Parabolic antennas use a curved parabolic reflector to direct radio waves into a narrow beam. They work by reflecting radio waves from a feed antenna located at the focal point of the parabolic dish into a parallel beam when transmitting, and focusing incoming plane waves to the feed antenna when receiving. Parabolic antennas provide high gain and directivity due to their large reflector sizes. They find applications in satellite communication, microwave links, radio astronomy, and direct broadcast television due to their ability to direct signals over long distances with strong reception.

1. Parabolic Antennas
Presented by :
Rajat Shukla (73)
Aachal Agrawal (01)
Kritika Jain(10)
Salman Hanfee(89)

2. Contents
Introduction
Working
Radiation Pattern
Advantages and Disadvantages
Applications

3. Parabolic Antennas
Parabolic Satellite Communication Antenna Wire-grid type Parabolic Antenna

4. Introduction
• A Parabolic Antenna is an antenna that uses a parabolic reflector, a
curved surface with the cross-sectional shape of parabola, to direct the
radio waves.
• It is often referred to as a Dish Antenna.
• It was invented by German physicist Heinrich Herz during his discovery
of radio waves in 1887.
• It functions similarly to a searchlight or flashlight reflector to direct the
radio waves in a narrow beam, or receive radio waves from one
particular direction only.

5. Working
The operating principle of a parabolic antenna is that a point
source of radio waves at the focal point in front of a paraboloidal
reflector of conductive material will be reflected into a collimated
plane wave beam along the axis of the reflector.
Conversely, an incoming plane wave parallel to the axis will be
focused to a point at the focal point.

6. A typical parabolic antenna consists of a metal parabolic reflector with a
small feed antenna suspended in front of the reflector at its
focus, pointed back toward the reflector.
The reflector is a metallic surface formed into a paraboloid of revolution
and usually truncated in a circular rim that forms the diameter of the
antenna.
In a transmitting antenna, radio frequency current from a transmitter is
supplied through a transmission line cable to the feed antenna, which
converts it into radio waves.

7. The radio waves are emitted back toward the dish by the feed antenna
and reflect off the dish into a parallel beam.
In a receiving antenna the incoming radio waves bounce off the dish
and are focused to a point at the feed antenna, which converts them to
electric currents which travel through a transmission line to the radio
receiver.

9. • In parabolic antennas, virtually all the power radiated is
concentrated in a narrow main lobe along the antenna's axis.
• The residual power is radiated in sidelobes, usually much smaller,
in other directions.
• Because in parabolic antennas the reflector aperture is much
larger than the wavelength, due to diffraction there are usually
many narrow sidelobes, so the sidelobe pattern is complex.
• There is also usually a back lobe, in the opposite direction to the
main lobe, due to the spillover radiation from the feed antenna
that misses the reflector.

11. Advantages
• It can be used both as transmitting antenna and receiving antenna
due to principle of reciprocity.
• High gain: Parabolic reflector antennas are able to provide very
high levels of gain. The larger the 'dish’ in terms of wavelengths,
the higher the gain.
• High directivity: the parabolic reflector or dish antenna is able to
provide high levels of directivity. The higher the gain, the narrower
the beam width.

12. Disadvantages
Requires reflector and drive element : the parabolic reflector itself is only
part of the antenna. It requires a feed system to be placed at the focus of
the parabolic reflector.
Cost : The antenna needs to be manufactured with care. A paraboloid is
needed to reflect the radio signals which must be made carefully. In
addition to this a feed system is also required. This can add cost to the
system
Size: The antenna is not as small as some types of antenna, although
many used for satellite television reception are quite compact.

13. Applications
• Direct broadcast television : Direct broadcast or
satellite television has become a major form of
distribution for television material. The wide and
controllable coverage areas available combined with the
much larger bandwidths for more channels available
mean that satellite television is very attractive.
However as signal levels are low, directive
antennas must be used to provide sufficient
gain while being able to receive signals from
only one satellite in the visible sky. The
parabolic reflector antenna is able to meet
these requirements and has the added
advantage that it would not be as long as a
Yagi or equivalent gain and directivity.

14. • Microwave links : Terrestrial microwave links are used for
many applications. Often they are used for terrestrial
telecommunications infrastructure links. One of the major areas
where they are used these days is to provide the backhaul for
mobile phone / cellular backhaul.

15. • Satellite communications : Many satellite uplinks, or those
for communication satellites require high levels of gain to ensure
the optimum signal conditions and that transmitted power from
the ground does not affect other satellites in close angular
proximity. Again the ideal antenna for most applications is the
parabolic reflector antenna.
• Radio astronomy : Radio astronomy is an area where very
high levels of gain and directivity are required. Accordingly the
parabolic reflector antenna is an ideal choice.

16. Thank you!