Portable Whip Antennas

Wireless technology in industrial environments is becoming more and more common, whether it is utilizing Wi-Fi or proprietary systems for long-distance communication. In order for wireless technology to be successful, the signal must be transferred between a transmitter and receiver, converting the RF electrical signal from the transmitter into an electromagnetic wave in free space, and then converting that wave back again at the receiver. The device that makes this possible is the antenna. 

In industrial environments, there may be elements that interfere with the reception of a signal at the receiver and the right type of antenna can provide the transmission path to suit the application’s needs. Antennas come in many shapes and sizes and each has its own specific design characteristics that determine the range and radiation pattern of the radio signal. The radiation pattern or shape of the radio signal is what is referred to as antenna gain. Antenna gain is measured in decibels. The higher the gain of the antenna, the more focused the signal. The transmitting radiation pattern is the same as the sensitivity pattern for receiving. Which means that the direction in which the antenna transmits the strongest signal is also the direction in which it is most sensitive for receiving signals.

Whip antennas are a type of omnidirectional antenna that has a 360 degree donut-shaped radiation pattern. They are widely used for non-directional radio communication, where the direction of the transmitter or receiver is unknown or constantly changing. Whip antennas are normally designed as a resonant antenna. This means that the length of the whip antenna is determined by the wavelength of the radio wave used. The most common length is one-quarter of the wavelength, called a quarter-wave whip, which is found on most older model cars to receive FM radio signals. Devices designed for wireless machine-to-machine communications, like a router to a PC, typically use external whip antennas.