Antenna Fundamentals

Let's get right down to the study of antennas and Antenna Basics.   Suppose one day you're walking down the street and a kind but impatient person runs up and asks you to design an antenna for them.  "Sure", you quickly reply, adding "what is the desired frequency, gain, bandwidth, impedance, and polarization?"

Or perhaps you have never heard of (or are a little rusty) on the above parameters. Well then, you've come to the right place.  Before we can design an antenna or discuss antenna types, we must understand the basics of antennas, which are the fundamental parameters that characterize an antenna.

So let us learn something.  We'll start with frequency and step through radiation patterns, directivity and gain, and ultimately close with an explanation on why antennas radiate.   Jump ahead if this is already familiar to you.