Design and analysis of a circular patch antenna on a finite conical ground plane

Microstrip single elements or small subarrays with relatively small ground plane have been used in a number of special telemetry and traffic control transceivers as well as in more conventional land mobile cellular and satellite systems. The size, shape, thickness and dielectric constant of the ground plane and the substrate affect the radiation and impedance characteristics of the printed board element. Although these effects are often considered to be detrimental, it is possible, however, to use the physical parameters and the shape of the ground plane to modify the antenna performance in a predictable manner. For example a slightly conical ground plane with corrugation has been used to control the pattern of an element in the vertical plane. A novel design for of a circular patch printed on a finite conical substrate is reported. Its ease of fabrication and predictable performance are among the interesting features of this new design. A simple analysis of the radiation and resonance characteristics of this printed board element is presented along with some initial experimental results.