AMan - WinProp Software Suite
Graphical Editor for Antenna Patterns

 

Introduction

The AMan software offers a convenient facility to generate and edit antenna patterns. It is not only relevant for the interaction with other WinProp software tools because the antenna patterns can also be stored in *.xml, *.msi or further file formats - so they can be used with other radio network planning tools. Additionally antenna designers can use the software as a tool for the verification of their antenna patterns.

Besides the analysis and modification of single antennas also aMASC (Multiple Antenna Scenario Configurator) is integrated into AMan. So the supoerposition of multiple antennas radiating the same signal (incl. phase shifters and power splitters) as well as the consideration of the local environment (masts, arms, walls, sub-arms,...) can be considered to determine the actual antenna pattern.

 

aman large


 

Features of AMan

Antenna Patterns:

  • Description of the far-field of the radiation of the antenna(s)
  • At least (measured or computed) vertical and horizontal patterns are available from antenna manufacturers (in most cases also 3D pattern) describing the radiation of the antenna in ideal environments. These patterns are used as input of MASC.
  • Antenna pattern considered for computations in ProMan are always full 3D patterns. But additionally the 2x2D patterns (horizontal and vertical plane) can also be computed.

 Antennenturm1

Features:

  • 2D display of vertical and horizontal antenna patterns (with rotation, zoom,...)
  • 3D display of antenna patterns (with rotation, zoom,..)
  • Linear interpolation of antenna pattern
  • Generation of 2D vertical and horizontal antenna patterns
  • Graphical editor for 2D vertical and horizontal antenna patterns (insert, delete, modify individual points (angle and gain))
  • Display for 2D and 3D antenna pattern either with linear or with logarithmic scale
  • 2D display with scale circles (dB or linear)
  • Bitmap (with zoom) of scanned antenna pattern as background in 2D display possible (important if generation of patterns is done manually and only plots of the antenna pattern are available)
  • Exact definition of points in antenna pattern (either by mouse clicking or by dialogs)
  • Conversion of a horizontal and a vertical antenna pattern to a full 3D antenna pattern (with 4 different conversion algorithms, published in literature)
  • Print 2D or 3D antenna pattern
  • Converter for simple ASCII file formats of antenna patterns (2D and 3D patterns)
  • Converter for *.msi and *.pln antenna files (incl. interpolation from 2D to 3D)

 

Antenna Patterns

Antenna patterns are very important for accurate propagation modeling. WinProp is very flexible and supports a open ASCII formats for antenna patterns. If an appropriate converter for you is not already available, AWE Communications will develop the converters you need if a format description and at least one sample data set is mailed to our supportteam.

 

aman pattern v  aman pattern h  aman pattern 3d

Vertical plane of antenna pattern Horizontal Plane antenna pattern Interpolation of antenna pattern

 

Import of data

AMan offers several import filters, to convert the most popular file formats to the WinProp antenna pattern format. Popular formats are:

  • Antenna Patterns in *.msi or *.pln format

Many antenna manufacturers (e.g. Kathrein) offer digital patterns of their antennas in the *.msi and/or *.pln data format. These patterns can directly be used with all WinProp modules.

  • Open ASCII pattern format

WinProp also uses an open ASCII data format for antenna patterns - so each customer can use its own data format of the antenna patterns and can write a simple converter to the WinProp ASCII import format.