GROUNDED MEDIUM

FREQUENCY MONOPOLE
Valentino Trainotti, Walter G. Fano, Lazaro Jastreblansky.
University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
ABSTRACT
Medium frequency (MF) band isolated monopoles have been
used for standard amplitude modulation (AM) broadcast applica-
tions for long time, since Stuart Ballantine vertical radiator per-
formance study carried out during the twenties decade. Nowaday,
they are still doing a good job to medium frequency broadcast
stations.
Nevertheless, new services are needed at higher frequencies and
for them the antenna height is paramount. A medium frequency
transmitting mast whose height is in the order of hundreds of me-
ters could be a logical option if several services could share the
same structure. In order to overcome the high medium frequency
voltage in the antenna base, a simple solution is putting the mast
base at ground potential and changing the medium frequency tech-
niques to feed it.
1
Getting these requirements, a project was carried out during
November 2004 in order to modify the existing transmitting mast
of the LU22 Radio Olavarria Station located at Olavarria, Ar-
gentina (AM 1160 kHz).
This project gave good results and the possibilities of sharing
this mast for the frequency modulation (FM) transmission and a
Studio to Transmitting Plant Link (STL) with the normal medium
frequency (MF) broadcast transmission was at hands.
Some concerns have been arisen because this installation was
operating with 10 kW AM MF transmitter without problems for
more than thirty years.
Nevertheless during a week end of December 2004, the antenna
modication was carried out and the performance of the new an-
tenna was similar to the old one and interactions with the new
services sharing this mast were not observed.
Input impedance calculations and measurements as well eld
strength measurements are presented in order to show the perfor-
mance of the new system.
Measured antenna bandwidth was fullling the requirements for
a medium frequency (MF) amplitude modulated (AM) broadcast
transmitting system and future hybrid digital transmissions like
IBOC* and Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM)**.
* Simultaneous amplitude modulation and digital transmissions
by IBIQUITY (www.ibiquity.com)
**(www.drm.org)
2
1 INTRODUCTION
Standard isolated monopole has been used in medium frequency band for
broadcast application since long time, especially after the thorough study
made by Stuart Ballantine on Vertical Radiating Mast in the twenties [2, 4, 3].
These kind of radiators have been made a signicant contribution to
the broadcast service due to a high ecient surface wave radiation when
a standard 120 buried metallic radials as an articial ground plane was used
[6, 9, 12, 15].
An optimun radiator has been obtained from the radiation properties
point of view, especially when the optimum height is used according to the
operation frequency and ground physical constants [3, 10].
In this case, this ground plane was adopted in order to get the best
antenna eciency in the original isolated monopole design [6, 9].
Nevertheless, nowadays when the height of tall metallic mast, like this
kind of antennas are using, are necessarily intended to be used, at the same
time, supporting several VHF, UHF and Microwave antennas.
In the case of one VHF or UHF antenna to be installed on the mast top,
a quarter wave insulator could be used, but if several antenna are necessary
to be installed, this problem is facing a dicult solution.
A simple solution to this problem is modifying the existing isolated mast
to a grounded monopole. This approach permits the installation of several
3
Figure 1: Old Installation Sketch
4
Figure 2: New Installation Sketch
5
antennas close to the mast top for several services and at the same time, an
ecient operation in the medium frequency (MF) band without interaction
problems can be obtained.
An isolated MF radiator has been modied in order to be used at the same
time for frequency modulation (FM) transmission and a studio to transmitter
link (STL) as well as the normal MF amplitud modulated (AM) service.
The normal MF AM broadcast service is carried out by mean of 10 kW
transmitter and a spare one of 5 kW output power.
These transmitters and the antenna have been in service for more than
thirty years without any problem, and the logical concerns were arisen about
the antenna modication. In gure 1 the medium frequency (MF) amplitude
modulation (AM) transmitting station and isolated monopole antenna sketch
can be seen.
Project was carried out during November 2004 and the antenna modica-
tion during a week end in December 2004 in order not to disturb very much
the normal AM transmissions of the LU22 Radio Olavarra, Argentina.
These modications consist installing a metallic skirt to the existing mast
and the coaxial lines. At the same time the matching unit was modied
in order to match the antenna input impedance to the transmission line
characteristic impedance.
Transmission line is six wire quasi-coaxial line installed between the tun-
6
ing unit at the base mast and the transmitting building around 200 m away
and its characteristic impedance is around 220 ohm.
FM and STL equipment were installed inside the tuning unit shelter.
This shelter has been provided by a Faraday Shield in order to avoid interac-
tions with the MF radiation and the static electricity eects during stormy
weather.
In gure 2 the new transmitting system sketch is shown.
2 Antenna Models
Simulations of the old and new radiating system was carried out using WIPL-
D software [14] in order to determine the input impedance and the radiated
elds. In gures 3 the old isolated monopole antenna model can be seen.
The Isolated Monopole Gain, Electric and Magnetic near Fields, as well
the wave impedance close to the antenna have been calculated by means of
a WIPL-D software and these results can be seen in gures 4, 5, 6 and 7.
Near electric and Magnetic Field have been measured before making the
antenna modications by means of a calibrated eld strength meter and these
results are plotted in the near electric and magnetic eld gures (5, 6).
Good agreement between calculated and measured values can be seen.
Field strength meter Singer NM25 uses a calibrated small loop as electric
eld sensor. In order to measure the magnetic eld intensity an antenna
factor of the loaded loop was obtained as can be seen in the Appendix A.
7
Figure 3: Isolated Monopole Model Sketch
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
5
10
ANTENNA GAIN
[degrees]
G[dBi]
Figure 4: Isolated Monopole Gain as a function of elevation angle .
8
10
0
10
1
10
2
10
3
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180
R [m]
E
z
[dB V/m]
calculated
measured
Figure 5: Isolated Monopole Electric Field as a function of distance.
10
0
10
1
10
2
10
3
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
R [m]
H
y
[dB A/m]
calculated
measured
Figure 6: Isolated Monopole Magnetic Field as a function of distance.
9
10
1
10
2
10
3
250
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
R [m]
Z
0
[]
377
Figure 7: Isolated Monopole Wave Impedance Magnitude as a function of
distance
In the far eld region, the electric and magnetic elds are related through
the free space impedance Z
00

= 377 , but this is not true in the near eld
region, so separated eld measurements are necessary.
From the wave impedance calculations it can be seen that the far eld
condition is obtained at a distance of approximately one wavelength or 250
meters were the impedance phase is close to zero degrees and its magnitude is
approaching 377 ohms. It can be seen from calculations and measurements,
the dierent electric and magnetic eld variation as a function of distance
close to the antenna base.
In gure 9 sketch of grounded monopole model can be seen.
10
10
1
10
2
10
3
0
10
20
30
40
50
R [m]
[]
Figure 8: Isolated Monopole Wave Impedance Phase as a function of distance.
Figure 9: Grounded Monopole Sketch
11
1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
f [MHz]
R
a
[]
40 m
50 m
60 m
Figure 10: Grounded Monopole Resistance for H
s
= 40 m, H
s
= 50 m y
H
s
= 60 m as a function of frequency.
3 INPUT IMPEDANCE
Grounded monopole input impedance was analyzed as a function of wire skirt
dimensions.
Metallic skirt is made up of six wires installed symmetrically all around
the supporting tower by means of booms attached to the tower legs. In order
to avoid the wire vibrations due to the wind action, plastic insulators were
installed along the supporting tower. These insulators were installed with a
separation of 10 meters approximately between them.
According to the upper skirt short circuit position the antenna input im-
pedance has dierent variations as a function of frequency, but the radiation
characteristics are maintained because they depend on the antenna physical
dimensions or mast height [11].
12
1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5
600
400
200
0
200
400
600
800
f [MHz]
X
a
[]
60 m
50 m 40 m
Figure 11: Grounded Monopole Reactance for H
s
= 40 m, H
s
= 50 m y
H
s
= 60 m as a function of frequency
These variations can be seen in gure 10 and 11. In this case a low
impedance variation is to be chosen and at the same time a minimum input
voltage would be important.
This statement can assure a good antenna bandwidth suitable for a high
delity amplitude modulate transmission and at the same time for future
digital transmissions like IBOC or DRM.
According to the input impedance variation a short circuit skirt height of
H
s
= 45 m was chosen assuring a smooth impedance variation and a conve-
nient value to be match to the transmission line characteristic impedance.
In Figure 12 and 13 the input impedance as a function of frequency can
be seen as well the measured values by means of a DELTA BRIDGE at the
antenna input terminals.
13
1 1.05 1.1 1.15 1.2 1.25 1.3 1.35 1.4
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
f [MHz]
R
a
[]
calculated
measured
Figure 12: Grounded Monopole Resistance as a function of frequency
1 1.05 1.1 1.15 1.2 1.25 1.3 1.35 1.4
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
f [MHz]
X
a
[]
calculated
measured
Figure 13: Grounded Monopole Reactance as a function of frequency
14
4 ANTENNA MATCHING
Knowing the antenna input impedance the matching system has been calcu-
lated from the standard circuit theory. T, or L networks can be chosen for
this purpose [8]. L network has been chosen due to its simplicity after having
the antenna resonance by means of a proper reactance. This value has been
included later in the matching system.
Antenna input impedance at 1160 kHz is inductive or given by
Z
a
= 64 + j255 .
Resonance is obtained by means a capacitive reactance of X
a
= 255
and L network is used to match the resistive 64 to 220 of the transmission
line characteristic impedance. This can be seen in Appendix B.
As a result the L network to match and tune the antenna has two capaci-
tors, one in series with the antenna impedance and the other in parallel with
the transmission line output terminals.
The capacitance of both capacitors have been found to be C
s
= 855 pF
and C
p
= 973 pF. Two 1500 pF high voltage variable vacuum capacitors
were used and adjusted by means of a DELTA BRIDGE (Appendix C) to
the transmission line characteristic impedance value at the carried frequency.
After that, the impedance value was measured as a function of frequency.
A radio frequency choke has been connected in parallel to the antenna
terminals in order to permit the continuous static discharge of the antenna
structure. Its impedance value is around ten times the antenna impedance
so it does not modify the circuit condition.
In gure 14 the calculated standing wave ratio (VSWR) is presented from
the calculated antenna input impedance. Also, the measured VSWR ratio
15
Figure 14: Measured VSWR at the matching unit input as a function of
frequency
16
Table 1: INPUT IMPEDANCE CALCULATED, MEASURED
AND VSWR
CALCULATED MEASURED
Frequency Z
in
VSWR/220 Z
in
VSWR/220
kHz
1140 168+j 32 1.372 165+j 25 1.371
1145 176+j 28 1.301 180+j 15 1.239
1150 191+j 22 1.197 190+j 8 1.166
1155 208+j 13 1.087 210+j 5 1.050
1160 220+j 0 1.001 220+j 0 1.000
1165 232-j 14 1.086 230-j 10 1.065
1170 240-j 31 1.177 235-j 40 1.206
1175 248-j 49 1.272 240-j 55 1.289
1180 252-j 72 1.393 245-j 65 1.348
is presented from the measured antenna input impedance. Both values are
included in Table 1.
It can be observed a good agreement between the calculated and measured
values.
Connecting the matching unit to the transmission line, the input im-
pedance is measured at the transmitter side by means of the DELTA BRIDGE
and using the 5 kW transmitter as generator. The transmission line input
impedance was found to be Z
in
= 220 + j2.5 at the carried frequency or a
VSWR = 1.022.
17
10
0
10
1
10
2
10
3
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180
R [m]
E
z
[dB V/m]
calculated
measured
Figure 15: Grounded Monopole Near Electric Field as a function of distance
10
0
10
1
10
2
10
3
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
R [m]
H
y
[dB A/m]
calculated
measured
Figure 16: Grounded Monopole Near Magnetic Field as a function of distance
18
5 Near Field
Near electric and magnetic elds have been calculated using WIPL-D and
measured by means of Singer NM-25 eld strength meter with an electric
eld calibrated loop.
In gure 15 and 16 the near electric and magnetic elds can be seen as a
function of distance between 5 and 800 meters.
Good agreement can be appreciated between calculated and measured
elds.
Grounded Monopole wave impedance has been calculated as a function
of distance using the calculated near electric and magnetic elds. This im-
pedance can be seen in gures 17 and 18.
6 Far eld
Far eld determination is important in order to know the medium frequency
(MF) amplitude modulated (AM) station service area.
This area depends on the environment where the listener are located, for
this reason, more eld strength is needed in urban areas, where the noise
level is higher, due to man electric activity.
In this case 88 dBV/m (25mV/m) of minimum electric eld strength is
necessary and for residential areas this value can be lowers to 74 dBV/m
(5 mV/m).
For rural areas a minimum level of 54 dBV/m (0.5 mV/m) can do a rea-
sonable service in the medium frequency AM band in moderated atmospheric
noise areas.
19
10
0
10
1
10
2
300
400
500
600
700
800
R [m]
Z
0
[]
377
Figure 17: Grounded Monopole Wave Impedance Magnitude as a function
of distance
10
0
10
1
10
2
10
3
0
10
20
30
40
50
R [m]
[]
Figure 18: Grounded Monopole Wave Impedance Phase as a function of
distance
20
Far eld of the surface wave (E
su
) has been calculated as a function of
distance for 10 kW of radiated power and for dierent soil conditions.
This task is obtained using the Sommerfeld - Norton theory for planar
earth and introducing the shadow or diraction factor taking into account
the spherical earth [1, 5, 10, 11, 13].
Isolated Monopole far eld strength measurements were carried out in
November 2004, with some scatter values as a function of distance and in
order to get them as a comparison with the eld strength produced by the
modied antenna.
Grounded monopole far eld strength measurements were carried out in
December 2004, after the antenna modication and more values have been
measured as a function of distance in this occasion.
Figure 19 shows the electric eld values as a function of distance, calcu-
lated and measured in November 2004 and in December 2004.
It can be seen from this gure that the measured value are practically
the same for isolated and grounded monopole and they t very well the eld
strength corresponding to wet soil, like it is the soil of the Pampa in the
Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina (conductivity = 0.03 S/m, relative
permittivity
r
= 20).
It is important to indicate where are located the practical limits of each
area after the far eld strength has been measured. These areas are found
to be:
[A] Urban area up to 25 km.
[B] Residential area up to 80 km.
21
[C] Rural area up to 200 km.
With these eld strength results it can be seen the service areas can fulll
the requirements for this broadcast station in medium frequency.
7 Conclusion
After this work was completed, the measured results of the modied antenna
eld strength can assure a good service area for the LU22 medium frequency
station as was determined by measurements and from the listener point of
view by means of a car receiver along the countryside routes and with levels
similar to the old transmitting system.
22
10
0
10
1
10
2
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
R [km]
E [dBV/m]
1
2
3
URBAN
RESIDENTIAL
RURAL
Figure 19: Far electric eld as a function of distance. 1. Wet ground,
= 0.03 S/m,
r
= 20 2. Average ground, = 0.01 S/m,
r
= 10
3. Dry ground, = 0.001 S/m,
r
= 4, Isolated Monopole, 8 Grounded
Monopole
23
8 APPENDIX A
8.1 Magnetic Field Loop Antenna Factor
From Maxwell equation for harmonic elds in free space:
E = j
0
H (1)
Integrating on both terms over the N turn loop surface and applying
Stokes Theorem [16]:

L
E dL = j
0
(N r
2
) H (2)
When the loop is oriented for the maximum induced voltage, and its area
is Nr
2
, as shown in gure 20, the eective voltage is given by:
V
ef
= 4.44
0
f NAH (3)
For a frequency f = 1.16 MHz, N = 3, and loop diameter D = 0.25 m,
the eective voltage is given by:
V
ef
= 0.9531 H (4)
Taking into account the 50 loop load, and the input voltage
V
inef
= V
ef
/2 in the strength meter, the magnetic eld is given by:
H = 2.0984 V
inef
(5)
24
Figure 20: a) Loop geometry. b) Three turn loaded loop. c) Simple equivalent
circuit.
25
Figure 21: Theoretical L Network for R
in
> R
a
9 APPENDIX B
9.1 L Matching Network
The input resistance (R
in
) of a resonant antenna impedance R
a
, when
R
in
> R
a
, according to gure 21 is given by:
R
in
=
j R
a
X
p
+ X
s
X
p
R
a
+ j X
s
j X
p
(6)
Operating:
X
p
= R
in

R
a
R
in
R
a
(7)
X
s
=

R
a
(R
in
R
a
) (8)
26
Figure 22: DELTA BRIDGE BASIC CIRCUIT
10 APPENDIX C
10.1 DELTA BRIDGE
Impedance measurements have been made by means of DELTA BRIDGE,
permitting high power in the antenna circuit in order to avoid the interference
from powerful MF AM station within the operating band and having accurate
measurements at the Bridge balance.
Figure 22 shows a sketch of the DELTA BRIDGE from DELTA ELEC-
TRONICS.
27
11 Acknowledgments
We would like to appreciate the kind support of Mr. Daniel Panarace, Di-
rector of LU32 1160 AM Radio Olavarra and the technical sta, during the
antenna modication and eld strength measurements.
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29