Investigating the Impact of Soil Conditions on a Modified Bow-Tie Antenna’s Radiation Characteristics Operating at 270MHz

This study explores the impact of different soil conditions on the radiation pattern of a modified bow-tie antenna that operates at 270MHz using the Sierpinski pattern. The primary objective is to investigate how soil conditions influence the main lobe and back lobe magnitude of the antenna’s radiation pattern. Prior research has demonstrated that a 270MHz antenna can penetrate the soil up to 20 meters. In this research, a simulated bow-tie antenna was placed parallel to a simulated soil surface. The distance between the antenna and soil is varied at 10mm, 20mm, and 30mm. The simulated soil setup involves different soil types: dry sandy, dry loamy, wet sandy, and wet loamy soil. The results reveal that the antenna performs better in dry soil conditions, while wet soil configurations negatively affect the radiation pattern. Moist soil causes an increase in the antenna’s back lobe, up to 6dBi, indicating that most signals reflect back to the surface, making it unsuitable for antenna operation. Based on the findings, this study recommends further research on other soil types and qualities. It also provides valuable insights for antenna engineers and researchers working on improving antenna performance in different soil conditions, specifically in ground-penetrating radar (GPR) technologies.