On the design of broadband omnidirectional compact antennas

The conventional discone antenna is well known as an easy‐to‐build broadband antenna with a vertically polarized omnidirectional radiation pattern. Here, we consider an alternative configuration where both metallic surfaces involved in discone‐type antennas are shaped. A study is performed to find body shapes that simultaneously minimize the antenna's cross‐section area and improve the antenna's performance. For this study, a numerical model based on the method of moments (MoM) is employed and the parameters used to describe the antenna shape are explored. A design example of the modified discone‐type antenna is presented and its performance is compared with that of a conventional discone antenna.