Freewave Whip Antennas
FreeWave's whip antennas are ideal for omnidirectional, wireless communication, the kind typically found in industrial, remote monitoring, and automation systems. That said, these whip antennas are not used exclusively in those applications; we also find them in SCADA, telemetry, IoT, and a host of other electrical engineering and networking situations. Realistically, if you were to use FreeWave products in any of the aforementioned systems, your communication would be reliable and consistent across every conceivable direction.
Now, ideas about the beam pattern, horizontal coverage, and 180-degree vertical coverage are not something most people consider when installing an antenna. And why should they? Most antennas are designed to meet these basic performance endpoints. In the case of a FreeWave whip antenna, however, cover is just the beginning when we talk about performance. The way they radiate allows for the reduction of the need for precise alignment. The layout of the installation has reduced the likelihood of needing to take the system offline to re-align any of the components.
FAQs
What are FreeWave whip antennas used for?
FreeWave whip antennas are designed for reliable, omnidirectional wireless communication in industrial, SCADA, and telemetry systems where stable 360-degree coverage is required.
How do FreeWave whip antennas work?
They radiate radio frequency signals evenly in all directions along a horizontal plane, providing consistent coverage for multiple devices without requiring precise alignment.
What frequency ranges do FreeWave whip antennas support?
FreeWave whip antennas are typically tuned for 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz frequency bands, making them compatible with FreeWave radios and other industrial wireless communication equipment.
What is the typical gain of a FreeWave whip antenna?
Most FreeWave whip antennas offer a gain between 2 and 5 dBi, providing a balance between signal coverage and reliability across a broad communication area.
What are the advantages of using a whip antenna in industrial applications?
Whip antennas provide 360-degree coverage, simple installation, and mechanical flexibility, making them ideal for environments where continuous, all-direction communication is essential.
Antennas: Omni vs Yagi
Omni Antennas can pick-up signals coming from all directions. They are most commonly used for signal reception over a large area where the potential location of any incoming signal's transmitter varies. Therefore, unlike Yagi antennas, Omni antennas do not need to be pointed in a particular direction. Each specific antenna has a gain rating or dBi (decibel isotropic) number which coincides with the performance of the antenna. The higher the dBi rating, the larger area covered.
Advantages and Disadvantages
• Easy setup and install
• Can send and receive signals from multiple locations with just one antenna
• Limited on the distance it can communicate
• Not a great option from areas with poor signal strength