Gain of an antenna

4-1-105

The ratio of the power required at the input of a reference antenna to the power supplied to the input of the given antenna to produce, in a given direction, the same field at the same distance. When not specified otherwise, the figure expressing the gain of an antenna refers to the gain in the direction of the radiation main lobe. In services using scattering modes of propagation the full gain of an antenna may not be realisable in practice and the apparent gain may vary with time.

Reference: I.T.U.

Please note that this is the term as it stands in the original IALA Dictionary edition (1970-1989)

English