A rhombic antenna case study

A NASA research program has been instituted which seeks to replace the present hydraulic and pneumatic control systems on commercial aircraft with electro-optical and electro-mechanical devices. This new technology should be lighter, cheaper, and easier to maintain, but may be susceptible to high-amplitude externally-generated electromagnetic fields. To determine the expected level of interference, a rhombic antenna utilized by the Voice of America for international short-wave broadcasting was modeled using NEC-4D. The predicted gain and take-off angle were calculated, along with the electric-field intensity at several data points located near the ground.