E-plane

The E-plane is any plane that contains the E-field and the direction of maximum radiation from the antenna. As an example, consider a short dipole, the electric fields are given by: This states that in the x-y plane, the E-fields are vertically oriented (negative z-direction). See Figure 1 below. Figure 1. Fields at a point along the y-axis from a short dipole. The fields at a point along the y-axis are shown in Figure 1. The E-field is oriented in the negative z-direction, the direction of propagation at the point is the +y-direction (also the direction of maximum radiation in this case), and the H-field is oriented in the negative x-direction. The E-plane is any plane that contains the E-field and the direction of maximum radiation. Hence, the E-plane in this case is any plane that contains the z-axis (xz plane, yz plane, etc). The E-plane cut is not unique in this case, but a plot of the radiation pattern given in the E-plane would be a function of the polar angle (), which is measured off the z-axis. See also H-plane.