Tuesday, 6 March 2012

Using MMANA-GAL for antenna modelling


I gave a talk on antenna modelling using the free MMANA-GAL software at my local Amateur Radio Club. It looks at what MMANA-GAL is, how to use it and then a number of different applications.

Some of these are useful and surprising - like how to optimise a 40m off centre fed dipole (Windom) so that you can get 15m. And how mounting an antenna as an inverted V can seriously change its radation pattern or number of bands available.

It also asks the question is the G5RV really a good multiband antenna? Why was my W3EDP end fed better to the south-east and south west and rotten to the north. And does the DL7PE Microvert radiate off its feeder?

Download the presentation in PDF format with the notes included (8.8Mb).

Note: I have also made available a Zip file with some .maa files including the End fed Half Wave, Rybakov vertical, DL7PE Microvert, 80cm magnetic loop, 65ft Inverted L, EH antenna, 20-15-10m trap dipole, 80m OCFD (Windom) and an experimental W5GI mystery antenna file. Download the MMANA-GAL antenna files.
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19 comments:

  1. Anonymous30 May 2012 at 10:50

    Did you happen to record your presentation, either audio or video? Might be instructive listening.

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  2. Steve Nichols30 May 2012 at 11:22

    Sorry - I didn't!

    Steve G0KYA

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  3. Anonymous21 June 2012 at 15:50

    tnx steve .... i try learn this program but i have alot of question and no more video on youtube.com but all the ways i tnx you so much for your great effort

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  4. Unknown3 April 2017 at 01:12

    how can you do a round mag loop ?

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    Replies
    1. Steve Nichols3 April 2017 at 03:21

      Hi Marko,

      The usual way is to produce an eight-sided octagonal loop. I think there is an 80cm diameter one in the examples with MMANA-GAL. If not, use the following definition:

      MagLoop 20m, 50 Ohm feed
      *
      14.05
      ***Wires***
      16
      0.08, 0.03, 0.0, 0.08, -0.03, 0.0, 0.005, -1
      0.08, -0.03, 0.0, 0.11, -0.06, 0.0, 0.005, -1
      0.11, -0.06, 0.0, 0.17, -0.06, 0.0, 0.005, -1
      0.17, -0.06, 0.0, 0.2, -0.03, 0.0, 0.005, -1
      0.2, -0.03, 0.0, 0.2, 0.03, 0.0, 0.005, -1
      0.2, 0.03, 0.0, 0.17, 0.06, 0.0, 0.005, -1
      0.17, 0.06, 0.0, 0.11, 0.06, 0.0, 0.005, -1
      0.11, 0.06, 0.0, 0.08, 0.03, 0.0, 0.005, -1
      0.0, 0.15, 0.0, 0.0, -0.15, 0.0, 0.01, -1
      0.0, -0.15, 0.0, 0.3, -0.45, 0.0, 0.01, -1
      0.3, -0.45, 0.0, 0.6, -0.45, 0.0, 0.01, -1
      0.6, -0.45, 0.0, 0.9, -0.15, 0.0, 0.01, -1
      0.9, -0.15, 0.0, 0.9, 0.15, 0.0, 0.01, -1
      0.9, 0.15, 0.0, 0.6, 0.45, 0.0, 0.01, -1
      0.6, 0.45, 0.0, 0.3, 0.45, 0.0, 0.01, -1
      0.3, 0.45, 0.0, 0.0, 0.15, 0.0, 0.01, -1
      ***Source***
      1, 0
      w1c, 0.0, 1.0
      ***Load***
      1, 1
      w13c, 0, 0.0, 53.672, 0.0
      ***Segmentation***
      800, 80, 2.0, 2
      ***G/H/M/R/AzEl/X***
      0, 17.0, 4, 50.0, 120, 60, 0.0

      Delete
  5. Unknown13 April 2017 at 08:57

    Hi,Steve!
    More than writing a comment, may I ask your help in plotting using mmana-gal wire antennas with antenna coupler. I use an SGC-230 with the loop antennas suggested by SGC in http://www.sgcworld.com/Publications/Books/stealthbook.pdf pages 23-24. I would like to see how the patterns vary across the bands. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. Steve Nichols14 April 2017 at 03:05

      Hi, from what I can see this is a coiled, loaded wire arranged in a square. This would be very hard to model in MMANA-GAL as you can only model straight wires, and add capacitors and inductors. While it is easy to model wire it is not easy to model such an arrangement.

      Delete
  6. Unknown16 July 2017 at 14:43

    Where is the menu to set to Ft or inches and not mm

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  7. Steve Nichols17 July 2017 at 23:00

    Hi, I'm on holiday at the moment without a PC. Is there not a setting in preferences or settings?

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  8. bult25 November 2018 at 04:50

    I am working on this website Mmana. the intention is that source codes of various antennas will come in for the radio amateurs
    https://mmana.home.blog/

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  9. Unknown27 January 2019 at 08:06

    Is your EFHW in the zip file I can't see it there?

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    Replies
    1. Steve Nichols27 January 2019 at 10:14

      There is a file called EFHW.maa. Try that one

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    2. Jason (KG5VMD)1 August 2019 at 12:25

      Thank you for the great presentation and files.
      I don't see EFHW.maa in the .zip file. Is it possibly called something else?

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    3. Steve Nichols12 August 2019 at 02:01

      Sorry for the delay - the EFHW.maa file is on the CD that comes with the book and I have now added it to the downloadable file here as well.

      Regards, Steve

      Delete
    4. Unknown6 December 2019 at 00:02

      You mentioned a book ? Where can we get a copy?
      Regards, Jerry N9AW

      Delete
    5. Unknown6 December 2019 at 00:09

      Found it on Amazon - thanks. 73 de Jerry, N9AW

      Delete
  10. billywiz28 January 2019 at 02:36

    Hi Steve. I am working my way through your book 'an Introductionnto Antenna Modelling. A great publication and it has taught me a lot. However I am at the section using loads and you specify 80m_loaded_dipole.maa file. I just cant find this file is it on the book CD? sorry to be thick but your advice would be appreciated. Regards Bill G4KIH

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