Import, Export, and Visualization

Read, visualize, and write STL files and MSI planet antenna files, import or measure pattern data in 2D and 3D, create interactive polar plots

MSI planet antenna files contain antenna radiation patterns in ASCII text format. Using Antenna Toolbox™ functions, you can read and write data from MSI planet antenna files. You can also extract antenna data from CSV files and plot the radiation patterns and EM fields. You can import measured pattern data of an antenna and use it for applications involving reflector antennas. To learn how to read, visualize, and write data from MSI planet antenna files see Read, Visualize and Write MSI Planet Antenna Files.

Objects

`polarpattern`	Interactive plot of radiation patterns in polar format
`measuredAntenna`	Use measured pattern data as exciter for backing structures

Functions

`smithplot`	Plot measurement data on Smith chart
`gerberWrite`	Generate Gerber files
`gerberRead`	Create `PCBReader` object with specified Gerber and drill files
`msiread`	Read MSI planet antenna file
`msiwrite`	Write data in MSI planet antenna file format
`stlwrite`	Write mesh to STL file
`patternCustom`	Plot radiation pattern using spherical coordinate system (phi and theta angles)
`patternFromSlices`	Reconstruct approximate 3-D radiation pattern from two orthogonal slices
`PatternPlotOptions`	Creates option list to customize 3-D radiation pattern for pattern overlay option
`fieldsCustom`	Plot electric or magnetic fields of antenna

Topics

Current Visualization on Antenna Surface
This example shows how to visualize surface currents on the half- wavelength dipole and how to observe the individual current components.
Interact with Polar Plot
Use the interactivity features of a polar plot.

Featured Examples

Read, Visualize and Write MSI Planet Antenna Files

Read a MSI Planet antenna file (.MSI or .PLN). You can read a MSI file using the msiread function and visualize the data using the polarpattern function. You can also write the data back into the MSI Planet format using the msiwrite function.

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Custom Radiation Pattern and Fields

Visualize a radiation pattern and vector fields from user data. To plot 3D field data, use the patternCustom function. This function also allows the user to slice the data and see it. To visualize just 2D polar data use the polarpattern function. The polarpattern function allows you to interact with the data as well as perform antenna specific measurements. The user can also plot the vector fields at a point in space using the fieldsCustom function.

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3D Reconstruction of Radiation Pattern From 2D Orthogonal Slices

Reconstruct 3D radiation pattern using patternFromSlices function. A 3D radiation pattern is a very important tool for antenna analysis, characterization, design, planning, and applications. This example will show reconstruction of 3-D radiation from 2 orthogonal slices. Pattern reconstruction for an omni-directional and directional antenna will be considered.

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