What are the different types of antenna polarization?

The most common types of antenna polarization are vertical, horizontal, right hand circular, or left hand circular, and antenna polarization is a critical aspect of antenna performance. The polarization of an antenna is based on the E-plane orientation of the electromagnetic energy radiated/received by the antenna. Most antennas are typically either linearly (horizontal and vertical), or circularly polarized.

Linear polarization occurs when the antenna radiates entirely in a single plane containing the direction of propagation of the EM radiation. This can be either horizontal or vertical, with horizontal polarization occurring when the antenna’s electric field is parallel to the Earth’s surface and vertical polarization is occurring when the antenna’s electric field is perpendicular to the Earth’s surface.

Circular polarization is defined as the rotation of the polarization plane in a circle with a complete revolution occurring as the period of the radiations frequency. A clockwise rotation is known as right hand circular (RHC) polarization, and a counterclockwise rotation is known as left hand circular (LHC) polarization.