The Effective Antenna Aperture conversion calculator determines how efficiently an antenna can receive power from an incoming electromagnetic wave. By using antenna gain and frequency, it calculates the effective area (Ae) that contributes to power reception. This helps engineers understand the relationship between antenna size, gain, and performance in wireless communication systems.
Formulas
Ae = (λ² / (4 * π)) * G
or
Ae = (c² / f²) * (G / (4 * π))
Formula Explanation
- λ is the wavelength, calculated as c / f, where c is the speed of light (2.998 × 10⁸ m/s).
- f is the operating frequency in hertz (Hz).
- G is the antenna gain in linear scale (convert from dBi using 10^(GdBi/10)).
- Ae represents the effective aperture area of the antenna in square meters (m²).
- A higher gain or lower frequency results in a larger effective aperture.
Uses of this calculator
- Estimating how efficiently an antenna captures power from incident waves.
- Designing antennas for satellite, radar, and communication systems.
- Relating antenna gain to its physical size and performance.
- Evaluating received signal strength for link budget analysis.
What is the effective aperture of an 11 dBi antenna operating at 120 MHz?
Input: f = 120 MHz, G = 11 dBi
Output:
- G (linear) = 10^(11/10) = 12.589
- λ = 3e8 / 120e6 = 2.5 m
- Ae = (2.5² / (4 * π)) * 12.589 = (6.25 / 12.57) * 12.589 = 0.497 * 12.589 = 6.25 m²
- Effective Aperture = 6.25 m²