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.