Active antenna

An antenna, which may be a search coil, is connected to an operational amplifier circuit which provides negative impedances, each of which is in the order of magnitude of the positive impedances which characterize the antenna. The antenna is connected to the inverting input of the operational amplifier; a resistor is connected between the inverting input and the output of the operational amplifier; a capacitor-resistor network, in parallel, is connected between the output and the noninverting input of the operational amplifier; and a resistor is connected from the noninverting input and the circuit common. While this circuit provides a negative resistance and a negative inductance, in series, which appear, looking into the noninverting input of the operational amplifier, in parallel with the antenna, these negative impedances appear in a series loop with the antenna positive impedances, so as to algebraically add. This circuit is tuned by varying the various circuit components so that the negative impedances are very close, but somewhat less, in magnitude, to the antenna impedances. The result is to increase the sensitivity of the antenna by lowering its effective impedance. This, in turn, increases the effective area of the antenna, which may be broadband.