Experimental Study of Composite-Antenna-Structures with High Electrical and Mechanical Performances

Embedding of an antenna within a structural surface is an excellent way to improve structural efficiency and antenna performance. We study the impact characteristics of a Composite-Antenna-Structure (CAS) and the degradation in the performance of the antenna after impact testing. We used an annular ring patch antenna designed to operate in two bands: GPS (1.575GHz) and DMB (2.62GHz). When 20J of impact energy was applied to the CAS surface, the maximum contact force was 4kN, and the CAS proved resistant to impact. The antenna performance, measured by the return loss and radiation pattern, remained excellent after the impact tests.