
Collinear antennas sound like some complex topic of telecommunication. But, it is easy to understand once you break it down. This guide is going to focus on simplifying the essence of collinear antennas, including their types, advantages, and other important aspects. This will help you choose the right antenna for your needs or simply learn more about this remarkable wireless solution. Let’s get started!
What is a Collinear Antenna?
A collinear antenna is a series of dipole antennas arranged in a straight line. This special arrangement of multiple small antennas gives it a longer structure. And increases its signal strength for better communication. Some of the applications of collinear antennas are mobile communication, broadcasting and others.
The sole purpose of using fiber glass collinear antennas is to achieve high gain, increase signal strength, and access uniform omnidirectional coverage for long-distance communication. These unique features and capabilities make it ideal for sharing and capturing radio signals coming from all directions.
Types of Collinear Antenna
A collinear antenna is a versatile antenna available in various structures, configurations, and radiation patterns. It is useful for a variety of purposes and applications to establish better and more credible connections between devices. Here we talk about three common types of collinear antennas that individuals and industries use for their unique concerns. This will help you to explore more about this antenna:
Collinear Dipole Array Antenna
A collinear dipole array antenna is a type of collinear antenna in which the dipole elements are placed on top of each other. When arranging this antenna, you need to cut the dipoles to the correct length to ensure that they work together correctly. This allows your system to produce signals at the right time to enhance the performance of wireless communication. We use collinear dipole array antennas in situations requiring high gain and directional signal transmission patterns.
Coaxial Collinear Antenna
A coaxial collinear antenna is a type of antenna designed using coaxial cables. Each part of the antenna is connected in a way that the centre conductor of one part connects to the shield of the part above it. This arrangement continues for all elements.
This antenna is placed inside a fibreglass tube to protect it from the outer environment. Coaxial cables can get damaged when exposed to moisture in the open environment. This ultimately affects the effectiveness of the antenna and makes it worse than a regular antenna like UHF antennas and others.
Half-wave Monopole Collinear
A half-wave monopole collinear antenna uses half-wavelength monopole elements. In this antenna, each element has coils between them to create the correct phase shift. However, the effectiveness can be less efficient than directional antennas, as their unique arrangement leads to the loss of some energy. This type of monopole antenna is mostly used in applications like amateur radio.
Advantages of Collinear Antenna
A collinear antenna is designed with a special arrangement of dipole antenna to provide powerful communication. Antenna enthusiasts choose this antenna when they want a solution that is more beneficial and feature-rich than the usual monopole antenna and other solutions. This is because of the range of advantages that a collinear antenna provides to its users. Multiple combinations of the antenna stand it out from the usual crowd. If you are wondering about the benefits of this solution, here are the major advantages of collinear antenna:
1. Higher Gain
Collinear antennas provide higher gain capability. This means it can share and receive radio signals more strongly than traditional solutions. They are used in applications where long-distance communication is paramount. This is used in applications like satellite links, wireless networks, radio transmission, point-to-point connections, and amateur radio. In these applications, collinear antennas play a crucial role in getting better signal quality with better coverage.
2. Omnidirectional Coverage
An important advantage of the collinear antenna is its omnidirectional functionality. It captures and shares radio signals in all directions, making it ideal for a 360-degree wireless solution. You can get a consistent flow of signal even without manually adjusting the direction of the antenna. This omnidirectional antenna is ideal for moving vehicles and other mobile applications. They are used in mobile communication, marine communication, public safety systems, and others to get omnidirectional coverage.
3. Compact Design
Collinear antennas come with a compact and easy installation. You can easily install it in a limited space without compromising the performance of signal transmission and reception. This antenna is ideal for tight installations. It is lightweight and easy to transport for temporary setup as well.
Collinear antennas are cost-effective and cheaper to manufacture because of their simpler design and material use. Because of their compact design, they are also used in IoT devices, mobile communication, portable devices like vehicles, drones, and other applications.
4. Durability
Collinear antennas are durable in their design. They are intended to withstand harsh environmental conditions. They are reliable for outdoor conditions, even in extreme weather situations. Their functionality ensures seamless connectivity owing to the robust materials used in their manufacturing.
5. Low Maintenance
Do you want to buy a low-maintenance antenna for your personal or professional use? If your answer is yes, you should consider collinear antennas that require minimum maintenance, as you need to require minimum care of it that provides a hassle-free solution for long-term use.
Conclusion
Collinear antennas are better wireless solutions for long distances. Their different types make them more versatile to use for many industries. This antenna possesses a collective power of dipole antennas that makes it a more advanced and powerful solution for wireless connectivity. However, there are points that you need to remember to maintain longevity and better performance.
You need to install it in its proper position. You can regularly check the visible damage, such as cracks, corrosion, or lost connections. For better connectivity, you can address the issues to prevent your antennas from severe problems that can make your antenna down. This approach will help you to consistently get uninterrupted support and withstand your solution in stressors like wind and rain.