questions about antenna

1 What are backward radiation and forward radiation?
How to distinguish them in the radiation pattern?
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2 What is the meaning of "backfire","endfire"
and "broadside" in antenna field?

Thanks very much!

HI

backward radiation and forward radiation are related to main antenna lobe, forward radiation is the region were directivity (or gain) has its max value;
"backfire","endfire" and "broadside" are also related to the maximal value of directivity; in particular endfire means that radiation is max on direction along the array, in broadside radiation is max on a direction normal to the array axes, backfire is a particolar endifire obtained from a non uniform supply of array's radiator.

Angelo.