Tutorial 1 [breaker page]

Summary form only given. This tutorial will cover the fundamentals and the current and future trends related to antennas and their applications in wireless communications systems. The technical material will be application oriented and emphasize on practical aspects with supporting theory provided. The tutorial will begin with addressing the basic concepts of antennas introducing the essential and important parameters such as the radiation pattern, gain and input impedance. Examples of popular antennas (dipole, monopole, and loop antennas) will also be provided. As applications for wireless communication systems, some modern and important developments in antennas (multi-band, ultra-wideband, and directive) for base stations, vehicular and handheld terminals will be addressed. Furthermore, antenna arrays will be discussed. Special considerations for popular antenna systems including diversity antenna systems, beamforming antenna arrays, and smart antennas will be presented. Current and future trends in antenna design for wireless communication systems will be discussed at the conclusion of this tutorial.