Combined antenna for satellite and terrestrial radio communications
View Patent ↗The combined antenna for satellite and terrestrial radio communications includes: a support structure ( 1 ); a “crossed dipole” compact broadband satellite antenna ( 10 ), in turn including a pair of dipoles ( 11,12 ), which extend from the support structure ( 1 ), and which are substantially perpendicular to each other and connected so as to be electrically out of phase. A broadband “monopole” antenna ( 50 ) for terrestrial communications is included, having a plurality of linear electric mass elements ( 52 ) extending radially from the support structure ( 1 ) to provide an electric mass surface ( 53 ), and a radiating arm ( 55 ) is also included extending from the support structure ( 1 ) away from the electric mass surface ( 53 ). The radiating arm ( 55 ) is arranged around the central column ( 2 ) and includes thread-like radiating elements ( 56 ); and the dipoles ( 11,12 ) further include one or more thread-like dipole elements ( 111,112 ), arranged to define a flattened configuration of the respective dipole ( 11,12 ).
1. Combined antenna for satellite and terrestrial radio communications, of the type including:
a support structure ( 1 );
a compact broadband satellite crossed dipole antenna ( 10 ) comprising a satellite antenna radio frequency connector ( 19 ) and a pair of dipoles ( 11 , 12 ) connected to said satellite antenna radio frequency connector ( 19 ), wherein the pair of dipoles extend from the support structure ( 1 ), are substantially perpendicular to each other, and are connected to each other so as to be electrically phase-offset; and
a broadband monopole antenna ( 50 ) comprising a terrestrial radio frequency connector ( 59 ) for terrestrial communications and further comprising
a plurality of linear electric mass elements ( 52 ), that extend radially from said support structure ( 1 ), said linear electric mass elements ( 52 ) providing a surface of electric mass ( 53 ) for said broadband antenna ( 50 ) for terrestrial communications, and further comprising
at least one radiating arm ( 55 ) of the monopole antenna, which extends from said support structure ( 1 ) away from said surface of electric mass ( 53 );
said support structure ( 1 ) comprising a central column ( 2 ), a first base ( 3 ), mounted on said central column ( 2 ) and a second base ( 4 ), likewise mounted on said central column ( 2 ) and spaced apart from said first base ( 3 ); said linear electric mass elements ( 52 ) mounted laterally in said first base ( 3 ) and said at least one radiating arm ( 55 ) of said monopole antenna ( 50 ) for terrestrial communications mounted thereabove, the at least one latter radiating arm ( 55 ) arranged around said central column ( 2 ); wherein
each dipole of said pair of dipoles ( 11 , 12 ) of the aforementioned compact broadband satellite crossed dipole antenna ( 10 ) is mounted sideways and crosswise with respect to the other in said second base ( 4 ), each dipole comprising one or more dipole elements ( 111 , 112 ) arranged to define a flattened configuration and wherein
the combined antenna is configured as a whole to communicate terrestrial communication channels and satellite communication channels, respectively, via said terrestrial radio frequency connector ( 59 ) and said satellite antenna radio frequency connector ( 19 ).
2. The combined antenna according to claim 1 , wherein each of said one or more dipole elements ( 111 , 112 ) comprises a plurality of metal strands placed side by side and equidistant.
3. The combined antenna according to claim 1 , wherein each element of said dipole elements ( 111 , 112 ) of said broadband satellite crossed dipole antenna ( 10 ) comprises an elongated metal plate.
4. The combined antenna according to claim 1 , wherein each of said one or more dipole elements ( 111 , 112 ) extends from the second base ( 4 ) at an inclination angle (α) with respect to a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said support structure ( 1 ), comprised between 10° and 45°.
5. The combined antenna according to claim 4 , wherein said inclination angle (α) is 35°.
6. The combined antenna according to claim 1 , wherein each dipole of said pair of dipoles ( 11 , 12 ) of said satellite antenna ( 10 ) is divided into two identical parts ( 13 a , 13 b ; 14 a , 14 b ), each identical part extending laterally from the second base ( 4 ) of said support structure ( 1 ) in a direction that is orthogonal to the direction of adjacent identical parts of the other dipole.
7. The combined antenna according to claim 6 , wherein one or both of the two identical parts ( 13 a , 13 b ; 14 a , 14 b ) comprises a plurality of metal strands placed side by side and equidistant from one another.
8. The combined antenna according to claim 6 , wherein one or both of said two identical parts ( 13 a , 13 b ; 14 a , 14 b ) of said satellite antenna ( 10 ) comprises an elongated metal plate.
9. The combined antenna according to claim 6 , wherein each of said identical parts ( 13 a , 13 b ; 14 a , 14 b ) extends from the second base ( 4 ) at an inclination angle (α) with respect to a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said support structure ( 1 ), the inclination angle (α) comprising between 10° and 45°.
10. The combined antenna according to claim 9 , wherein said inclination angle (α) is 35°.
11. The combined antenna according to claim 1 , wherein said radiating arm ( 55 ) of said monopole antenna ( 50 ) for terrestrial communications comprises a plurality of radiating elements ( 56 ) that are arranged around said central column ( 2 ).
12. The combined antenna according to claim 11 , wherein said radiating elements ( 56 ) comprise linear, equidistant and parallel rods.
13. The combined antenna according to claim 11 , wherein said radiating elements ( 56 ) extend beyond the second base ( 4 ) of the support structure ( 1 ), through corresponding through holes made in the second base ( 4 ).
14. The combined antenna according to claim 11 , wherein said radiating elements ( 56 ) are arranged along a frusto-conical lateral surface that has a minor base at the first base ( 3 ) supporting the radiating elements ( 56 ).
15. The combined antenna according to claim 11 , wherein a plurality of perforated brackets ( 57 ) are provided in the upper part of said central column ( 2 ), and a terminal part of each of said radiating elements ( 56 ) extends through a perforation of a respective perforated bracket ( 57 ).
16. The combined antenna according to claim 1 , further comprising a GPS receiver, mounted near or at a top part of said combined antenna ( 100 ).
17. The combined antenna according to claim 1 , wherein said linear electric mass elements ( 52 ), said radiating arm ( 55 ) and said one or more dipole elements ( 111 , 112 ) are removably mounted on said support structure ( 1 ).