Friday, May 2, 2014

How Commercial Antennas Are Becoming Less Intrusive

By Essie Osborn


Years before the digital communications revolution, nearly every suburban home was crowned with an ugly aluminum television antenna. While their disappearance has not been mourned, today's communication and media devices still demand excellent transmission, often requiring the installation of new antenna arrays. Consumers not only demand good service, but are equally concerned about the placement, visibility and safety of those units.

An antenna is an assemblage of poles, wires, metallic extensions or dishes that can receive or transmit electromagnetic information. Commercial antennas are primarily involved in a money-making service, and that includes television, radio, and cell phone installations. Those associated only with non-profit, residential use, including home satellite dishes or amateur radio equipment, are not in the same category.

Business operators are increasingly faced with a variety of issues that must be addressed before any new equipment can be placed. Consumers buying electronic communications devices naturally want them to work dependably and with reliable reception, but do not want to actually see the necessary towers or broadcast installations that make good electronic service possible. Most cities have been forced to create new regulations on location, size and visibility.

An antenna array that looks like a science fiction device may appeal to some, but not to most of those who might live next door. Communications operators have taken this attitude seriously in regard to new designs and locations, and attempt to make a final product that is unnoticeable to the casual observer. The need to make new designs nearly invisible has spawned some creative solutions.

The most basic way of accomplishing that is called co-location, a common solution to placement issues. Co-location puts new equipment on an existing tower, eliminating the need for additional construction. This process often involves working together with other companies using that tower, must not interfere with current operations, and must conform to existing standards of aesthetic appearance.

If co-location is not possible, then a multitude of local regulations must be considered before building another tower. While cities vary, most have enacted fairly stringent rules regarding new sites. If the area is residential, for example, many locales prohibit this sort of construction in front or side yards. Devices must never interfere with traffic, or even alter existing parking spaces.

New construction must not alter the overall view from neighboring homes, and the color schemes used must match the existing standards for the locale. Most neighborhoods also require that all connecting wires must be installed underground, and the above-ground portions concealed with vegetation or landscaping. While the proliferation of building rules may seem overly restrictive, the results have been overwhelmingly positive.

Today, some are disguised as trees. In Los Angeles, they may look like palms. In New York state, some have realistic artificial deciduous branches that fool the eye. Others are specifically created to match a particular natural background, and many blend in perfectly. Although it can be more expensive, designing antennas that disappear into the background has proven very popular both with consumers and the companies serving them.




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