Metal Type's Impact on Antenna Performance: A Beginner's Guide

[ramonegumpert]

Hello Experts,

I am a novice trying to make a small atenna for GSM signals.
I tried using insulated iron wire.
Its my 1st time experimenting with antennas.

My question is how does the type of metal used affect an antenna?

For example, some use copper wire. Will it have a better effect?

Have a nice day.

regards
Ramone
:)

 

[SteamKing]

This is one case of 'Nekkid is better'. Since the purpose of an antenna is to pick up an electrical signal out of the air, using an insulated iron wire was not the best choice.

 

[ramonegumpert]

Hello friends,

if I use non-insulated copper wire, is there a way to calculate or know how thick the wire should be and how many turns needed for GSM frequency band?

Also, phone antennas are now inside phones. It is more amplification used that allow shorter antennas?

regards
Ramone

 

[SteamKing]

Antenna design is properly its own discipline. The size of an antenna is determined to a large extent by the wavelength of the signal which is to be received or transmitted. Cell phones use a very high frequency portion of the EM spectrum, hence, their antennas can be relatively small. For ELF (Extremely Low Frequency) radio, which is used to communicate with submarines below the water's surface, the antenna arrays can cover an area of several square miles. Remember, EM signals propagate at light speed, c, so the wavelength is determined by dividing c by the frequency of the signal.

 

[ramonegumpert]

Thanks SteamKing.

I see that some external GSM antennas are monopole or dipole and some have a few turns along the antenna length. These are small turns and few windings only. I would like to know what effect the turns have on the antennas. Does it add length to the antenna without becoming too long? Is it purely to induce more signal?

 

[ramonegumpert]

Dear Experts,

I have calculated the wavelenght for my GSM frequency. From this wavelength, can you let me know how to derive the length of the antenna. I intend to use a straight copper wire of about 1 mm in diameter. Is it that it should be length of the wavelength?

regards
Ramone

 

[ramonegumpert]

Oh, I found out how to calculate the antenna length. Its Wavelength / 2.

regards
Ramone.