

power to reflected power.
Figure 2 Close-ended QHA
𝑃𝑖
𝑅𝐿 𝑑𝐵 = 10𝑙𝑜𝑔10
𝑃𝑟

Figure 4 Return loss of close-ended QHA

Figure 3 Open-ended QHA
The return loss of -26 dB and
The PEC boundary condition is applied
to a ground plane as it has an option of being -20 dB is obtained respectively for the
infinite ground plane and the radiation close-ended and open-ended QHA as in
boundary is applied to the radiation box in figure 4 and figure 5. A perfect matching
order to calculate the near field radiation
pattern. antenna should have return loss below -10
Lumped port excitation is used in this dB and thus these two antennas have good

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return loss. The hemispherical radiation

pattern for close-ended QHA and open-
ended QHA is shown in figure 6 and 7.

Gain:

Gain is the ratio of power

delivered by an antenna at a point to the
ratio of power delivered by the isotropic
antenna at the same point.
ff_2D_GainLHCP Helix_Antenna_ADKv1 ANSOFT
10.00 Curve Info
dB(GainLHCP)
Setup1 : LastAdaptive
Phi='0deg'

Figure 5 Return loss of open-ended QHA -0.00 dB(GainLHCP)_1

Setup1 : LastAdaptive
Phi='90deg'

-10.00

Radiation pattern:

Y1
-20.00

Radiation pattern gives the -30.00

graphical representation of the strength of -40.00

the radio waves spreading from the antenna. -50.00

-200.00 -150.00 -100.00 -50.00 0.00 50.00 100.00 150.00 200.00
Theta [deg]

Figure 8 LHCPGain of close-ended QHA

ff_2D_GainLHCP Helix_Antenna_ADKv1 ANSOFT
0.00
Curve Info
dB(GainLHCP)
Setup1 : LastAdaptive
Phi='0deg'
-10.00 dB(GainLHCP)_1
Setup1 : LastAdaptive
Phi='90deg'

-20.00
Y1

-30.00

-40.00

-50.00

Figure 6 Radiation pattern of close-ended -60.00

-200.00 -150.00 -100.00 -50.00 0.00 50.00 100.00 150.00 200.00
Theta [deg]

QHA
Figure 9 LHCPGain of open-ended QHA

The gain obtained for the close-

ended QHA is 2.18 dB but for the open-
ended QHA the gain was only -5.93 dB as in
Figure 8 and 9.

VSWR:

VSWR is useful in measuring the

imperfections in the line. For the reflection
Figure7 Radiation pattern of open-ended
coefficient ┌ , the VSWR is given by
QHA 1+|┌|
𝑉𝑆𝑊𝑅 = 1−|┌|

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of -5.93 dB is obtained for open-ended QHA

and hemispherical radiation pattern is
observed for both the antennas.The close-
ended QHA is observed to be the better
performing antenna and it will be used for
the future work.

Figure 10 VSWR of close-ended QHA

In future, the radiation pattern
of the QHA can be modified to isoflux
radiation pattern which will provide a
maximum gain for the small satellites from
the earth station during its limited visibility
duration from the Low Earth Orbit. The
antenna can also be made deployable, so that
Figure 11 VSWR of open-ended QHA
it will occupy less space on the small
The VSWR obtained for the satellites leaving plenty of space for
close-ended QHA is 1.1088 and the open- transmitter, receiver and other devices. The
ended QHA is 1.2375 as in figure 7.7 and fabrication and testing of the antenna can be
7.8.For a perfect operating antenna the done and implemented for the small
VSWR should lie between 1 to 2 and thus satellites.
these two antennas have good VSWR.
V Refrences
IV Conclusion and Future work
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theirperformance is analyzed. The return
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loss and gain of close-ended QHA are found “Miniaturization of Quadrifilar Helix
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Applications”, IEEE Conference,
Similarly the return loss of -20 dB and gain

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