Maurice Hately, Fathi Kabbary, X-Field Antenna,US Patent
5,155,495


    

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**[rexresearch.com](../index.htm)**

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**Maurice
HATELY // Fathi KABBARY**

**Crossed Field Antenna**

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**<http://www.antennex.com/preview/cfa/cfa.htm>  
*antenneX Online Magazine*)**   
 **<http://www.antennex.com/preview/cfa/nab99cfa.htm>
  
Kabbary, et L.: Four Egyptian MW Broadcast Crossed-Field
Antennas**

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**<http://www.rwonline.com>*****Radio World* (March 31, 1999)**

**"Is This AM Antenna for Real ?"**
  
*Engineers Wonder if the Crossed-Field Antenna Could
Revolutionize the Science of AM Radio Transmission*

by **W. C. Alexander**

Imagine an AM antenna one-fiftieth of a wavelength long, that
needs no radial ground system, occupies a small parcel of land,
produces little or no RFI (Radio Frequency Interference), has
great bandwidth and performs better than a full-sized vertical
radiator.

Does this sound like a fantasy?

Until recently, it would have been.

Now working models of such an antenna exist in the Middle East
and at NAB99 (National Association of Broadcasters' 1999
Convention in Las Vegas).

( The "reversed form" (negative solution) of Maxwell's Fourth
Equation, states that a magnetic field can be produced without
current flowing in a wire.)

On April 19, 1999, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Brian
Steward from the Department of Engineering at Glasgow Caledonian
University presented a paper on what has been patented as the
Crossed-Field Antenna.

**Synthesized field**

Most of us have known since early in our electronics training
that any conductor in which a radio frequency current flows can
be an antenna.

When an Radio Frequency current flows in a conductor, an
electric (or E) field and a magnetic (or H) field are produced.
These two fields are in quadrature (Their amplitude phases are
90 deg from each other.) with one another, and at some distance,
presumably { (increment) / 2 pi } combine into an
electromagnetic field, which is the desired element. A
conventional antenna, be it a dipole, a vertical radiator over a
ground plane, a long wire or anything else, works on this
principle.

More than a decade ago, Maurice Hately, a college professor in
Scotland, along with his then-student, Fathl Kabbary, began work
on a completely different antenna design. The basic premise of
this radical design is that a magnetic field can be produced
without current flow in a wire. Hately and Kabbary claim that
using the reversed (negative solution) form of Maxwell's fourth
equation, they were able to prove that a magnetic field does
exist between two capacitor plates to which a Radio Frequency
voltage has been applied.

From this beginning Hately and Kabbary report they were able to
produce direct synthesis of the electromagnetic field using two
large capacitor plates and two large cylinders of short length.
The capacitor plates, called "D plates" for the term "D" in the
Poynting theorem, were positioned parallel to one another to
form a capacitor. The cylinders, called "E plates" were
positioned one above and one below the D plates. When the
cylinders were driven by a radio frequency power source, they
produced high-frequency E-fields, thus the designation "E
plates".

**Crossing effect**

To synthesize the electromagnetic wave, radio frequency power
is fed through a power divider / phasing network to the D and E
plates. The resulting electric and magnetic fields are
cross-stressed in phase to synthesize the Poynting vector and
produce radiated power within the small area surrounding the
antenna. This effect is what gives the Crossed-Field Antenna
(CFA) its name.

Several variations of the Crossed-Field Antenna were developed
and tested. The barrel-shaped CFA was first: it featured the
same radiation pattern as a dipole. The next evolution removed
one of the cylinders and one of the plates, substituting a
ground plane instead.

Later, Kabbary returned to his native Egypt and continued
experimenting with a ground plane antenna for broadcast. He
successfully built and tested a couple of different
configurations, settling on a design only 12-feet high over a
ground plane of only 10 square meters. He has documented the
successful testing of this antenna on 1161 kHz at a power level
of 60 kW.

In 1995, Kabbary made some radical design changes to the
antenna, adding a funnel-shaped top (see photo). This design
reportedly produced the same inverse distance field with 30 kW
as the conventional one-quarter wavelength vertical it was
intended to replace produced with 100 kW. The funnel-top CFA
based in Egypt is only 21 feet tall, less than 0.025 wavelengths
long. The vertical antenna it replaced was 211 feet long. Test
results show up to a 9 dB (800%) advantage over the one-quarter
wavelength vertical antenna.

Reported advantages of the CFA over conventional radiators
include: Very small size, typically around a one-fiftieth
wavelength; High efficiency, with a 6 dB (400%) gain typical
relative to a conventional one-quarter wavelength vertical
radiator; Little induction field, which produces very little
coupling between adjacent antennas; Broad bandwidth.

Today, four such antennas are reported on the air and operating
in broadcast service in Egypt. Two are at Tanta, operating from
a rooftop at 22 kW and 100 kW respectively and separated by less
than 20 feet. One is in operation at Barnis at 110 kW and the
other operates in Halaieb at 5 kW.

If the Crossed-Field Antenna proves to be everything the
inventors claim, it could revolutionize the state-of-the-art in
AM transmission systems, which has changed little since the days
of Marconi.

The paper is part of the session "Radio Transmission Systems
--- Digital and Analog" (1-5 p.m. Monday, April 19, at the Las
Vegas Convention Center).

Patent 2,215,524 was issued in Great Briton, 626,210 in
Australia and others issued in Europe and Japan. In 1992 the
U.S. issued Patent Number 5,155,495.

Cris Alexander is director of engineering for Crawford
Broadcasting and a regular contributor to "Radio World".

*Radio World* (June 21, 2000) ~   
"How to Build a 75 / 80 Meter CFA"

**Antenna Science**

The final paper of the session featured Manohar Lal, chief
engineer of "All India Radio", New Delhi India.

Lal presented theoretical details of a new concept antenna,
which produces high efficiency and high gain with small
dimensions. The concept is derived from the modification of
Maxwell's displacement current.

In the 1860s, James Maxwell formulated the equations upon which
the laws of electromagnetic radiation are based. Lal states in
his paper that Maxwell identified a displacement current from
the extrapolation of Ampere's law. It was merely a charging
current such as that which exists between the plates of a
capacitor and did not radiate a magnetic field. Its current was
uniform in the whole area between the plates.

Lal suggests that this displacement current can be modified to
flow only at the periphery of the plates and thereby produce a
magnetic field around it.

He claims to have tested the hypothesis and can launch a signal
with gain, bandwidth and directivity properties, which could
revolutionize the science of building antennas.

Tom McGinley is a 35-year veteran of radio engineering. He is
employed by Infinity Broadcasting, for which he recently assumed
managerial duties in the Seattle market. He is technical adviser
to *Radio World*.

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**US Patent # 5,155,495**

**Radio Antennas**

( US Cl. 343/725 ~ Intl Cl. H01Q 021/00 )

**Maurice Hately & Fathi Kabbary**

**Abstract --** An antenna for a
wide bandwidth electromagnetic field polarized in a
predetermined direction at right angles to the field propagation
direction includes plural metal elements that are not resonant
in the bandwidth. The metal elements are excited to transduce an
electric field in the polarization direction over the bandwidth
range. The plural elements have an extent in the polarization
direction no greater than an order of magnitude of the shortest
wave length in the bandwidth. A structure between the element,
which may be either a coil or parallel electrodes which derive a
displacement current, transduces a magnetic field having lines
of flux at right angles to the polarization and propagation
directions. The electric and magnetic fields are excited by
power from the same source with phases so that in an interaction
region of the field between a pair of the metal elements there
is E.times.H synchronism and a radiation Poynting vector having
rotational E and H fields to transduce the electromagnetic
field.

**Foreign Application Priority Data**   
Feb 02, 1988[GB] ~ 8802204

**References Cited:**   
**U.S. Patent Documents**   
3521284 ~Jul., 1970 ~ Shelton, Jr. ~ 343/727   
4809009 ~ Feb., 1989 ~ Grimes et al. ~ 343/726

**Foreign Patent Documents**   
453660 ~ Dec., 1948 ~ CA ~ 343/726   
492418 ~ Apr., 1953 ~ CA ~ 343/726

***Claims ~***   
We claim: [ Claims not included here ]

***Description ~***   
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to antennas for the transmission and
reception of radio waves for telecommunications, broadcasting
sound and television, radar, satellite communications and the
like.

Known antennas usually have a single feeder connected to either
a single conductor element of approximately half a wavelength,
or to a single driven element within a group of parasitic
elements as in the Yagi-Uda array. By means of added reactive
components such as inductors, end capacitors, resonant traps and
such, antennas have been constructed with somewhat smaller
dimensions than the basic half wavelength element. Loop antennas
are also known and are useful in direction finding. However most
antennas of reduced dimensions have disappointing transmission
efficiency due to the necessarily increased circulation currents
which cause large conductor losses and or magnetic core losses.

BACKGROUND ART   
The Poynting Theorem states that for any superimposed electric
and magnetic fields there must be energy flowing in the medium
and thus the phenomenon of radio wave propagation has been
explained in the presently accepted theory as the radiation of
electromagnetic energy in the form of an electric field E and a
magnetic field H in a cross-product Poynting vector E.times.H=S
watts per meter squared. The perpendicular geometric
relationship and the time synchronism implied by the above
formula must be produced by any antenna which is to radiate
efficiently. Presently known antennas are probably achieving the
requirements in an uncontrolled or accidental manner.

Due to extended physical dimensions and high location above the
ground, it is probable that there is fortuitously provided in
the large volume of space a means of setting the necessary
perpendicularity and simultaneity as well as a degree of
rotationality for the fields, although the absence of these
conjectures from the present texts ought not to be used to
condemn the validity of the concept. From the large surrounding
and lightly stressed volume the comparatively weak Poynting
vector progresses outwards to infinity.

THE INVENTION   
In accordance with one aspect of the invention a radio antenna
in which electromagnetic waves are radiated from a small volume
comprises two first and second separate element systems
respectively excited for producing high frequency electric and
magnetic fields. Separate feeder means drives each of the
element systems. Each of the element systems is positioned in
adjacent interactive relationship to cross stress a common
interaction zone of both fields to create a source from which
electromagnetic waves radiate. The element system in which the
electric field is originated establishes a radio frequency
potential difference across an interaction zone between two
conducting surfaces. The element system for establishing the
magnetic field includes two other conducting surfaces for
establishing an intense radio frequency displacement current. A
radio frequency potential difference of the same frequency is
applied between two of the conducting surfaces for establishing
an intense circulating magnetic field to cross the interaction
zone.

In a preferred embodiment a phasing unit splits an output of a
radio transmitter into two parts having separate delay
arrangements to produce synchronized electric and magnetic
fields at the interaction zone. The phasing unit preferably
includes fixed and variable phase delay circuits and at least
one tapped transformer and a switch for adjusting each part of
the output of the radio transmitter. The phasing unit also
preferably has a wideband constant phase different circuit for
low power operation for driving either of the separate units.
Two separate power amplifiers develop sufficient power to
provide separate feeds to the two separate element systems of
the antenna so that within the interaction zone radio wave power
is synthesized.

In another embodiment a single feeder is connected to one
element system and a second feeder drives the other element
system with a phase and magnitude to synthesize a radio
frequency wave at a predetermined frequency band.

In another embodiment, the two separate element systems are
constructed as half structures with a conducting surface of
sufficient area that the other half structure is defined by a
virtual image thereof.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, an
antenna comprises a first set of at least two spaced elements
defining surface lying an end to end relationship with each
other. Radio frequency power is fed to the set of elements for
producing an E-field between the set of elements. A second set
of at least two spaced elements defines surfaces in face to face
parallel planes. Radio frequency power produces a displacement
current between the second set of spaced elements establishes an
H field around the second set. The first and second spaced
elements and means for feeding the radio frequency power are
arranged so there is interactive coupling between the E and H
fields to produce a propagating electromagnetic radio wave.

In accordance with one embodiment the surfaces of the second
set of elements are positioned between the surfaces of said
first set of elements and perpendicular thereto. In one
arrangement, the first set of elements comprises parallel
circular plates. In another arrangement the first set of
elements comprises plates and the second set of elements
comprises parallel plates.

In one embodiment one of the fields is produced by a feed
including a coaxial feeder cable coupled through a transformer
including a ferrite toroidal core. The first and second sets of
elements are preferably secured and spaced by electrically
insulating support members. A ground-plane structure may be
provided wherein one of each of the spaced set of elements is
constituted by a virtual image of the other element on the other
side of a ground plane element electrically bisecting the
antenna.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, an
antenna for wide bandwidth electromagnetic field polarized in a
predetermined position at right angles to the field propagation
direction comprises plural metal first elements that are not
resonant in the bandwidth. The first elements are excited to
transduce an electric field in the polarization direction over
the bandwidth and have an extent in the polarization direction
no greater than an order of magnitude less than the shortest
wavelength in the wide bandwidth range. Means between the
elements transduces a magnetic field having lines of flux
between the elements at right angles to the polarization and
propagation directions. The elements and means are arranged and
the electric and magnetic fields are excited by power from the
same source with phases so there is an interaction region of the
fields between a pair of the metal elements to provide E.times.H
synchronism and a radiation Poynting vector having rotational E
and H fields to transduce the electromagnetic field. The
elements include first and second metal plates having spaced
planar faces substantially at right angles to the electric
field. The plates are excited with voltages displaced in phase
by 180.degree. so the electric field is established between said
planar faces. A coil disposed between the plates has windings
positioned to excite the lines of flux. The coil is excited with
current from the same source which excites the plates with a
current displaced in phase by 90.degree. relative to the
voltages which excite the plates.

In one embodiment, the faces of the plates diverge from a
central region where the coil is located so curved electric
field lines extend between the plates.

In another embodiment, the elements include first, second,
third and fourth metal plates having spaced planar faces
substantially at right angles to the electric field. The first
and second plates are excited with a first voltage having the
same phase while the third and fourth plates are excited with a
second voltage having the same phase. The first and second
voltages are from the same source and displaced in phase from
each other by 180.degree.. A coil disposed between the plates
has windings positioned to excite the lines of flux. The coil is
excited with current from the same source which excites the
plates with a current displaced in phase by 90.degree. relative
to the voltages which excite the plates. Preferably, the faces
of the plates diverge from a central region where the coil is
located so curved electric field lines extend between the first
and third plates and between the second and fourth plates.

In a further embodiment, at least one of the metal elements has
a first surface extending (a) in substantially the same
direction as the electric field, (b) at substantially right
angles to the magnetic lines of flux and (c) at substantially
right angles to the propagation direction so the electric field
is curved as it propagates from the first surface to a second
surface of another of the metal elements. The elements including
the first and second surfaces are excited with voltages from the
same source that are displaced 180.degree. from each other.
Preferably, the another element including the second surface is
configured so the first and second surfaces extend in
substantially the same direction. In one embodiment the first
and second surfaces are substantially planar and substantially
aligned. In a second embodiment the first and second surfaces
are cylindrical and have substantially the same radii and
substantially common axes. The another second element may be a
planar surface extending in a plane substantially parallel to
the propagation direction. In this case, the first surface is
cylindrical and the first surface has an axis substantially at
right angles to the plane of the second element. In the further
embodiment, the magnetic field is transduced by a coil disposed
between the elements and having windings positioned to excite
the lines of flux. The coil is excited with current from the
same source which excites the elements with a current displaced
in phase by 90.degree. relative to the voltages which excite the
elements. In this arrangement the another element is
configurated so the first and second surfaces extend in
substantially the same direction and the first and second
surfaces are preferably substantially planar and substantially
aligned.

In still another embodiment the magnetic field is transduced by
a capacitor having first and second substantially parallel
planar electrodes extending substantially in the direction of
propagation and substantially at right angles to the electric
field lines. The electrodes are excited so voltages phase
displaced from each other by 180.degree. are applied to the
first and second electrodes so a displacement current correlated
with the magnetic field subsists. In this arrangement,
preferably at least one of the metal elements has a first
surface extending (a) in substantially the same direction as the
electric field, (b) substantially at right angles to the
magnetic lines of flux and (c) substantially at right angles to
the propagation direction so the electric field is curved as it
propagates from the first surface to a second surface of another
of the metal elements. The elements are excited by a means
including the first and second surfaces with voltages from the
same source that are displaced 180.degree. from each other. The
another element is preferably configured so the first and second
surfaces extend in substantially the same direction and the
first and second surfaces are substantially planar and
substantially aligned.

The first and second surfaces are cylindrical in still another
arrangement wherein the first and second surfaces have
substantially the same radii and substantially common axes. The
second element may include a planar surface that extends in a
plane substantially parallel to the propagation direction, in
which case the second element preferably includes the second
electrode. A first cable includes a first feed line extending
through a central aperture of the first electrode. The first
line is connected to the first element and a second line
connected to the second element. A second cable including third
and fourth lines is connected to terminals of a primary winding
of a transformer having a secondary winding having opposite
terminals respectively connected to the first electrode and the
second element. The cables may be coaxial so the first and third
lines are respectively center conductors of the first and second
cables and the second and fourth lines are respectively shields
of the first and second cables.

The invention is further described and illustrated with
reference to the accompanying drawings, showing embodiment by
way of examples.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS   
FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of an embodiment with a
horizontal coil,

![](fig1.gif)

FIG. 2 is a schematic elevation view of the embodiment of FIG.
1,

![](fig2.gif)

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram for phasing unit for feeding an
antenna according to the invention,

![](fig3.gif)

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of a further feeder unit,

![](fig4.gif)

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment
for radiating of vertically polarized waves,

![](fig5.gif)

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a further embodiment
using capacitive effect to produce the magnetic field,

![](fig6.gif)

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment similar
to FIG. 6 using cylindrical elements.

![](fig7.gif)

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment forming
a ground plane construction, and

![](fig8.gif)

FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of the feed arrangement
for an antenna similar to that shown in FIG. 8.

![](fig9.gif)

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an elementary form of a twin feeder
crossed field antenna according to this invention. The
horizontal coil 1 is fed by feeder 2 via matching and isolating
transformer 3 and carries a radio frequency current shown by
arrows indicating an anticlockwise maximum in the cycle time.
Thus upwardly directed in the center of the coil there is high
magnetic field density H from J+D'=.gradient.XH which returns
downwards all around the periphery of the coil. There are two
pairs of conducting plates 4 and 5, 6 and 7, with planes
standing vertically which are insulated from everything else but
are fed with antiphase voltage of the same frequency in pairs as
shown, by power in feeder 8 via matching and isolating
transformer 9. At the same instant in the cycle the plate pair 4
and 5 are electrically positive relative to the plate pair 6 and
7. Thus due to the very small dimension of the whole antenna,
the propagation delay across the interaction zones marked X and
Y is negligible and so the correct simultaneity, orthogonality
and rotationality exists and Poynting vector synthesis occurs
and radio power radiates away with the velocity of light in the
directions marked S.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of the same antenna in elevation.

Detailed consideration of the phase requirement may be deduced
as follows. Sinusoidal carrier waves are being applied and
electric field E is in phase with the voltage across the plate
pairs. The retardation due to size is negligible as is the
magnetic field retardation around the coil. Thus the field H is
in synchronism with the current causing it, that is the magnetic
field is in phase with the current. Current in a coil is however
always lagging by about 90.degree. relative to the voltage
across the coil due to self inductance. So, in order to obtain
phase synchronism of the fields interacting in the crossed field
antenna, the feed voltage to the coil needs to be approximately
90.degree. advanced on the feed voltage between the electrical
plates. If both transformers have identical phase
characteristics, the signal to feeder 2 must to be phase
advanced by 90.degree. compared with the voltage supplied to
feeder 8. Cable lengths are only significant if different, so
for a single frequency application an electrical quarter
wavelength extra in feeder 8 would fulfil the phase requirement.
By providing a power divider so that a single transmitter
supplies approximately half the power to each of the twin
feeders, the interaction zone radiates the total power in the
synthesised Poynting vector An antenna for general radio
communications requiring many operational frequency changes must
to have a phase adjusting unit.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a simple phasing unit with which
the said phase adjustment could be provided The transmitter
power is split partly into the upper capacitive path and partly
into the lower inductive path. Setting the capacitor 10 to some
value will give 45.degree. advance; setting the inductor to
another value will result in a corresponding 45.degree. delay
which will ensure that after stimulating the two fields the
radio wave will be correctly synthesised in the interaction
zones.

FIG. 4 shows a more sophisticated form of phasing unit which
will provide phasing for any kind of twin feeder crossed field
antenna under almost any circumstances over a wide frequency
range. A switched auto transformer 12 is connected to feeder
output 88 and is preceded by phase adjustment arrangements
switchable into either sense by switch 14, of which coarse
settings are provided by the dual gang switch 13A, 13B and a
selection of cable lengths 15, and a fine adjustment by the
variable capacitor 16.

A more complex phase adjustment system, (not shown) would have
a series of two-pole change-over switches able to connect any
total combination of delay cables selected from a sequence of
lengths incremented in a 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32
metersystem. Such a scheme would allow a user to correct the
phase of the feed to a crossed field antenna such that a single
device could be radiating successfully at any frequency in the
whole HF spectrum.

In a further preferred arrangement the phasing unit has a
wideband constant phase difference circuit for low power
operation and followed, either inside the unit or outside as two
separate units, by two separate power amplifiers which develop
sufficient power to provide separate feeds to the two electrode
systems of the antenna so that within the interaction zone
sufficient radio wave power is synthesised.

An alternative twin feeder crossed field antenna which will
radiate vertically polarized waves instead of horizontal, is
shown in FIG. 5. The antenna consists of a narrow vertical coil
17 fed from cable 2C via matching transformer 18, and two
conducting plates 19 and 20 fed by feeder 8C via matching and
isolating transformer 21. A widespread electric field E is
created in arcs from the top plate to the lower plate and
produces a cross-product with the magnetic field H rotating in
the directions indicated and thus synthesises intense Poynting
vectors S which radiate outwards in broad azimuthal angles to
space. The said antenna having several advantageous features
namely a reduced number of components and also a larger
interaction volume than has the first type according to FIGS. 1
and 2. The first feature reduces costs and simplifies the
structure. The second advantage gives enhanced signal voltages
when used in the receive mode. Furthermore, since any one of the
four input terminals (two plates and two coil terminals) may be
connected to earth it will be optimal to have the lower plate
earthed for safety as well as providing an opportunity to bond
the screens of the coaxial feeders thereto.

It is possible for transformer 21 to be dispensed with, and
direct feed from the inner conductor of feeder 8C to be
connected to the upper plate 19 with the screen remaining
connected to plate 20.

As a further development of the twin feeder crossed field
antenna types which use a coil to generate the magnetic field, a
further arrangement is proposed called the Maxwell type, in
which the magnetic field is produced from an electric field
displacement current located within a capacitor. It is an
arrangement which has many advantages theoretically and
practically, and allows the construction of a truly
omnidirectional vertically polarised antenna. Examination of the
Maxwell law D'=.gradient.XH where D'=.delta.D/.delta.t shows
that a changing displacement field causes a rotational magnetic
field. As the displacement current density is simply related in
space (or in air) by the formula D'=.epsilon.E' where E is the
electric field intensity and .epsilon. is the dielectric
constant, it is easy to calculate that this will be a very
useful technique for HF crossed field antennas of small size.
Also it can be seen that as before, the S= E.times.H
relationship of the Poynting vector demands geometric
perpendicularity synchronism and rotational form to both fields
The differentiation with respect to time within the Maxwell law
again inserts a 90.degree. phase change but in this type it is
of the opposite sign. There is a 90.degree. advance of magnetic
field relative to the voltage gradient and so there must be a
90.degree. delay in the voltage fed to the plates of the said
capacitor. The Maxwell type of crossed field antenna requires
two separate electric field stimulator plates; one pair as in
the first type to initiate the E field, and the other pair to
initiate the magnetic field by the Maxwell law The second pair
are called therefore, the D plates. In total there are four
phases of electric potential within the antenna structure:
0.degree. and 180.degree. of the E plates; 90.degree. and
270.degree. of the D plates

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a basic form of the Maxwell type of twin
feeder crossed field antenna. Two flat plates 22 and 23,
standing vertically are insulated from other electrodes and
ground and are fed by coaxial cable 26 via matching and
isolating transformer 27, thereby producing the electric field E
shown in the downwards phase. Two insulated flat elliptical
plates 24 and 25, disposed horizontally are also insulated from
earth and other electrodes and constitute the capacitor within
which a large displacement current density D' is produced by
radio frequency power arriving from feeder 28 via matching and
isolating transformer 29. The rapidly changing displacement
current is then the origin of the considerably curved H around
the whole antenna in the direction shown. In the wide
interaction zones at mid height, in front of and behind the
structure, copious field crossing is present and so considerable
Poynting vector power density is generated and radio waves
propagate away at the velocity of light in the directions shown
S. The waves are vertically polarised; the horizontal polar
diagram is a figure of eight. The lower plate may be earthed and
the screens of the coaxial feeders bonded to it. The transformer
27 may be dispensed with and a direct connection made between
the inner of the feeder 26 and the plate 23.

Many variants of the Maxwell type are conceivable and they
constitute a generic family of twin feeder crossed field
antennas disclosed herein. For instance the form described in
FIG. 6 could be turned through 90.degree. and it will then
generate horizontally polarised waves and have a radiation polar
diagram which is a figure of eight in the horizontal plane.

Two further antennas of this family will b described as they
are important in having a robust structural shape as well as a
vertically polarised omnidirectional radiation which is often
required in broadcasting and communicating to mobiles

FIG. 7 is a diagram of the cylindrical form of Maxwell type
crossed field antenna. The downwards electric field E is
initiated by voltage between the hollow cylindrical conducting
electrodes 30 and 31 which are fed from feeder via matching
transformer 33 The lower cylinder may stand safely on the ground
or could be formed as a flat plate on site. The displacement
current D' is stimulated upwards at the same time in the cycle
by feeding the appropriate phase voltage between the two
horizontal disc conductors 34 and 35 (having their central area
removed for space to mount transformers, feeders etc.) using
feeder 36 via matching and isolating transformer 37. Should
there be a requirement to reduce weight or wind resistance, the
said electrodes and conductors may be made with alternative
materials such as conducting wire mesh, or a conducting surface
applied to a plastics or other non-conducting structural
component.

FIG. 8 is a diagram of a ground plane (or half symmetry) form
of the cylindrical twin feeder crossed field antenna of the
Maxwell type. The downwards electric field E is produced by
applying a voltage between the hollow conducting cylinder 37 and
the large conducting earth plane 38 with the upwards
displacement current D' from the said earth plane to the
circular conducting plate 39 with a central missing area marked
39a in order to create the required rotational magnetic field H
to interact with the said E field and synthesise the Poynting
vector S radiating all round to space.

In a practical construction for the frequency range 3.6 to 30
MHz, the cylinder 37 has a height of 25 cm and a diameter of 20
cm with the base spaced 10 cm from the plate 39. Plate 39 has a
diameter of 40 cm and is positioned coplanar to and 5 cm
distance from plane 38. The parts may be mechanically connected
by insulating pillars or foamed plastics blocks.

The feed arrangement is shown in FIG. 9 and this has the
E-field feeder 90 connected between ground plane 38 and cylinder
37 and the H-field feeder 91 terminating in toroidal ferrite
coupling transformer 92 feeding between ground plane 38 and
plate 39. It is important that the outer conductor of feeder 91
is not electrically connected with any part of the structure.

For weatherproofing the structure may be encased for protection
but in a preferred embodiment a louvred or apertured screen is
used in conjunction with a top cover to provide air through
flow.

Twin feeder crossed field antennas of the above forms or other
forms may be made almost as small as desired. With correct time
phasing, the power radiated from the interaction zones can be
made as large as desired and is limited only by the necessary
voltages at the electrodes and the ultimate possibility of
corona discharge. However since the plates are large in area
compared with the surface areas for wire antennas the problem is
of comparative insignificance. Antennas of these types only
1/200 th of a wavelength in length (and less in diameter) have
been able to radiate 400 watts on HF with no perceptible
problems of electrode distress Calculations show that for the
magnitudes of voltage used in wire antennas, teraWatt
capabilities will be possible with crossed field antennas. There
are no large circulating currents in any conductor since nothing
is in resonance. It is a major advantage of the twin feeder
crossed field antenna system that it is broadband, and low Q.
For any given antenna radiating efficiently because it is
correctly phased, the bandwidth is very broad, firstly because
of the phase-sense of frequency change acting by the Maxwell Law
is the same sense as change due to a wave on the delay cable,
secondly because the two fields are both originated from
capacitor stimulus and also change in the same phase sense,
thirdly the two fields interact in such a way as to provide a
lower input impedance in each capacitor and therefore
self-optimise the synthesis. Thus an antenna which is say 1/400
th of a wavelength height may be expected to have a small
depreciation of efficiency by a frequency change of about plus
and minus 15%.

Many of the electrical properties of the system described are
not critical. For instance the adjustments needed in the phasing
unit to produce a low VSWR in the common feeder leading will be
found in practice to be self-optimising. The magnetic field
generated around the displacement current capacitor is in the
direction of curvature to reduce the impedance experienced by
the electric field generator since the synthesised Poynting
vector takes away power from the radio wave continuously, and at
no part of the cycle does the E field find its path as impedant
as normal space; it is always presented to the field lines as a
power sink as long as the magnetic field H is synchronous For
the same reasons, the H field lines flow into a low reluctance
interaction zone of a similar power sinking nature due to the
cross-curved E field in phase at all times. Only in the
unproductive zones around the antenna do the fields experience
the normal path impedance and reluctances. The crossed field
antenna system is almost an efficient "open frequency" antenna
It will also receive radio signals and so may be used in two
way-radio systems.

In fact the new device is such a small sized source that many
techniques not before possible are now within easy achievement.
When used in a reflecting or phasing arrangement, the crossed
field antenna allows perceptible directivity to be attained in
either transmit or receive modes even when the waves concerned
are much larger than the reflector or array diameter.

The radio antenna may be used to radiate or receive
electromagnetic waves when mounted within or along with other
conductors, or conducting surfaces in order to reflect, direct,
focus or enhance the said radiation or fed with either constant
phase related power in parts, or varying phase power in parts so
that a shaped radiation pattern is produced by the array and may
be directed in any desired direction or directions.

The invention also relates to the use of the antenna for radio
communication through a medium comprising ground, water, air or
space.

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