TV white space presents many opportunities that never existed before, including expanding broadband capabilities in areas that were previously underserved. As the impending rollout approaches, new and more sophisticated technologies are being developed every day that will maximize the effectiveness of this new spectrum.
Case in point, Carlson engineered a new breed of antenna never before available. This high-gain omnidirectional base-station antenna is specifically designed to meet the demands of TV white space (TVWS), which are the areas of unused spectrum in the TV bands located between 470 MHz and 698 MHz in the UHF range.
Unlike any other base-station antenna before it, Carlson’s breakthrough design provides strong, consistent gain across the entire UHF band and is not limited to specific channels or geographic areas. Users can expect optimal performance regardless of their location or channel.
The flexibility the new antenna provides is key when it comes to utilizing TVWS technology. This consistency is particularly important among critical communications users such as public safety, government and utilities, not to mention the hundreds of wireless Internet service providers (WISPs) who deliver broadband to millions of customers.
Carlson is early to develop equipment to leverage the newly available TVWS spectrum. The company created the omni antenna in order to optimize the performance of its RuralConnect TV band, after discovering that the global market did not offer anything like it. Carlson’s new design is a result of data gathered from challenging terrain across the nation at the company’s TVWS trial deployments, where engineers and customers have been working hard to find the most effective way to utilize this new technology.
Yet once again, Carlson’s engineering team has proven they can create a solution others have insisted was impossible.
The new omni is built to last and withstand extreme weather conditions, Gustafson noted. The antenna is constructed of stainless steel and aluminum alloy and enclosed in strong PVC. The four-foot-by-six-inch cylindrical enclosure design provides for minimal wind loading and ice formation, easy shipping and handling and an aesthetically-pleasing appearance.
Better yet, the high-gain performance omni antenna is competitively priced compared to narrower-band omni antennas in UHF.
This new omnidirectional UHF antenna, the only product of it’s kind in the TVWS arena, marks yet another milestone for Carlson. Innovation continues to set Carlson apart, as the company leads the charge in RF solutions and TVWS technologies.
