Selection of vehicular antenna configuration and location through use of radiation pattern

The antenna configuration, and its mounting location on a vehicle affect its performance. When mounting locations other than the roof are used, system performance is degraded. This paper focuses on signal improvement through antenna selection. The radiation patterns illustrate that pattern distortion is the result of both the particular mounting location and the antenna configuration used. Six antenna designs are examined on five land mobile frequencies from 30 to 830 MHz. An attempt has been made to make the information even more useful by referencing the roof mounted quarter-wave antennas to half-wave dipoles at the same height.