What Is Antenna Gain?
In common words, antenna gain is defined as the focusing of scattered radio frequency waves into a useful and narrower plane by the antenna due to which there is increase in signal strength. A decibel (db) is the unit used for antenna gain and a higher gain antenna will make a more efficient use of weaker signals as compared to an antenna having a lower gain. So, by using a higher gain antenna, the consumer living at the outskirts of a range of a local network’s broadcast will get better reception as compared to the one using a low gain antenna.
The efficiency of an antenna to gather wavelengths that are designed to be received is decided by the design of an antenna. There are some extra elements in high gain antenna which helps in focusing of stream in a flat trajectory which is analogous to a magnifying glass through which scattered sunlight is focused into a beam which strengthens its power. Similarly, scattered RF waves are focused with the help of these elements which increases strength of the signal.
A high gain antenna can be helpful to people who face some trouble in receiving OTA or over-the –air broadcasts. The RF waves can be scattered or can get blocked due to regional topography which reduces range of broadcast. So, for choosing a right antenna, users may take help from online tools that can be found at TVFool. Signal strength, broadcasts and distances are shown with an interactive map. You can adjust the antenna height which causes recalculation so that users can see whether changing the height results in better reception or not. Whether there would be any difference due to antenna gain is also calculated by these tools.
However, people might think that buying a high gain antenna will result in better reception but there are some other factors associated with it. Firstly, a high gain antenna is costly as compared to a low gain one, so you can save money by buying a low gain antenna if you don’t need a high gain one. Secondly, if antenna gain is high then the antenna needs to be pointing towards the station from where you want to receive the signal. There will be no signal at all if it is tilted at few degrees from the station. So, if you don’t need antenna gain then it is recommended to buy an antenna which can receive at a broader angle so that you don’t need to bother whether the antenna is facing the exact spot.
Apart from range, gain and height; extreme weather can also be handled by some antennas which makes them useful in harsh climates. Mounting masts and cabling can be purchased separately as it is not always included.
There are some claims that local HDTV broadcasts which are free-to-air are clear in case of antennas as compared to the ones through satellite or cable boxes. If satellite or cable service is interrupted due to some cause then antennas can be used as a backup solution. The price of the basic model of antennas starts from $20 UD dollars (USD) to over $100 USD which has more features.
Category: Technology