Every file is divided into distinct sections that the software interprets to render a 3D model and calculate performance:
Save this as dipole-20m.maa and open in MMANA-GAL:
These files allowed hams and engineers to save, share, and tweak antenna models without rewriting NEC cards.
: Because they are simple text files, they can be opened and edited with tools like Notepad++ for manual tweaks. Creating and Using Antenna Files First Time Working With MMANA GAL mmana-gal antenna files
If two wires are meant to touch (like the radial of a vertical antenna connecting to the main radiator) but their coordinates are off by even a millimeter, MMANA-GAL will treat them as open circuits.
MMANA-GAL is a popular freeware tool for designing, simulating, and optimizing wire antennas. Its native file format is (MMANA Antenna). This plain-text file contains all the data needed to reconstruct, simulate, and optimize an antenna model.
After the initial calculation, use the "Plots" button to see how the SWR behaves across a specific bandwidth. 5. Optimization: Letting the Software Do the Work Every file is divided into distinct sections that
To create an antenna file () for MMANA-GAL, you essentially write a plain-text description of the antenna's physical structure and electrical properties. Quick Template: Simple Dipole (.maa)
A typical workflow:
C Full-wave loop for 14.2 MHz frequency (MHz)=14.2 'wire' 1: -2.6,0,0, 2.6,0,0, 0.002, -1 'bottom 'wire' 2: 2.6,0,0, 2.6,2.6,0, 0.002, -1 'right 'wire' 3: 2.6,2.6,0, -2.6,2.6,0, 0.002, -1 'top 'wire' 4: -2.6,2.6,0, -2.6,0,0, 0.002, -1 'left 'feed' 1: 1, 1, 2, 100 'feed at center of bottom wire MMANA-GAL is a popular freeware tool for designing,
Always save your baseline model before running an optimization phase. Maintain a naming convention like Yagi_3el_Baseline.maa and Yagi_3el_Optimized_14_15MHz.maa . Conclusion
: You don't have to start from scratch. Many enthusiasts share their custom designs on platforms like MMANA-Gal Antenna Modeling Blog or GitHub , where you can find everything from MagLoops to Yagis. Pro Tip: Copy-Pasting Definitions
While you will primarily interact with these files through MMANA-GAL’s graphical user interface (GUI), understanding the raw text structure can help you troubleshoot corrupted files or programmatically generate antennas using scripts (such as Python).