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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    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

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  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.

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  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

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    4. Unknown6 December 2019 at 00:02

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

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    5. Unknown6 December 2019 at 00:09

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

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  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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