Antenna Modelling and Analysing Software
Preface
This website shall give newbies to antenna modelling an overview on the most frequently used programs.
But I also show a few details that are essential for a deeper understanding and correct judging of antenna
models setup and properties verification that are not included in everybodies standard repertoire.
The big 3 in ham antenna modelling software are EZNEC, 4nec2 and MMANA-GAL. Apart from these there are
YO, AO and also NECWin Plus, NEC2GO.
There are other, non nec or mininec kernel based programs. And other EM (electromagnetic modelling) software
based on ‘mesh engines’ such as FEKO EM, Ansys HFSS, Sonnet EM which do cost a pretty buck.
It must be mentioned that the commercially discontinued Antenna / Yagi Optimizer AO resp. YO by K6STI due
to its features handling tappered wires, wires meeting at angles and optimiser is a (not existing any more) option
to which many designers who have it stick to. AO/YO are commerially discontinued.
How many radio enthusiasts have been looking up this website since Jan. 2016?
Frontends to the solving engine: In general about EZNEC, 4nec2, MMANA and others
This chapter is written with a programmers view (I do industrial programming for 6 years now to earn my living).
But I find this approach quite useful to understand how the issued software works, which is the first step to
improved handling of such.
Antenna modelling software based on nec2, nec4, mininec kernels is a frontend to the named kernel.
We could say these softwares are ‘User Interfaces’ that handle a data set, namely an antenna geometrie and a command
to compute something to the kernel, which does the real work. Finally they handle the kernels output into charts or plots
when the calculation are done.
This is why for instance 4nec2 and EZNEC show the least of marginal aberration when we compare pattern or Return Loss plot output.
Provided both run same setting and kernels, like option ‘Use Extended Thin wire Kernel…’ (in the nec cards this is line ‘EK’.
Which by standard is ‘turned on’ in both EZNEC and 4nec2. Only when opting for the Standard Thin Wire Kernel the ‘EK’ line is added to the nec wires card
Here is a useful report about the ‘Thin wire Kernels’, yet again by L. B. Cebik, W4RNL 
The kernel is fed with the geometry of an antenna design. In a strictly formatted table.
As the kernel is programmed in Fortran and needs to be fed with commands and parameters according the nec cards
description in the NEC Manual. It is the frontends task to provide a useful interface like a table calculation like
geometry input or a geometry orientated editor and transform this into the NEC Cards tables before feeding the kernel.
It is understood that the genius of computing the antenna properties lies at the employees of the Lawrence Livermoore
Laboratories that coded the NEC Kernels. But it is also understood that the genuis of providing a convenient human machine
interface lies at the makers of said antenna modelling software. As before that punchcards needed to be produced and
fed to crude computation machines. That is why NEC Cards are called NEC Cards. Because in the beginning they were
hard paper punchcards.
Frontends to the solving engine: In general about EZNEC, 4nec2, MMANA and others
This chapter is written with a programmers view (I do industrial programming for 6 years now to earn my living).
But I find this approach quite useful to understand how the issued software works, which is the first step to
improved handling of such.
Antenna modelling software based on nec2, nec4, mininec kernels is a frontend to the named kernel.
We could say these softwares are ‘User Interfaces’ that handle a data set, namely an antenna geometrie and a command
to compute something to the kernel, which does the real work. Finally they handle the kernels output into charts or plots
when the calculation are done.
This is why for instance 4nec2 and EZNEC show the least of marginal aberration when we compare pattern or Return Loss plot output.
Provided both run same setting and kernels, like option ‘Use Extended Thin wire Kernel…’ (in the nec cards this is line ‘EK’.
Which by standard is ‘turned on’ in both EZNEC and 4nec2. Only when opting for the Standard Thin Wire Kernel the ‘EK’ line is added to the nec wires card
Here is a useful report about the ‘Thin wire Kernels’, yet again by L. B. Cebik, W4RNL
The kernel is fed with the geometry of an antenna design. In a strictly formatted table.
As the kernel is programmed in Fortran and needs to be fed with commands and parameters according the nec cards
description in the NEC Manual. It is the frontends task to provide a useful interface like a table calculation like
geometry input or a geometry orientated editor and transform this into the NEC Cards tables before feeding the kernel.
It is understood that the genius of computing the antenna properties lies at the employees of the Lawrence Livermoore
Laboratories that coded the NEC Kernels. But it is also understood that the genuis of providing a convenient human machine
interface lies at the makers of said antenna modelling software. As before that punchcards needed to be produced and
fed to crude computation machines. That is why NEC Cards are called NEC Cards. Because in the beginning they were
hard paper punchcards.
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