POLARIZATION SOLUTIONS
Typical antennas suffer from polarization. This isn’t so much of a problem
under normal circumstances, for example, the large vertical FM antenna tower broadcasting
a local radio station is being received by the vertically mounted antenna on your
car. The trouble is, in the entertainment and events industry, antenna polarization
is becoming a major issue. Larger venues and more RF used for performer microphones,
in-ear-monitors (IEMs) and crew communication are causing headaches for audio engineers.
The helical antenna, which eliminates polarization problems, has been around for
decades, but was previously used only for military applications and for satellite
communications. Helical Antennas are increasingly being utilized in the entertainment
and events industry where drop-out free coverage is critical.
During setup and testing, audio engineers typically place a wireless microphone
in a stand, with the whip antenna positioned vertically. Using a standard paddle
antenna, also positioned vertically, they get a strong signal. The trouble is, no
performer is going to stand still and keep the antenna on their microphone or belt
pack perfectly vertical. As they move around, they change the polarity of their
transmitter or receiver antenna, causing signal dropouts. The helical antenna eliminates
these problems. Its circular polarization receives and transmits both vertical and
horizontal signals and every angle in between. The result is greater bandwidth and
gain and the strongest possible signal.
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