Outdoor DTV Antenna

2. Outdoor DTV antenna

1) Characteristics and R/D Supplies

As it was mentioned earlier, outdoor antennas are not as sensitive as indoor antennas in utilizations and designs. But for users, it should be simple, small and easy to use. And for the outdoor antennas, it should stand for inclement weather such as heavy snow, typhoon or hurricane.
So it should be designed with antenna housing(case) and bracket, and also it should be able to direct a transmitting station.
In 2005, Spectrum Ltd. developed the first outdoor antenna LP410P. This model came with a tremendous popularity as it was released.
Not like the Yagi antennas, it is easy to install and very convenient to use like indoor antennas. Compared to the yagi antennas, it is smaller and has better efficiency. Especially, it has wideband receiving characteristics, and therefore it can receive full band DTV broadcastings.
After LP 410P(outdoor antenna) and LP410S(indoor antenna), Spectrum Ltd., revealed LP410 (in/outdoor antenna) for the first time in Korea. And to make outdoor antennas smaller, Spectrum Ltd., made HD-free outdoor antennas, Omni-beam non-directional antennas, Master-pro(MP-6) outdoor antennas and DX-1(small non-directional, Omni-saturn FM/DTV receiving in/outdoor antennas).
Also, Spectrum Ltd., have LP-28(high-gain antenna), CR-48 and FM antenna Omni-FM/VHF on supply.



2) Choosing Outoor Antennas and How to Use

Whether in cities or in fishing and farming villages, it is better to install on the rooftop for better reception.
In lower floor apartment in cities, it is recommended to install MP-6/LP410P/Omni-beam antennas on balcony rails.
For farming and fishing villages, it is better to use MP-6, but high-gain antennas like LP-28, CR-48 are recommended for low-signal areas.
 
Outdoor antennas are best to be installed on the rooftop. If it is not easy to install on the rooftop, then install it on balcony rails or balcony walls.
UHF frequencies(DTV broadcasting band) are reflective, so that’s why we can watch DTV channels even if we can’t find TV stations nearby.
For example, directional antennas can adjust to the station. So it is easy to receive the transmission signals. Non-directional antennas are appropriate for urban areas with many high-rise buildings and structures, and especially with many vehicle movement(which causes instability of the reflected wave). It is better to have non-directional antennas to receive more signals.

□ LP410P outdoor antenna : awarded as the New Radio Technology product ,2005

In 2005, after releasing LP410P, Spectrum Ltd. gained great popularities for this product. So far the Yagi antennas were impossible to install on the terrace and gave terrible look on the outside. With LP410P, Spectrum Ltd. could preoccupy in domestic antenna market with short amount of time. Manufacturers in Korea started to make antennas similar to LP410P. This model was a precedent technology in Korea, and it was sensational with its design.

To install Yagi antenna, users had to assemble each part. But when you use LP410P, you don’t need to assemble. It has a connecter for high-tech communication. LP410P can be rotated 360-degree from which it is installed, and its brackets are designed to install easily on the wall or pole.
LP410 model is developed to install easily. And it was chosen as the New Radio Technology Product 2005, in Korea. Spectrum Ltd., started exporting products to U.S. in 2007, and LP410 model was introduced as Korean standard antenna model with DTV transition in Korea. From 2010 to 2013, Spectrum Ltd., supplied 50,000 sets of LP410P outdoor antennas during the DTV transition, and Spectrum Ltd., are supplying LP410s to Philippines. Now in 2014, Spectrum Ltd., is expanding supplies to Italy.

□ HD-free Outdoor antenna

After the release of LP410P, many users wanted a low priced model, so Spectrum Ltd., developed an outdoor antenna in small size. It is called HD-free antenna.
HD-free model is small and convenient to install, and has descent transmition rates in cities close to the transmitting stations. Furthermore, this model is cheaper than other models.

□ Omni-beam/ Omni-marine non-directional antenna : intellectual ownership right by the Korean intellectual Property Office

Spectrum Ltd., have put most time and money to develop this model. The main reason is that it uses horizontal waves for broadcast. Antennas using vertical waves for mobile communication can be realized easily, but most of terrestrial TV broadcasts in the world are using horizontal waves.
Especially, omni-model non-directional antennas were the first developed model for the broadcast receiver in Korea. Spectrum Ltd., made our aim for ships sailing adjacent seas, and Spectrum Ltd., developed a non-directional antennas for ships. In 2010 before the production, there were only high-priced imported terrestrial TV antennas for ships.
And considering there’s low demand for the terrestrial TV antennas for ships, Spectrum Ltd., developed two different models. Omni-beam(for houses, immovable and non-directional) and Omni-marine(for ships, movable and non-directional) models were developed and in are production now.

• Omni-beam (for house)

Omni-beam is a stationary non-directional antenna. It can be installed on the rail of the terrace or on the rooftop to receive digital TV broadcast. If broadcast transmitting station and relay station are different, or if there are many high-rise buildings, it causes many multi-path reflective waves, so omni-beam antenna can be used profitably.

• Omni-marine / (for marine, camping car)

Initially, this model was designed for ships. The basic antenna structure is the same as the omni-beam, but the power feeding portion is located at the center of the antenna, and it still has non-directional features. It is designed to stand under poor conditions. Omni-marine antenna is for the ships and camping trailers. For its design and trustability, it is popular in both domestic and foreign markets. Omni-marine is being exported to Japan, Italy and Indonesia.

In Japan or Italy, you would be able to receive terrestrial DTV broadcast with an Omni-marine antenna.

□ MP-6 / Master-pro Outdoor antenna

In some places where receiving signal is too weak, using LP28 or CR-48 high-gain antennas are recommended.
But there are some other places where there is not enough space for those antennas, or where relay station and transmitting station are
in different locations.
For those cases, Spectrum Ltd. developed an antenna called Master-Pro.
Master-Pro antennas have 6dBi. And if the place doesn’t receive enough signals, users can install two or more antennas to gain 9dBi to 12dBi.
And if users change the angle of antenna to 90 degrees, receiving signal also changes from horizontal to vertical. These features would satisfy Chinese market and other oversea markets. And also, it can embody non-directional and directional antennas.

□ DX-1 Outdoor antenna

As following demands on USA, Spectrum Ltd., made an antenna for both VHF and UHF broadcasting. it is possible to receive FM also. But it’s not for high-gain model antenna(like Omni-FM/VHF). Because users don’t want a big antenna. As for, Spectrum Ltd., made it to smaller, can be used in both indoor and outdoor. And Spectrum Ltd., made it to receive horizontal/vertical wave.


SPECTRUM Co., Ltd
Seoul, Korea
TEL : +82-2783-6425  FAX : +82-2783-6080
URL : www.spectrum.co.kr
Mail : spectrum-cy@spectrum.co.kr