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    Exporting Radiation Patterns to Radio Mobile: A Step-by-Step Guide

    Created On
    Updated On
    By:Tony Golden

    Learn how to export AN-SOF radiation patterns to the Radio Mobile (.ant) format. This guide covers both azimuth and full azimuth/elevation exports, including proper plane selection and automatic interpolation for high-precision propagation modeling.

    AN-SOF allows for the direct export of antenna radiation patterns into the .ant file format, which is required for propagation analysis in Radio Mobile (RM) software. The implementation supports both Version 1 (azimuth only) and Version 3 (azimuth and elevation) patterns.

    Follow these instructions to generate and export your files correctly.

    1. Exporting an Azimuth Pattern (Version 1)

    This method is used when only the horizontal radiation characteristics are needed for the simulation.

    1. Compute the Far-Field: Ensure the far-field calculation for your antenna model is complete.
    2. Select the Pattern Slice: Navigate to the main menu and select Results > Plot Far-Field Pattern > Polar Plot 1 Slice, or use the corresponding button on the main toolbar.
    3. Define the Horizontal Plane: In the configuration window (Fig. 1), choose a horizontal slice by selecting Fixed Theta. For most standard applications, set Theta = 90 degrees to capture the pattern in the XY-plane.
    4. Export the File: The pattern will open in the AN-Polar plotting window (Fig. 2). Go to File > Export, select a destination folder, and choose ANT Files (*.ant) in the “Save as type” field.
    Fig. 1: Window for choosing a radiation pattern cut.
    Fig. 2: AN-Polar window where the chosen radiation pattern cut is plotted.

    2. Exporting Azimuth and Elevation Patterns (Version 3)

    This method provides a more comprehensive dataset by including both horizontal and vertical pattern slices.

    1. Configure 3D Far-Field: In the Setup tab, go to the Far-Field panel and select the Full 3D option (Fig. 3).
      • Note: Radio Mobile requires data in 1-degree increments. You do not need to set your simulation steps to 1 degree; AN-SOF automatically applies interpolation during the export process to meet this requirement.
    2. Select Dual Slices: After the simulation, go to Results > Plot Far-Field Pattern > Polar Plot 2 Slices.
    3. Define the Horizontal and Vertical Planes:
      • Slice 1 (Horizontal): Set Fixed Theta = 90 deg (Fig. 4).
      • Slice 2 (Vertical): This depends on your antenna’s orientation. Set Fixed Phi = 0 if the main beam points toward the X-axis, or Fixed Phi = 90 deg if it points toward the Y-axis.
    4. Finalize Export: In the AN-Polar window (Fig. 5), go to File > Export and save the file as an ANT File (*.ant).
    Fig. 3: Far-Field panel in the Setup tab, where the “Full 3D” option must be selected.
    Fig. 4: Window where Slices 1 and 2 can be chosen for the radiation pattern cuts.
    Fig. 5: AN-Polar window where the two radiation pattern slices are plotted.

    See Also:

    Technical Keywords: Radio Mobile, .ant Format, Azimuth Pattern, Elevation Pattern, Radiation Pattern Export, AN-Polar, Far-Field Slices, Numerical Interpolation, Antenna Propagation.

    About the Author

    Tony Golden

    RF ENGINEER & PHYSICS PH.D. With 25+ years in Computational Electromagnetics, I’m a passionate researcher focused on antenna modeling and design. As Founder of Golden Engineering LLC, I develop accessible, high-performance simulation tools that help RF engineers optimize their designs, educators teach complex concepts, and hobbyists bring antenna projects to life.

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