In broadcasting, the antenna is one of the elements that contributes to the real quality of radio coverage, signal distribution and long-term service continuity.
A transmission or reception system may be correctly developed from an electronic point of view, but still fail to achieve the expected objectives if the antenna is not designed according to the installation site, the area to be served and the expected operating conditions.
This applies to FM, VHF, UHF, 5G Broadcast, radio transmission, reception, dedicated coverage, outdoor installations, towers, rooftops and professional RF systems.
ElettroMagnetic Services Srl designs and manufactures custom antennas and tailor-made antenna systems for broadcasting applications, developed starting from the Customer’s technical requirements and the real installation configuration.
Custom antennas for broadcasting make it possible to develop an RF solution that is consistent with the required coverage, operating frequency, radiation pattern, polarisation, installation site and environmental conditions in which the system will have to operate.
We do not supply complete broadcast networks, nor do we develop transmitters, receivers, active electronics, network equipment or content distribution systems. Our contribution concerns the antenna part: design, optimisation, manufacturing and characterisation of custom antennas and antenna systems intended to be integrated into the Customer’s RF systems.
The objective is to help the Customer develop an antenna solution that is consistent with the required coverage, the installation site, the support structure and the expected operating conditions.
Custom antennas for transmission, reception and radio coverage systems
In broadcasting, coverage does not depend only on transmitted power. It also depends on how the antenna distributes the signal in space and on the consistency between radiation pattern, installation site and area to be served.
Antennas for radio transmission and antennas for radio coverage must be designed by considering the real behaviour of the signal in the area to be served, because power, frequency, radiation pattern, height, polarisation and installation position all contribute to the final result.
In some applications, it may be necessary to obtain coverage that is as uniform as possible around the installation point. In others, it may be preferable to concentrate energy towards specific areas, limit radiation in certain directions or adapt the antenna behaviour to the shape of the territory and the position of the site.
For this reason, the choice of antenna should not start only from a catalogue solution, but from the definition of the RF behaviour actually required by the application.
A custom design makes it possible to develop an antenna system with a radiation pattern that is more consistent with the desired coverage, the support structure and the objectives of the broadcast service.
Why a standard antenna may not be enough
A datasheet does not always describe how the antenna will behave in the actual conditions of use.
A standard antenna may show adequate performance under controlled test conditions, but behave differently once installed on a tower, on a rooftop, close to metal structures or within a site already populated by several antennas.
In these cases, the point is to understand whether the antenna maintains behaviour that is consistent with the required coverage, the real site and the conditions under which the service will have to be maintained over time.
A custom design reduces the distance between nominal performance and real behaviour, transforming the requirements of the broadcast service into concrete design criteria.
FM, VHF, UHF and 5G Broadcast antennas
Broadcasting applications may involve very different services and scenarios.
In the case of FM transmissions, the antenna must contribute to stable and reliable coverage, often in installations exposed to weather conditions and subject to specific mechanical constraints.
FM broadcast antennas must therefore be designed by considering not only the operating frequency, but also the radiation pattern, polarisation, support structure, environmental exposure and coverage required by the service.
In VHF and UHF applications, the antenna solution may be intended for transmission, reception, professional links, dedicated coverage or radio and television services.
VHF UHF broadcasting antennas must maintain consistent RF behaviour in the real installation configuration, especially when they have to operate on towers, rooftops, outdoor sites or infrastructures already occupied by other RF systems.
5G Broadcast introduces additional content distribution scenarios, in which antenna design must be consistent with the planned RF architecture and the coverage objectives of the service.
Antennas for 5G Broadcast must therefore be evaluated as part of the overall RF configuration, especially when the service has to be integrated into existing broadcast sites, towers, masts, rooftops or infrastructures already occupied by other RF systems.
In all these cases, the technology used is not sufficient by itself to determine the result. Real performance also depends on how the antenna is designed, installed and integrated into the transmission or reception site.
Outdoor installations, towers and rooftops
Many broadcasting systems operate in outdoor installations, on masts, poles, towers, rooftops, technical buildings or exposed sites.
Antennas for broadcast sites must be designed by considering not only nominal RF performance, but also wind, environmental exposure, fixing constraints, site accessibility, the presence of other systems and long-term service continuity.
In these contexts, the antenna must maintain consistent RF behaviour over time and adequate robustness for the operating conditions. Wind, rain, humidity, frost, solar radiation, temperature variations and mechanical stresses can affect the reliability of the solution.
For this reason, an antenna intended for broadcasting must be designed by considering the real site, the support structure and the expected environmental conditions.
A custom solution makes it possible to integrate RF performance and mechanical requirements into a design that is consistent with the final installation.
RF coexistence in broadcast sites
Transmission and reception sites may host multiple antennas and several RF systems on the same structure.
In these cases, it is not sufficient to verify that the single antenna works correctly as an isolated component. It is necessary to consider how the antenna solution fits into the site and coexists with the other systems already present.
Nearby antennas, metal structures, cable routing and positioning constraints can modify RF behaviour compared to ideal conditions. An inadequate evaluation can generate unstable performance, inconsistent coverage or criticalities that are difficult to correct after installation.
ElettroMagnetic Services Srl addresses these aspects by working on the real site configuration, with the objective of developing antennas and antenna systems that are consistent with the RF environment in which they will have to operate.
Mechanical robustness and service continuity
In broadcasting, service continuity is a fundamental requirement.
A critical issue affecting the antenna can compromise coverage, reduce signal quality or require intervention on sites that are often difficult to access.
For this reason, RF performance and mechanical robustness must be considered together. The objective is not only to obtain correct behaviour during testing, but to develop a solution capable of maintaining consistent performance over time and under the expected operating conditions.
A custom antenna makes it possible to balance the electrical and mechanical requirements of the project, reducing the risk of adapting a standard solution to a site that requires a specific evaluation.
From the broadcast requirement to the antenna solution
Every antenna project for broadcasting starts from a concrete question: what coverage must the system achieve under the real installation conditions?
To answer this question, ElettroMagnetic Services Srl analyses together with the Customer the service to be supported, the area to be covered, the site configuration, the support structure, the environmental conditions and the expected RF performance.
From this analysis, a tailor-made antenna solution is developed, which may include omnidirectional antennas, directional antennas, sector antennas, multi-element antenna systems, solutions for outdoor installations or antennas developed for specific site configurations.
Depending on the required coverage, omnidirectional broadcasting antennas, directional broadcasting antennas and sector broadcasting antennas can meet different needs: uniform signal distribution, concentration of energy towards a specific area or control of coverage over defined sectors.
The design is supported by electromagnetic simulation, prototyping, optimisation, measurements and characterisation in an anechoic chamber, in order to verify the behaviour of the antenna or antenna system before delivery.
This process makes it possible to transform coverage requirements, site constraints and operating conditions into a concrete, measurable solution designed for the final application.
The advantage for the Customer
Involving ElettroMagnetic Services Srl in the design of custom antennas for broadcasting means addressing the RF part related to the antenna while design choices are still open.
This makes it possible to avoid standard antennas that are not optimised for the real site, reduce the risk of RF criticalities in the advanced stages of installation and develop an antenna solution that is consistent with the required coverage, the support structure and the expected operating conditions.
It also means being able to verify the behaviour of the antenna or antenna system through measurements and characterisation in an anechoic chamber before delivery.
In broadcasting projects, the antenna is not a secondary component. It should be evaluated from the earliest stages of definition of the RF architecture and installation site, when position, support structure, dimensions, cabling and coexistence with other RF systems can still be optimised.
Custom antennas for your broadcasting system
If you are developing a transmission system, reception system, radio coverage system, FM, VHF, UHF or 5G Broadcast application, or a professional RF solution intended for outdoor installations, ElettroMagnetic Services Srl can support you in designing the custom antenna best suited to your operational scenario.
Tell us about your project: broadcast service, operating frequencies, installation site, area to be covered, support structure, environmental conditions and expected RF performance are the starting point for designing an antenna solution that is truly consistent with your broadcasting system.
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