How Does a TV Aerial Work?

Aerials look like large masts due to the number of signals they have to send over a certain distance. Of course, for the needs of your home, you do not need an antenna with such a large mast, but a small aerial that does the job equally well is enough.

They are produced for two different purposes. People use them as indoor (inside the house) and outdoor, which are both more expensive and require heavier installation (placed outside the house, mostly on top of the user’s house). Another place where users most often install their TV antenna in the attic.

How long does it have to be?

The length of the radio wave depends on the type of antenna, so the lengths differ. As a rule, the length of an ordinary antenna should be a length that is proportional to half the wavelength you should receive. However, the length of the antenna is not crucial when it comes to the wavelength you need to receive.

There is a circuit inside your receiver that receives only a certain type of frequency, so all the other (unwanted) ones will bypass it. Specifically, your receiver is tuned to one frequency and ignores the others.

Different types of antennas

The most classic form of home TV aerials is the dipole shape. This shape is a bit like a person holding outstretched arms in a straight standing position. Because it is a split bar that is bent in a horizontal position.

These are indoor antennas, while outdoor ones also have differently designed dipoles. If you are wondering what is the difference between differently designed dipoles – the wave pattern is identical, although the shapes of the antenna change. However, different dipole shapes will contribute to easier signal detection. This amplifies the signal. Still, this is mainly a topic for professionals who are in charge of your TV aerial. Visit tayloraerials.co.uk to find out more about aerial installation.

Important properties of aerials

When you mention it, the first association with it is the unity of three things: the direction, strength and width of the wave.

Orientation – As you may have understood so far, dipoles are responsible for directing the waves, that is, they catch them in the right direction. Therefore, the position of the antenna in space must correspond to that angle and be installed correctly in order for the image results to be satisfactory.

Gain – Your TV will receive some minimum signal size without the antenna on. This is simply because the signal will also detect the aerial structure itself, which is made of metal and other components that will absorb the signal.

Then imagine what you can do with a good one or what signal you can get. Getting the ideal signal is a matter of calculation. The unit of measurement is called decibel (dB) and so a larger measure provides you with a better gain. The formula is clear. Another rule is that external antennas, in any case, work much better than internal ones when it comes to gain.

Bandwidth – Efficient frequency flow is the ultimate goal. This depends on the width of the band, and the larger the width, the better the flow. This is characteristic of a TV aerial because then the width is even more important as opposed to a mobile phone. In mobile phones, the specific radio wave is primary and thus narrower in scope, while on TV, the search is very widened, considering that there are a lot of channels, and thus a wider range.

Grouped Aerials

It is interesting to note that antennas can also function in a group. TV aerials in the group have a very wide band. Speaking of this topic, it is important to mention their characteristics. They are widely available so that their application is available on most transmitters.

Combined Radio and TV Aerials

They can also function as combined, and it is a connection between TV and radio antennas. Today, there are many types of antennas that can exchange different types of signals, and many of them do not actually look like classic TV antennas, so you might not recognize them.

The downside of combining different aerials is that the reception is far worse than the regular setting and that is why most people still opt for one type. The possibility of signal amplification is possible in this case as well, but mostly everyone considers it in vain, considering that in turn, you are consuming a huge voltage of the unit.

Something different – satellite TV antenna

Now that you understand how a TV aerial actually works and something more about it, we want to present you with a more modernized version of the original model. It is a satellite.

The main difference between these two antennas is their networking. The difference in appearance is also very noticeable since most people associate a satellite receiver with a plate.

The satellite dish is considered to be an improved version, but also a better one than the classic TV aerial. The advantages of satellite TV are the following: I work better in bad weather conditions, a much wider choice of channels compared to cable TV, it reaches a greater distance and better picture quality.

Conclusion:

We hope that we have provided you with a sufficient amount of information in the text that can satisfy your curiosity. Today, technology is widely spread, developed and we are constantly working on further development, and phenomenal results are achieved every year. In addition, TV has been our everyday life for many years, so the TV antenna has become a thing that every person owns today.

So, with the advancement of technology, the number of issues in this area increases. By explaining the functioning of the TV antenna as well as its important characteristics, different shapes and their approaches as well as possibilities, we have tried to give you answers to most of the questions.