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AntennaKNoBs

Quickstart

Run the workbench with Docker

Section titled “Run the workbench with Docker”

The fastest path needs nothing but Docker — the published image serves the full workbench, no install (new in v0.34):

Terminal window
docker run --rm -p 8000:8000 stevenmburns/antennaknobs:latest
# -> http://localhost:8000

(See DOCKER.md for compose, mounting your own designs, and the optional NEC2 engine.)

Install with Python

Section titled “Install with Python”

To use the library — or hack on designs in your editor — install from PyPI. antennaknobs and its engine momwire ship prebuilt wheels, so a plain install needs no compiler:

Terminal window
python3 -m venv .venv && source .venv/bin/activate
pip install --upgrade pip


pip install "antennaknobs[web]"

This install serves the same web workbench as the Docker image:

Terminal window
uvicorn antennaknobs.web.server:app      # then open http://127.0.0.1:8000

Pick a design from the dropdown and drag its knobs — the pattern, SWR, and impedance re-solve live.

Solve from Python

Section titled “Solve from Python”

Every design is an AntennaBuilder. Wrap one in an Antenna and ask for its feed-point impedance:

from antennaknobs import Antenna
from antennaknobs.designs.dipoles.invvee import Builder


ant = Antenna(Builder())     # an inverted-vee dipole, default parameters
print(ant.impedance())       # -> [(48.6-8.8j)]  ohms, one entry per feed port

Tune a knob and re-solve — parameters are plain attributes:

b = Builder()
b.length_factor = 1.0        # stretch the arms
print(Antenna(b).impedance())

Antenna also gives you the far-field pattern, a frequency sweep of the impedance, and the current distribution:

ant.far_field()          # full-sphere far-field rings
ant.impedance_sweep(...)  # impedance across a frequency range

By default Antenna uses a finite ground; pass ground="free" (or a ("finite", eps_r, sigma) tuple) to change it.