Antenna gain and beam angle
The beam angle is indicated for ?/2 antennas and other omnidirectional antennas or for directional antennas. It results from the points in the antenna diagram where the gain decreases by 3 dB compared to the maximum in the main beam direction (see diagram with the cars).
With integrated antennas, it is unusual to specify the beam angle. GPS patch antennas with their extreme directivity are an exception. Some antenna manufacturers show the directional diagram in 3D in their data sheets.
A high antenna gain is not always an advantage. For mobile applications in particular, the beam angle of the antenna is relevant (see diagram with cars) for safe operation. Developers must therefore consider both parameters when selecting the right antenna for their application.
Has this article series piqued your interest? Do you plan your own LPWAN IoT device? Do you plan to deploy IoT devices with embedded antennas? Do you have an IoT prototype and need to optimise the design or minimise the price? If you have answered “YES” to any one of these questions then please do not hesitate to drop an email to harald.naumann (at) lte-modem.com and to ask for a proposal or some engineering services to make your IoT idea a cost-effective reality.
