Rhombic antenna
rhombus-shaped antenna
A rhombic antenna is a type of radio antenna made of four sections of wire suspended parallel to the ground in a diamond or "rhombus" shape.
These types of antenna were developed in the 1930s and widely used due to their simplicity and effectiveness at long-distance communication. However, rhombics have largely fallen out of favor as better alternatives were developed that required less space.
Description
Each of the four antenna sides is the same length – about a quarter-wavelength to one wavelength per section – converging but not touching at an angle of about 42° at the fed end and at the far end. The length is not critical, typically from one to two wavelengths (λ), but there is an optimum angle for any given length and frequency. A horizontal rhombic antenna radiates horizontally polarized radio waves at a low elevation angle off the pointy ends of the antenna.
If the sections are joined by a resistor at either of the acute (pointy) ends, then the antenna will receive from and transmit to only the direction the end with the resistor points at. Its principal advantages over other types of antenna are its simplicity, high forward gain, wide bandwidth, and the ability to operate over a wide range of frequencies.
A rhombic antenna consists of one to several parallel wires suspended above the ground in a "rhombus" (diamond) shape. Long versions are typically supported by a pole or tower at each vertex to which the wires are attached by insulators.
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