Helical antenna

Introduction
• A helical antenna is an antenna consisting
of a conducting wire wound in the form of
a helix.
• In most cases, helical antennas are
mounted over a ground plane. The feed
line is connected between the bottom of
the helix and the ground plane.
• Helical antennas can operate in one of
two principal radiation modes — normal
mode or axial mode.
Helical Geometry
• The helix is a basic three-dimensional geometric form. A helical wire on
a uniform cylinder becomes a straight wire when unwound by rolling
the cylinder on a flat surface.
• Viewed from end of helix, it projects as a circle. Thus, a helix combines
the geometric forms of a straight line, a circle and a cylinder. In addition
a helix has handedness. it can be either left- or right-handed.
• If 1 turn of a circular helix is unrolled on a flat plane, the relation
between the spacing S, circumference C, turn length L and pitch angle α
Helical Geometry
• D= diameter of helix
• C= circumference of helix=πD
• S= spacing between turns
• α= pitch angle= angle between line
tangential to helix wire and plane
normal to axis of helix=
• L= length of one turn
• n=number of turns
• A= axial length nS
• d= diameter of conductor
Transmission and radiation modes
• Transmission mode is used to describe the manner in which an
electromagnetic wave is propagated along an infinite helix as though
the helix constitute an infinite transmission line or waveguide.
• The radiation mode is used to describe the general form of the field
pattern of finite helical antenna.
• Axial mode of radiation
• Normal mode of radiation
• Conical Mode
Transmission modes T0
• The lowest mode of transmission for helix has adjacent regions of
positive and negative charges separated by many turns.
• This mode is designed as T0 transmission mode
• The mode is important when length of one turn L is very small
compared to wavelength and occurring on low frequency
inductances.
• Important mode in travelling wave tube as adjacent regions of
positive and negative charges separate an appreciable axial distance,
which causes electric field to interact with electron stream
• is arbitrarily selected as boundary for this mode.
Transmission mode T1
• The first order transmission mode (T1) on helix is possible when C=λ
• For small pitch angle, this mode has region of positive and negative
charge separated by approximately ½ turn
• It is found that radiation from helices with circumferences of the
order of 1 λ and a number of turns is well defined beam with
maximum in the direction of helix axis. Hence this mode is called axial
mode of radiation.
+

-
Higher transmission modes
• Higher-order transmission modes (T2, T3) can be obtained by
increasing of the ratio of circumference to wavelength and varying the
pitch angle.

T2 T3
Normal mode radiation – R0
• A helix excited in T0 transmission mode, current is
assumed to be uniform magnitude and phase along the
entire helix.
• The maximum field from the helix is normal to the helix
axis for all helix dimensions provided only that nL << λ.
• The appropriate transmission mode and radiation mode
for very small helix can be described by T0R0 mode.
• In general, the radiation field of this mode is elliptically
polarized in all directions. But, under particular
conditions, the radiation field can be circularly polarized.
For other dimensions linearly polarized.
• Because of its small size compared to the wavelength,
the normal mode helix has low efficiency and narrow
bandwidth.
Normal-mode helical UHF TV
broadcasting antenna 1954

T0R0 mode
 Axial mode of radiation – R1
• It is found that radiation from helices
with circumference in order of 1λ and
number of turns (n>1), is well defined
beam with maximum radiation along
helical axis.
• The radiation field of this mode is nearly
circularly polarized about the axis. The
sense of polarization is related to the
sense of the helix winding.
• In addition to circular polarization, this
mode is found to operate over a wide
range of frequencies.
T1R1 mode
Monofilar axial mode helical antenna
• The simplest incarnation of the
axial mode helix is the monofilar
helical antenna. Consisting simply
of a screw-wound single
conductor over a ground plane.
• This antenna produces circular
polarization that follows the
winding sense of the helix and
maintains a fairly constant feed
point impedance over a wide
bandwidth.
• The monofilar helix antenna was
invented in 1946 by John Kraus
Practical design consideration
• The monofilar axial mode helical antenna is very noncritical and one of
easiest antenna to build. But attention of details can maximize its
performance.
• The important parameters are
• Gain
• Beam width
• Impedance
• Axial ratio
• Gain and beam width are interdependent (G α 1/HPBW2) and the
other parameters are all functions of numbers of turns n, the turn
spacing s, or pitch angle α and frequency.
• For given no. of turns the behavior of above four parameters
determines useful bandwidth.
Practical design consideration
• The parameters are also functions of
the ground plane size and shape, the
helical conductor diameter, the helix
support structure and feed
arrangement.
• The ground plane may be flat (either
circular or square) with a diameter
3λ/4 or may be cup-shaped farming a
shallow cavity.
• 2-turn flush-mounted design described
by Bystrom and Bernsten for Aircraft
application.
Practical design consideration
• Conductor size is not critical and may range from 0.005𝝀 or less to
0.05𝝀 or more.
Practical design consideration
• The helix may be supported by a
few radial insulators mounted on
axial dielectric or metal rod or
tube, whose diameter is few
Axial mode with radial insulator
hundred of wavelength.
• The helix may be fed axially or
peripherally or from any
convenient location on the
Peripheral dielectric rod ground plane launching
structuring with the inner
conductor of coaxial line
connected to the helix and outer
Peripheral dielectric tube
conductor to ground plane
Practical design consideration
• With axial feed the terminal impedance is given within 20% by

while with peripheral feed the terminal impedance is given within

10% as

• With the suitable matching section the terminal impedance can be

made any desired value from less than 50Ώ to more than 150Ώ
Practical design consideration
• Thus by bringing the last ¼-turn of the
helix parallel to the ground plane in a
gradual manner, a tapered transition
between the 140 to 150Ώ helix
impedance and 50Ώ co-axial cable can
be readily accomplished.
• This can be done with either axially or
peripherally fed helices but more
convenient with a peripheral feed.
Practical design consideration
• As helix tubing brought close to
ground plane gradually flattened
until completely flat at termination,
spaced from ground plane by a
dielectric sheet.
• The appropriate height

W=Width of conductor at termination

h = height of conductor above ground plane
Practical design consideration

• Using the equation of HPBW, the approximate directivity by

considering only main beam

The more realistic equation after considering minor lobes

• Axial ratio
Practical design consideration
• A 16-turn helical beam antenna has a circumference of λ, and turn spacing
of λ/4, what is (a) pitch angle (b) HPBW (c) axial ratio and (d) gain?
An array of four right handed axial mode 10-turn helical antenna has a
circumference of λ, and turn spacing of 0.236λ, used for communication with
satellite. Since, the field hug the helixes, there is minimal coupling or “cross-talk”
between adjacent helixes and terminal impedance of each helix is approximately
50Ώ in the array, the same when used alone. Determine (a) the best spacing based
on the effective apertures of the helixes, (b) the directivity of the array.