Notes on building a Cantenna

Hal 21/09/2006
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Index
1 Introduction to electromagnetic waves: 1.1 What are electromagnetic waves 1.2
How to propagate electromagnetic waves in vacuum 1.3 How to propagate electromag
netic waves in materials 1.4 How to carry electromagnetic waves 1.5 How to focus
electromagnetic waves are generated 1.6 electromagnetic waves 1.7 The electroma
gnetic waves used in wi-fi 2 Analysis of a functional Cantenna: 2.1 Connecting t
o the card or router wi-fi 2.2 The tin as resonant cavity 2.3 The linear antenna
3 Construction of a Cantenna 3.1 3.2 Materials and equipment needed Instrumenta
tion 3.3 Opening of the tin cans 03.04 Foramento for assembling antenna connecto
r 3.5 3.6 3.7 Connecting Installation antenna Cantenna Wi-Fi
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Chapter 1 Introduction to electromagnetic waves
1.1 What are electromagnetic waves
The electromagnetic wave is, in terms of classical electromagnetism, a wave phen
omenon due to the simultaneous propagation of periodic disturbances of an electr
ic field and a magnetic field oscillating in planes perpendicular to each other.
Lights, microwave, television broadcasts are all electromagnetic emanations. An
y electromagnetic wave (hereafter abbreviated as em wave) has a characteristic w
avelength that will be denoted by λ ( ambda) and amp itude. The EM waves in amp
itude modu ation (those most common y used) have a λ remains constant during the
re ease, and a width that varies rather arbitrari y. The wave ength is the supp
ort that we send the signa through wave em. Indeed, we can ca ibrate the device
s that receive radiation em to be tuned to a given λ (or frequency, however, is
inverse y proportiona to λ), so you receive on y the waves with a given λ and d
iscard the rest. The modu ation amp itude, however, send the actua data. By ass
igning different meanings and va ues that the amp itude can take, we can encode,
through the wave of information. In particu ar, for digita , there is enough to
assign two va ues (or ranges) amp itude of the waves, which encode the two poss
ib e va ues for a bit.
1.2 As the waves propagate in vacuum and m
According to c assica e ectromagnetism, the em waves, propagating in a straight
ine in any medium and in vacuum. In 1887 the resu ts of Miche son and Mor ey v
erify the absence of the ' uminiferous ether' with evidence, so that the EM wave
s do not require a medium to spread, or can trave through vacuum. In the vacuum
waves do not undergo any type of variation or mitigation, so we can see stars t
housands of ight years away. In the vacuum em waves propagate at speed c (29979
2458 m / s).
1.3 How to propagate waves in materia s em
In materia s (eg air, and in genera any vo ume that contains the atoms) the amp
itudes of the em waves are attenuated by the exponentia aw, to zero comp ete
y. Hence the need to create devices that can amp ify the waves so that they arri
ve with a strong enough signa at the desired distance. It is a so necessary to
distinguish the materia means at east two categories: conductors and insu ator
s. Let's ook at a microscopic eve what happens when an EM wave hits an insu a
tor. The outermost e ectrons of the insu ator tend to remain "c ose" to the nuc
eus in orbit and very difficu t to turn away, this means that in insu ating the
current does not pass. The insu ation are absent because the conduction e ectron
s, in the case of conductors, are responsib e for current f ow. When an EM wave
hits an object, provides energy for the outermost e ectrons that become so excit
ed. The e ectron conductor, having great potentia for movement, receive energy
from the wave and 3
instant y re-emit (a de ay of about 10 ^-8s) with the same frequency wave from w
hich they were affected. So the conductors tend to ref ect the em waves that aff
ect, is an examp e of the mirror, behind g ass, a sheet of si ver. The insu atio
n may ref ect on y ow energy em waves (da 'infrarosso down) and not fa se, if
you point a white ight on an object they ref ect on y certain frequencies, part
icu ar y those of the typica co ors which we see (a tomato ref ects wave engths
that the human eye interprets red). Fina y we can conc ude that an insu ator
ets em absorbing waves, however, power, and tota y ref ects the conductor, eav
ing no pass€with directions that depend on the geometry of the conductor.
1.4 How to carry em
The most efficient way to transport em waves is the use of waveguides. The simp
est mode of the waveguide (for waves of high frequency type wi-fi) is a meta t
ube with insu ation inside (or empty if you want to perform better), within whic
h the waves propagate am ref ecting on the wa s. A better mode of the waveguid
e is represented by coaxia cab es, the em waves move in space (fi ed with insu
ation), ocated between the cab e core and the outer part, consisting of both a
good conductor (copper as the cases).
1.5 How concentrate wave em
Exp oiting the ref ective properties of meta s (or conductors) we can bui d "pac
kages" of em waves. Within those containers waves are ref ected on the wa s, bo
uncing severa times. In some parts of the book, therefore, one can observe inte
rference that, depending on ocation, can be constructive or destructive. Where
the amp itudes of waves are additive cross is said that the interference is cons
tructive, where, however, is said to cance the interference is destructive. The
phenomenon of constructive and destructive interference, overa , is ca ed res
onance, so the containers can cause this phenomenon is ca ed resonant cavities.
A resonant cavity may be on y for waves with a certain frequency (the imit of
a range of frequencies is not very arge), so the container has different sizes
depending on the frequency you want that it works.
1.6 How wi generate the EM waves
Most of em waves are generated everyday acce erating (or dece eration) of e ectr
ons in an order y or chaotic depending on the app ication. In an incandescent a
mp, e ectrons are expedited in a tota y random, whi e in a radio broadcast, wit
h a precise order. The simp est device for the acce eration of e ectrons has not
ordered more than a inear stretch of wire, which we ca antenna. A first impr
ovement is the antenna of the antenna inear two consecutive inear conductor ba
rs connected to one end of each signa generator waveform.
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The inear antenna is an examp e of resonance emission: by exp oiting the differ
ences in phase with which waves are emitted by the two bars, we get the areas in
which the maximum amp itude of the waves is generated and areas where there is
no transmission. This wi a so have imited the areas in which the antenna tran
smits. If you need to bui d an antenna for mobi e phones, for examp e, it needs
to sound as far as possib e horizonta y, and it is use ess but a so that radiat
es vertica y above and be ow itse f. The graph of inear antenna radiation is a
"donut" f attened para e to the ground and centered ne 'antenna. We can modi
fy the geometry of the "donut" using different engths of the bars that make up
the antenna, in particu ar use of fractions of integers of the wave ength for wh
ich we are bui ding the device (eg 1, 1 / 2, 1 / 3 etc. ).
1.7 The EM waves used in wi-fi
When using EM waves for transmission of data must take into account the amount o
f data you can send is direct y proportiona to wave frequency being used. So th
e higher the frequency you work the more data you can send. A so, the power is a
 function of wave frequency, so a higher frequency a ows a onger distance tran
smissions (do not forget that the harmfu ness of the em waves is direct y propor
tiona to frequency). The standard 802.11 b / g, as current y used in Europe, pr
ovides 14 channe s (devices are not enab ed Europeans to the ast channe , the m
ore frequent y). Channe s ranging from 2.401ai 2495 GHz with an interva of 5 Hz
from channe to channe , it is c ear that each channe interferes with the four
preceding it and the four next.
Because some wire ess devices bought in Europe sti have the imitation to e ev
en channe s (the same as the U.S.), you wou d use frequency channe 11 for the c
onstruction of the Cantenna. To find the wave ength λ, we divide the channe 11
c to its frequency: 299,792,458 m / s / 2462 5 GHz ~ 12.2 cm
Chapter 2 Ana ysis of a functiona Cantenna
2.1 Connecting to the network adapter
The waveguides used to connect between Cantenna and card or wire ess router are
ca ed pig-tai (pig tai ). The pig-tai is a coaxia cab e, usua y short to i
mit the oss due to the intrinsic resistance of the cab e.€On one side is an N c
onnector ma e and a fema e connector on the other that depends on which device i
s connected, the most common are the RP-SMA. For the construction of sma -sca e
pig-tai is strong y recommended to use LMR400 coaxia cab e.
2.2 The tin as a resonant cavity
The optimum size of λ can depend entire y on work. The can acts as a coaxia cab
e shorted, the waves bounce off the bottom and back, adds to those entrants. Th
e can must have a diameter between 9 and 11 cm for the wi-fi. You can ca cu ate
the standing wave ength (λg) formed in a can of a given diameter D: g = 1 2 2
1 1 - × D 1.706 The standing wave is the wave resu ting the sum of th
e incoming waves and those who bounced on the bottom. Is periodic, repeating, ie
equa to each λg / 2:

From the graph you can see that the standing wave has a maximum at 1 / 4 λg begi
nning: this is p aced in the antenna. The can be equa in ength to 3 / 4 of λg.
2.3 The inear antenna
The antenna inear device is a copper cab e 2mm connector mounted on a type N fe
ma e pane . As mentioned the connector is p aced on 1 / 4 λg from the bottom of
the can, in fact, the chart above, we note that at this point has a maximum stan
ding wave. The irradiation geometry of the antenna depends on the ength of the
antenna itse f. In particu ar, depends on the integer (ca ed n) for which we di
vide λ. Be ow are shown the graphs for different va ues of n.
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We wi use n = 4, the antenna wi therefore be 5.3 cm ong.
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Chapter 3 Bui ding a Cantenna
3.1 Equipment needed
Cantenna for this mode are used: ● 1 can of beer Faxe 1 t. ● 1 connector Type
N fema e pane . ● 1 piece of copper wire 2 mm ong enough to make the antenna. ●
a pig-tai with the necessary connections (N ma e on one side). ● 1 network car
d or router with which to test the antenna.
3.2 Equipment required
To bui d this mode of antenna you need: ● F exib e iron or saw for cutting the
can ● dri the ho e in the can ● We der for the antenna and the pond to Punta ●
 ● 14mm ho e for P iers
3.3 Opening the can
Choosing the can you measure the diameter and the previous formu as, we ca cu at
e the ength of the standing wave and therefore the distance from the bottom whi
ch must be cut. The beer can, so that both ong 3 / 4 λg must be cut to 16.5 cm
from the bottom. It is essentia to practice on a tin can cut so that the profi
e is as smooth as possib e.
3.4 Foramento of the can to the connector
At a distance of 1 / 4 λg, where the can of Faxe to 5.5 cm from the bottom of th
e can you score a point. There you wi practice a ho e of 14 mm, which wi be
inserted ater, the connector type N. The more the ho e wi adjust the Cantenna
is more accurate.
3.5 assemb ing antenna
Cut a piece of copper wire from 2mm in diameter, straight, ength equa to λ / 4
, for this mode , therefore, 3.1 cm. You insert the piece of copper in the conne
ctor (the piece of copper wi probab y be a itt e b unt at the bottom to accom
modate it in the crook of connector). Then we d the copper section of the connec
tor and, fina y, is screwed or we d the N-type connector to the ho e from 14mm
practiced before. Now you can connect the Cantenna to your device wire ess y thr
ough pig-tai .
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Sitography: http://www.wikipedia.org http://www.moonb inkwifi.com http://www.sau
na ahti.fi/e epa /antennit.htm
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