3.2 Reflection Coefficient Calculations: Chapter 3 Transmission Line Calculations
3.2 Reflection Coefficient Calculations: Chapter 3 Transmission Line Calculations
3.2 Reflection Coefficient Calculations: Chapter 3 Transmission Line Calculations
This document shows how you can use Mathcad's complex arithmetic and root function to carry out
transmission line calculations. The examples include finding the reflection coefficient, load impedance,
voltage standing wave ratio, and position of the voltage minimum and maximum along the transmission
line. The final example finds the location and value of a shunt admittance for impedance matching. You
enter a combination of the following parameters:
Background
Most transmission line operating parameters can be related to the reflection coefficient: impedance,
admittance, voltage, and VSWR can be found as a function of distance from the load. These calculations
are often carried out with the help of a Smith chart, but Mathcad's complex arithmetic capability and root
function allow you to obtain the same results by direct calculation.
For more information on the graphical method, please see 3.3 The Smith Chart.
Periodicity
Since all of these functions are periodic in distance along the transmission line, there may be more than
one solution to each problem, depending on the actual length of the transmission line. When a solution is
found, it is usually the one closest to the load, but not always. Other solutions will be one cycle (2) or
one half-wavelength away. It is wise to double check that the lengths calculated are not longer than the
transmission line itself.
Impedance Matching
A note about impedance matching: it is physically difficult to create a series impedance for a transmission
line, while it is relatively easy to construct a parallel admittance. For this reason, it is common to match
impedances with a parallel admittance stub, as is done in this document.
Mathcad Implementation
The equations that follow define standing wave solutions for transmission line voltages, reflection
coefficients, etc.
The following functions are defined here for use throughout the document. They transform between
rectangular (a + jb) notation and phasor form for complex numbers.
P gives the magnitude and phase (in degrees) of the complex number A. The output of the function P is a
two-element row vector in which the first element is the magnitude of the complex input and the second
element is the argument in degrees.
⎡ arg (A) ⎤
P (A) ≔ ⎢ |A| ―――
⎣ deg ⎥⎦
R(B) expresses the complex number B (magnitude, phase in radians) in the form a + jb. The function R
takes a similar row vector as input (with the argument in radians) and returns the equivalent complex
number in rectangular form.
R (B) ≔ B ⋅ cos ⎛B ⎞ + 1j ⋅ B ⋅ sin ⎛B ⎞
0,0 ⎝ 0 , 1⎠ 0,0 ⎝ 0 , 1⎠
For each computation, enter a value for a parameter by editing the corresponding definition.
or in polar form,
P ⎛⎝ΓL⎞⎠ = [ 0.707 45 ]
and the positions of the voltage minimum and maximum in wavelengths are
arg ⎛⎝ΓL⎞⎠ + π
zmin ≔ −―――― = −0.313
4⋅π
arg ⎛⎝ΓL⎞⎠
zmax ≔ −――― = −0.063
4⋅π
The reflection coefficient and voltage at a position z wavelengths back from the load are, respectively,
2 ⋅ 1j ⋅ 2 ⋅ π ⋅ z
Γ. (z) ≔ ΓL ⋅ e
−1j ⋅ 2 ⋅ π ⋅ z 1j ⋅ 2 ⋅ π ⋅ z
V (z) ≔ e + ΓL ⋅ e
1.75
1.6
1.45
1.3
1.15
1
|V (d)| 0.85
0.7
0.55
0.4
0.25
-1.5 -1.35 -1.2 -1.05 -0.9 -0.75 -0.6 -0.45 -0.3 -0.15 0
d
Additional minima and maxima can be found by adding 2 to the numerators of the
expressions for zmax and zmin.
To match the impedance, find a position on the line where the admittance has real part 1 using Mathcad's
root location function:
The location is
z1 = −0.199 wavelengths from the load.
The admittance at z1 is
Yn (z1) = 1 + 1i
⎛ 1 ⎞
atan ⎜――
⎝ shunt ⎟⎠
d ≔ ――――= −0.125 wavelengths
2⋅π