How to Select the Right Antenna

There is an overall antenna selection guide for the ultimate wireless design, as each choice of antenna type comes with its pros and cons.

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Antenna Selection is Crucial

Finding a proper antenna plays a key role in wireless design. The performance of a wireless system relies heavily on selecting the right antenna, which makes it one of the most challenging tasks during the initial project stage. This guide introduces several common types of antennas in terms of their unique features, specifications, advantages, and disadvantages to help you make informed decisions.

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What are the common types of antennas?

The following list of 6 major kinds of antennas is intended to offer valuable guidance when selecting the antenna you need, although there is a wide range of antennas available on the market.

SMD Antennas

Surface-mount technology emerged in the 1960s and became widely used in the 1980s. Today, SMDs have grown into being an unstoppable solution for the next generation, thanks to their outstanding capability for highly scalable production of breakthrough technologies.

Features:

Surface-mount technology largely replaces the construction method of through-hole technology of fitting components and increases manufacturing automation.

Benefits:

Lightweight and compact
Reducing costs
Improving space utilization and quality by eliminating the need for holes in the board and allowing both sides of the board to be used more fully.
Accelerate product time to market

Stamped Metal Antennas

Stamped metal antennas have gained popularity due to their design and mounting edges. Comprising simple metallic struts, these antennas eliminate the need for carrier material, as they can be directly mounted onto PCBs or housing walls using cables or soldering. Engineered for both onboard and surface-mount applications, stamped metal antennas significantly boost wireless performance in consumer electronics, IoT devices, and automotive systems.

Benefits:

Stamped metal antennas are engineered to overcome the challenges posed by metal enclosures, delivering reliable signal transmission and reception even in challenging environments.

Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC) Antennas

FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) antennas are an ideal solution for compact circuit boards where space is extremely limited due to their small form factor design and ease of integration. Made from polymer film and conductive materials, these antennas can be precisely stuck along the device contour, offering unparalleled integration flexibility unmatched by other antenna solutions.

Benefits:

Compact
Space saving
Flexibility to fit a variety of designs.

Embedded Ceramic Patch Antennas

Ceramic patch antennas are common solutions customized for GNSS\GPS applications. They are made of finely tuned ceramic substrates and generally require a larger ground plane when mounted to ensure optimal performance. It is important that when selecting an antenna, rather than picking the antenna with the highest performance parameters based on the datasheet, it’s more important to find one that fits your design needs and minimizes integration challenges.

Benefits:

Miniaturized
Low profile
Reliable performance

Terminal Antennas

Similar to mobile phone antennas, “terminal” refers to a category of devices and antennas used for these devices are known as terminal antennas. The earliest terminal antennas (sometimes known as external antennas) were widespread during the 1980s and ’90s. Early wireless technologies used them exclusively, and they still have advantages over alternative antenna types today if used properly.

Benefits:

Superior Performance: Offers higher efficiency.
Noise Immunity: Provides resistance to product-generated noise.
Durability: Features a rugged, vandal-resistant housing.

Wireless Modules

Powerful wireless modules perfectly target a wide variety of IoT applications, ranging from low-power sensor networks to the most demanding tasks. they become one of the top solutions for wireless connectivity due to simplified RF architecture and PCB space saving.

Benefits

High Consistency and Reliability
Easy to Integrate
Off-the-shell, Application-Ready

Factors for Consideration

Comprehensive Guide to Pick An Antenna

Application Fields

Your choice of antenna hinges on your specific application. Assess your needs to select the appropriate communication protocol, frequency range, gain, efficiency, and other performance metrics. For instance, if your focus is on vehicle positioning, GPS antennas must be your prior choice.

Antenna Type

The type of antenna required depends on your application. Whether you're considering a terminal antenna, an SMD antenna, a helical antenna, or another variant, each type offers distinct advantages under different conditions.

Antenna Mounting

Evaluate the mounting options for your device—adhesive, screw-through-hole, or magnetic. Additionally, determine if the antenna will be located on the outside of the device or embedded inside, as this will influence your choice of antenna type - external or internal.

Placement

For antennas mounted on a PCB board, precise placement is critical. For example, some SMD antennas perform best along the long-side edge of the PCB, while others are more effective in corners. Consult with the Aboosty team for tailored recommendations.

Antenna Clearance Area

Beyond the antenna and PCB dimensions, ensure you account for the clearance area to guarantee a proper fit. In addition, some antennas require a consideration of ground plane dependency, as they may need a specific ground plane or an increased ground plane for optimal performance.

Antenna Accessories

Consider whether your antenna includes a cable, connectors, or adapters, and what's come with your package. Although most OEM/ODM antenna manufacturers provide customized RF assemblies, it‘ never hurts to confirm this in advance. For packaging items, Aboosty offers a handy tool as a gift for the easy installation of SMA connectors. Feel free to contact our team for more details.

Videos

Antenna Design Process Videos

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