🎉 Celebrating 100 Years of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU)

April 18, 2025 marks not only World Amateur Radio Day 🎙, but also the centennial of the IARU—a global voice for radio amateurs since 1925. Over the past century, the IARU has played a vital role in promoting innovation, education, and international collaboration across the amateur radio community.

As we honor this milestone, let’s also celebrate the spirit of experimentation that continues to unite hams, engineers, educators, and antenna enthusiasts worldwide.

📡 If you’re passionate about antenna design and simulation, we invite you to subscribe to Antennas and Beyond! 📰—a newsletter dedicated to practical insights, modeling tips, and the latest developments in antenna technology:

🔗  Subscribe › AN-SOF Antenna Simulation Software

Here’s to the next 100 years of pushing the boundaries of the airwaves.

Tony Golden

Here’s a helpful tutorial from AN-SOF user Gary, N8DMT, on how to model a 10-meter vertically oriented half-wave dipole in free space: 

🔗 https://qsl.net/n8dmt/an-sof-simulation-of-a-10m-free-space-dipole/index.html

This is a great resource for those getting started with antenna simulation, and it can be run using the AN-SOF Trial version.
I’m always glad to share user-created tutorials—feel free to send me yours!

Best regards,

Tony

We are excited to announce the release of AN-SOF 10 🚀, the latest version of our powerful antenna simulation software 📡. Designed with the needs of RF engineers, ham radio enthusiasts, and academic professionals in mind, AN-SOF 10 brings a host of new features and enhancements to streamline your antenna design and analysis workflows.

The image below shows my preliminary results experimenting with DeepSeek-V3 to assist in designing a 3-element Yagi-Uda array for the 10 m band. I requested an output file in NEC format to import into AN-SOF Antenna Simulator. The image displays three iterations where I requested modifications to improve the Front-To-Back (F/B) ratio.

Key Takeaways So Far:

✅ It’s important to start with general requests about the antenna design before refining them with more specific requirements.

✅ In this example, I began with broad prompts:
📏 What are the recommended element lengths and spacings for a Yagi-Uda antenna?
📏 Could you recommend the element lengths and spacings for a 3-element Yagi-Uda antenna for the 10 m band?

✅ Finally, I prompted the AI to generate a complete NEC model 📝.

I’ll be sharing more details soon!

Tony Golden

We’re excited to share our latest article exploring the geometry, design principles, and simulation insights of LPSAs. Special thanks to our valued customer Ĝan Ŭesli Starling (KY8D, M0KYD, VA7KYD, ZD7KYD, ZS1KYD) for providing the LPSA model featured in the article and for his ongoing contributions to the field.

Happy New Year from Golden Engineering! 🥂 Wishing you a successful and fulfilling 2025.

Before we step into the new year, let’s take a look back at the top 5 articles that captivated our readers in 2024:

🥇 Efficient NOAA Satellite Signal Reception with the Quadrifilar Helix Antenna

🥈 Design Guidelines for Skeleton Slot Antennas: A Simulation-Driven Approach

🥉 Advantages of AN-SOF for Simulating 433 MHz Spring Helical Antennas for ISM & LoRa Applications

4️⃣ Evaluating EMF Compliance – Part 2: Using Near-Field Calculations to Determine Exclusion Zones

5️⃣ RF Techniques: Implicit Modeling and Equivalent Circuits for Baluns

Thank you for being part of our journey. See you in 2025!

Tony Golden
CEO & Founder
Golden Engineering LLC

We’re excited to share the top 5 most-read articles from November. We greatly appreciate your continuous feedback and support.

📰 Top 5 Most-Read Articles in November 2024:

1️⃣ Efficient NOAA Satellite Signal Reception with the Quadrifilar Helix Antenna

2️⃣ Advantages of AN-SOF for Simulating 433 MHz Spring Helical Antennas for ISM & LoRa Applications

3️⃣ Exploring the Spiral Loop Antenna: A Compact Solution for 80m DXing

4️⃣ Modeling a Super J-Pole: A Look Inside a 5-Element Collinear Antenna

5️⃣ Precision Simulations with AN-SOF for Magnetic Loop Antennas

Not an AN-SOF user yet? Request your free trial version now >

Dive deep into the world of RF compliance with our latest article: Evaluating EMF Compliance – Part 2: Using Near-Field Calculations to Determine Exclusion Zones. Discover practical methods and insights on ensuring safe RF exposure. Perfect for DX enthusiasts and RF safety professionals!

Did you know that AN-SOF can be used as a coil inductance calculator?

Traditional coil inductance calculations often rely on simplified approximations. AN-SOF offers a more accurate approach by considering factors like non-uniform magnetic fields, conductor losses, and complex coil geometries. By using AN-SOF, you can obtain precise inductance values, visualize magnetic field and current distributions, to improve your coil designs.

These online RF calculators assist with conversions (like frequency to wavelength, Watts to dBm, VSWR to reflection coefficient, etc.) and offer easy calculations for antenna power density, near-far field boundary, line of sight, radio horizon, and more.

The calculators are organized into three categories: 

• Conversion Calculators >
• Antenna Propagation Calculators >
• Antenna Component Calculators >

Just fill in the fields, hit Calculate, and you’ll get your results instantly.

We hope you find these tools useful as a complement to AN-SOF!

Helping a customer solve a real-world problem is incredibly rewarding!

Recently, we worked with a client building Omni Double Bi-Quad antennas for 2.4 GHz who was facing a mismatch between simulations and real-world performance. The culprit? Rounded corners, not represented in the model. By creating a script that considered rounded corners, we were able to achieve a more accurate simulation, leading to a new AN-SOF command called GB.

‘GB’ simplifies creating rounded corner models, saving time and improving simulation accuracy compared to the older ‘GA’ NEC command. Stay tuned for an upcoming tutorial on this model!

Today marks a significant milestone in the journey of AN-SOF Antenna Simulator – it’s been 12 years since I launched the very first version! 🎉

Back in 2002, I dedicated countless hours (and years) to develop a tool that would empower antenna designers and enthusiasts alike. In 2012, I officially launched version 1.0, and today, I’m excited to share a nostalgic screenshot of that initial version.

As we celebrate this anniversary, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to each of you for being part of this incredible journey. Whether you’re an RF engineer, radio amateur, professor, or hobbyist, your contributions have helped shape AN-SOF into the powerful tool it is today.

Thank you for your unwavering support!

Best regards,

Tony Golden

Exciting News: AN-SOF 9 is Here! 🚀

Discover the advanced features of AN-SOF 9, the latest version that takes antenna design to the next level with groundbreaking Feeder and Tuner Calculators.

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of a new section on our blog: 🎙 The Ham’s Corner. This section is dedicated to all passionate ham radio enthusiasts.

We’ve also got two other sections on our blog:

💡 The Antenna Lab: Perfect for students, professors, and anyone eager to dive deep into the world of antenna simulation.

🎓 Advanced RF Edge: Explore advanced techniques, cutting-edge insights, and everything you need to take your skills to the next level.

With these three dedicated sections, we’re committed to serving our diverse readership better than ever before. 🌟

And if you haven’t already, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates and exclusive content.

Best,

Tony

We are thrilled to announce the launch of AN-SOF DX ✨, a special edition designed to elevate the antenna simulation experience for ham radio enthusiasts.

These features perfectly address the diverse antenna design needs of ham radio operators. AN-SOF DX is our response to the numerous requests from radio amateurs seeking a software edition that fits their budget constraints, recognizing that many enthusiasts in this community are hobbyists or engaged in non-profit amateur radio activities. AN-SOF DX is tailored to be accessible and affordable for individuals, not businesses.

If you are interested in AN-SOF DX, drop us a message or email to learn more or request a quotation.

Let’s elevate your antenna simulation experience together!

Dear AN-SOF Community,

As we kick off 2024, we’d like to reflect on the strides made in 2023 and provide a sneak peek into the exciting developments awaiting you in the year ahead.

Our commitment to enhancing AN-SOF revolves around your needs, and last year, we diligently incorporated several user-requested features, including:

✅️ Transmission Line Models: Now boasting over 160 models meticulously fitted to real cable datasheets, AN-SOF facilitates the seamless modeling of phased arrays and feeding systems with multiple transmission lines.

✅️ Solid Surfaces with Thickness: We’ve expanded our capabilities to include the modeling of solid surfaces, moving beyond wire grids.

✅️ Material Selection: Choose the material of wires and dielectric substrates effortlessly from a curated list of commonly used materials.

✅️ Enhanced Impedance Options: Introducing Fixed Load Impedance, allowing the addition of R+jX impedance alongside RL and RC impedances.

✅️ Efficient Convergence Analysis: The Segments per Wavelength option optimizes convergence analysis by adjusting the number of wire segments based on their lengths measured in wavelengths.

✅️ New Plots Tab: A dedicated tab for quick insights into input impedance, VSWR, gain, Front-to-Rear, and Front-to-Back ratios as a function of frequency.

✅️ EMF Compliance: Evaluate compliance with Average and Peak Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) limits stipulated by regulations.

✅️ Extended Power Budget: Gain valuable insights with the integration of Front-to-Rear (F/R) and Front-To-Back (F/B) ratios into the Power Budget table.

✅️ Axial Ratio: Recognizing the importance of polarization analysis, we’ve introduced Axial Ratio in both dB and dimensionless formats.

✅️ Performance Enhancements: Optimized algorithms for faster results while maintaining the high accuracy AN-SOF is known for.

In addition, we’ve shared valuable models and articles, with the top 5 being:

📰 Accurate Analysis of Solid Wheel Antennas at 2.4 GHz Using Cost-Effective Simulation

📰 Evaluating EMF Compliance – Part 1: A Guide to Far-Field RF Exposure Assessments

📰 Design Guidelines for Skeleton Slot Antennas: A Simulation-Driven Approach

📰 Efficient NOAA Satellite Signal Reception with the Quadrifilar Helix Antenna

📰 The Loop on Ground (LoG): A Compact Receiving Antenna with Directional Capabilities

As we dive into 2024, our commitment to improvement remains unwavering. AN-SOF is evolving, and we’re thrilled to announce a glimpse of what’s to come:

⚠️ SPOILER ALERT:

AN-SOF 9 is on the horizon, featuring a groundbreaking Tuner Calculator. This tool will enable you to incorporate an impedance matching network (L, Pi, T), account for output stray capacitance, and include a balun. Additionally, you can model quality factors in capacitors and inductors, along with balun losses, providing a comprehensive solution for simulating real-case scenarios and accurately representing all components between the transmitter and the antenna.

And this is just the beginning.

If you’re in search of an easy-to-use, accurate, and affordable antenna simulation tool, look no further than AN-SOF.

AN-SOF never stops evolving, and we invite you to stay tuned for more exciting updates.

Best regards,

Tony Golden

Here we present a summary of the top 5 posts from this past year. Don’t miss it!

🥇 Accurate Analysis of Solid Wheel Antennas at 2.4 GHz Using Cost-Effective Simulation

🥈 Evaluating EMF Compliance – Part 1: A Guide to Far-Field RF Exposure Assessments

🥉 Design Guidelines for Skeleton Slot Antennas: A Simulation-Driven Approach

4️⃣ Efficient NOAA Satellite Signal Reception with the Quadrifilar Helix Antenna

5️⃣ The Loop on Ground (LoG): A Compact Receiving Antenna with Directional Capabilities

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Golden Engineering!

Wishing you prosperity and success in 2024. 🥂

Exciting update! AN-SOF 8.90 is here with features like “Segments per Wavelength,” enhanced wire scaling, TL command import/export, and faster current distribution algorithms. Elevate your antenna simulations!

In today’s wireless world, ensuring Electromagnetic Field (EMF) compliance is crucial for protecting individuals from potential harmful effects of RF exposure. Join us as we explore the influence of antenna configurations, ensuring you possess the tools to navigate the complexities of EMF compliance effectively.

Revolutionize antenna modeling with our simplified method. Accurately simulate 2.4 GHz wheel antennas for optimal performance.

The Front-to-Rear ratio is a crucial factor in determining the directional performance of your antenna. AN-SOF can display this ratio in various forms. Discover the difference between the Front-to-Rear and Front-to-Back ratios in this article.