Design of a Compact and Novel Microstrip Patch Antenna for Multiband Satellite Applications

This paper presents the design and a detailed discussion of the results of a novel multi band microstrip patch antenna intended to serve several applications. The UWB structure has a close resemblance to the HFSS symbol and makes use of a FR4 epoxy substrate having a relative permittivity of 4.4, loss tangent of 0.02 and a height of 1.6 mm above the ground. The design incorporates a coaxial/probe feeding technique. The simulation software used is HFSS. The design has been analysed in terms of reflection coefficient, bandwidth, radiation pattern, gain, VSWR and directivity. The proposed antenna has 9 useful bands and exhibits a peak gain of 21.8 dB at 8.78 GHz, 10.33 GHz and 11.03 GHz each with a respective bandwidth of 222.9 MHz, 30.8 MHz and 220 MHz. Additional bands offering a gain of 2.6 dB with a bandwidth 102 MHz at 2.14 GHz, 7.2 dB with a bandwidth 168 MHz at 3.18 GHz, 12.8 dB with a bandwidth 15.7 MHz at 4.3 GHz, 16.7 dB with a bandwidth of 103.4 MHz at 5.26 GHz, 19 dB with a bandwidth of 110 MHz at 6.74 GHz and 19.7 dB with a bandwidth of 56.4 MHz at 7.78 GHz are also obtained. The 2.14 GHz band can be utilized for fixed mobile and mobile satellite(space to earth) applications, 3.18 GHz band for radiolocation, earth exploration satellites(active) and space research(active), 4.3 GHz band is used for aeronautical radio navigation, 5.26 GHz band for earth exploration satellites, radiolocation, aeronautical radio navigation and space research (active), 6.74 GHz band for fixed satellite (uplink as well as downlink), 7.78 GHz for fixed meteorological satellites(space-earth) and mobile except aeronautical mobile, 8.78 GHz band for radiolocation and aeronautical radio navigation, 10.33 GHz band for fixed mobile, radiolocation and amateur and 11.03 GHz band for fixed satellite (space-earth) and mobile except aeronautical mobiles. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.