Conical Horn Antennas

What Conical Horn Antennas Are and What They Do

Conical horn antennas are directional broadband antennas that use a circular, cone-shaped flare to efficiently transition electromagnetic energy from a rectangular or circular waveguide into free space. The rotationally symmetric geometry of a conical horn produces uniform radiation patterns, stable impedance matching, and predictable beam characteristics across a wide range of frequencies.

Conical horn antennas are commonly used in RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave systems where wide bandwidth, consistent gain, and repeatable radiation patterns are required. Their simple yet effective design makes them a reliable solution for both laboratory and field-deployed applications.

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How Conical Horn Antennas Work

RF energy is launched into the antenna through a standard WR waveguide interface and propagates toward the horn aperture. As the signal travels through the gradually expanding conical flare, the electromagnetic fields are smoothly transformed from a guided mode into free-space radiation.

This controlled transition provides several performance benefits:

• Low VSWR and reduced signal reflections

• Stable beamwidth and consistent gain

• Smooth, symmetrical radiation patterns

• Minimal pattern distortion across wide bandwidths

Because of their circular symmetry, conical horn antennas generate uniform E-plane and H-plane radiation patterns, which is especially important in antenna measurement, calibration, and reference applications.

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Frequency Coverage and WR Waveguide Interfaces

Mi-Wave conical horn antennas (Series 262) support operation across a wide range of RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave frequencies, depending on configuration. Typical coverage spans from 8.2 GHz through 110 GHz, with custom options available beyond standard bands.

Common supported WR waveguide interfaces include:

• WR-90 | 8.2–12.4 GHz | X-Band

• WR-62 | 12.4–18.0 GHz | Ku-Band

• WR-42 | 18.0–26.5 GHz | K-Band

• WR-28 | 26.5–40.0 GHz | Ka-Band

• WR-22 | 33.0–50.0 GHz | Q-Band

• WR-15 | 50.0–75.0 GHz | V-Band

• WR-10 | 75.0–110.0 GHz | W-Band

This broad compatibility allows conical horn antennas to integrate easily into high-frequency RF chains, including transmitters, receivers, power amplifiers, LNAs, frequency converters, and test instrumentation.

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What Conical Horn Antennas Do in RF and Microwave Systems

Conical horn antennas are used to transmit and receive RF energy with controlled directivity and broadband performance. They provide a balance between wide frequency coverage and directional gain, making them well suited for:

• Point-to-point RF and microwave communication links

• Radar and telemetry systems

• Antenna gain, pattern, and polarization measurements

• System calibration and alignment

• RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave test environments

Their predictable radiation characteristics make them ideal as reference antennas and measurement standards, as well as reliable components in operational communication and sensing systems.

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Why Engineers Choose Conical Horn Antennas

Engineers select conical horn antennas because they offer:

• Broadband frequency operation across multiple RF and microwave bands

• Low loss and high power handling

• Symmetrical radiation patterns for repeatable measurements

• Stable gain and beamwidth across the operating band

• Simple, robust mechanical construction

• Compatibility with standard WR waveguide interfaces

These characteristics make conical horn antennas a dependable choice for communications, radar, telemetry, test and measurement, and research applications across RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave frequency ranges.