Radio Propagation and Antennas

It is from the hands-on perspective of a lifelong ham radio operator turned professional “RF and antenna guy” that this book is written. The intense mathematical antenna descriptions given in most antenna handbooks is more befuddling than enlightening for many. So in this book the intuitive is emphasized and mathematics is minimized, though many formulas are given to calculate selected parameters if desired. The purpose of this book is to provide a basic understanding of antennas and radio propagation for both professionals and amateurs alike. Many of the technical explanations were developed for a 5-day antenna course in which the requirement was to take students from zero to antennas in one week. The characteristics of many antenna types are discussed and construction recipes are given for building selected antenna types. The intent is to provide enough basic understanding so that the interested readers can select an appropriate antenna for their application and then design and build one for themselves. More than anything this book is intended to give the reader a basic understanding of what radio waves are, how they behave, and insight to the creative thought processes used to build the antennas that launch and receive them.