Cable companies use antennas for sending and receiving radio transmissions. Technologies like radios, mobile phones, television sets, Wi-Fi, connected cars, space communications, a global positioning system (GPS), and radars would not be possible without antennas.
There are a lot of advantages to using an antenna. One obvious advantage is the access to free local channels. Local channels are available on your TV if you have an antenna, and they are FREE! It is a cost-effective way to enjoy your TV set without the cost of paying for monthly cable services.
TV antennas are less expensive compared to cables and satellite dishes. With the increased cost of living expenses, it is the practical choice for people who want to cut down costs. You can use an indoor or an outdoor antenna, depending on your preference. There are advantages and disadvantages also to both. Although outdoor antennas tend to pick more channels, indoor antennas are gaining popularity due to their efficiency. Aside from that, you will do away with the hassle of finding a good spot with great reception for your outdoor antennas if you choose an indoor type.
When we think antennas are getting outdated, companies are improving them. As a result, new technologies are coming up while existing technologies are being improved to grant more benefits. In addition, antenna companies are beefing up their supplies and products, improving indoor antenna functions. Before the improvements, antenna owners have stopped using indoor antennas due to their poor signal and lack of channels. However, indoor antennas can now receive signals from as far as 75 miles away and can even give clearer receptions than outdoor ones.
But what we think are simple antennas is more than that. There are many antenna types beyond our imagination, and each one has its advantages and disadvantages.
One popular antenna type is a dipole antenna. Dipole antennas are cheap and exhibit good gain; however, they are bulky with a lower frequency. Another type of antenna is a whip antenna which delivers good performance at a smaller size than a dipole antenna. A whip antenna is ideal if you can afford it, but it is not advisable under a budget because it costs a little higher. Aside from a budget, a whip antenna needs a ground plane to perform well. If the antenna is not placed on a ground plane, it cannot give you a good reception.
A loop antenna is also cheap and not easily detuned by hand movements, but they are hard to tune, very narrowband, and have poor gain. A spiral antenna’s size is less than a whip antenna and can be used for wideband applications, but it is challenging to feed it!
Although a helical antenna is a directive antenna and provides a good amount of gain, they are very bulky in size and get easily detuned by nearby objects.
Microstrip antennas are very simple and are chip antennas. These antennas are used in smartphones due to their thin structure, but they are prominent at lower frequencies. In addition, its PCB design affects performance and tuning. Aside from that, it is challenging to design for less than 433 megahertz.
Ceramic antennas are tiny in size and are less affected by environmental factors. It also contains separate components, but as small as they are, they are also very pricey, and they only deliver medium performance. They have a matching function of PCB size and a ground plane shape similar to a whip antenna.
Finally, a slot antenna has a simple design and is smaller than other antennas with a robust nature. The problem with slot antennas is that they are more prominent at lower frequencies, so it is challenging to design them for frequencies less than 433 megahertz.
It is essential to know about the different advantages and disadvantages of each antenna type so that you will be able to choose one which fits your requirements. But sometimes, when you have no more time to research antennas and would rather spend your free time relaxing in front of your TV set, contact Sydney Cabling and let them take care of your antenna needs.
Sydney Cabling is a cable company in the Greater Sydney area in Australia specializing in residential and commercial TV antenna installation services for homes and business establishments. It can help you install and repair antennas to provide the best reception. In addition, it has experienced antenna installers that will make sure that clients will get a clear TV signal in their homes and their business establishments.