Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

To be precise, 1/4 guide wavelength which is different than the freespace wavelength and depends on the diameter of the can. Here is a calculator that can spit out the guide wavelength http://www.turnpoint.net/wireless/cantennahowto.html


Interesting I wouldn't have thought it was such a strong function of can diameter.

Presumably because the can is approx a wavelength you are in all sorts of complex near field regime, unlike say a parabolic sat dish?


Yes that sounds right. The change in wavelength dependence comes from the propagation constant (the argument in the exponential) so the peaks in this exponential are spaced differently than in freespace. The propagation constant changes in order to satisfy the boundary conditions (physically you could think of the wave bouncing at an angle off the sides of the can as it propagates down it) or you can think of it as a way to solve the helmholtz equation, while satisfying the need for the tangential electric field to vanish at the radius of the can.


Holy crap! That actually makes sense. The EM books they are working.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: