Телевизионная антенна: принцип работы и виды

Antenna used with a television to receive television programs

A television antenna (TV aerial) is an antenna specifically designed for use with a television receiver (TV) to receive over the air broadcast television signals from a television station. Television reception is dependent upon the antenna as well as the transmitter. Terrestrial television is broadcast on frequencies from about 47 to 250 MHz in the very high frequency (VHF) band, and 470 to 960 MHz in the ultra high frequency (UHF) band in different countries. Television antennas are manufactured in two different types: "indoor" antennas, to be located on top of or next to the television set, and "outdoor" antennas, mounted on a mast on top of the owner's house. They can also be mounted in a loft or attic, where the dry conditions and increased elevation are advantageous for reception and antenna longevity. Outdoor antennas are more expensive and difficult to install but are necessary for adequate reception in fringe areas far from television stations. The most common types of indoor antennas are the dipole ("rabbit ears") and loop antennas, and for outdoor antennas the Yagi, The antenna is connected to the television with a specialized cable designed to carry radio current, called transmission line. Earlier antennas used a flat cable called 300 ohm twin lead. The standard today is 75 ohm coaxial cable, which is less susceptible to interference which plugs into an F connector or Belling Lee connector (depending on region) on the back of the TV. To convert the signal from antennas that use a twin lead line to the modern coaxial cable input, a small transformer called a balun is used in the line. In most countries, television broadcasting is allowed in the very high frequency (VHF) band from 47 to 68 MHz, called VHF low band or band I in Europe; 174 to 216 MHz, called VHF high band or band III in Europe, and in the ultra high frequency (UHF) band from 470 to 698 MHz, called band IV and V in Europe. The boundaries of each band vary somewhat in different countries. Radio waves in these bands travel by line of sight; hills block them and the visual horizon, limiting a television station's reception area to , depending on terrain.

In the previous standard analog television, used before 2006, the VHF and UHF bands required separate tuners in the television receiver, which had separate antenna inputs. The wavelength of a radio wave equals the speed of light (c), divided by the frequency. The above frequency bands cover a 15:1 wavelength ratio, or almost 4 octaves. It is difficult to design a single antenna to receive such a wide wavelength range, and there is an octave gap from 216 to 470 MHz between the VHF and UHF frequencies. So traditionally, separate antennas (outdoor antennas with separate sets of elements on a single support boom) have been used to receive the VHF and UHF channels. (DTV). However, the same broadcast frequencies are generally used, so the antennas used for the older analog television will also receive the new DTV broadcasts. Sellers often claim to supply a special "digital" or "high definition television" (HDTV) antenna advised as a replacement for an existing analog television antenna; at best this is misinformation to generate sales of unneeded equipment, At worst, it may leave the viewer with a UHF only antenna in a local market (particularly in North America) where some digital stations remain on their original high VHF or low VHF frequencies.

Places unable to be reached by television broadcast transmitters are known as "black spots" in Australia. In East Germany, the areas that could not receive western TV signals were referred to as the Tal der Ahnungslosen, or "Valley of the Clueless".

Indoor antennas may be mounted on the television itself or stand on a table next to it, connected to the television by a short feed line. Due to space constraints, indoor antennas cannot be as large and elaborate as outdoor antennas, they are not mounted at as high an elevation, and the building walls block some of the radio waves; for these reasons, indoor antennas generally do not give as good reception as outdoor antennas. or log periodic dipole array (LPDA). These are composed of multiple half wave dipole elements, consisting of metal rods approximately half of the wavelength of the television signal, mounted in a line on a support boom. These act as resonators; the electric field of the incoming radio wave pushes the electrons in the rods back and forth, creating standing waves of oscillating voltage in the rods. The antenna can have a smaller or larger number of rod elements; in general, the more elements, the higher the gain and the more directional. Another design used mainly for UHF reception is the reflective array antenna, consisting of a vertical metal screen with multiple dipole elements mounted in front of it. The television broadcast bands are too wide in frequency to be covered by a single antenna, so the two options are separate antennas used for the VHF and UHF bands or a combination (combo) VHF/UHF antenna.

Antennas are commonly placed on rooftops and sometimes in attics. Placing an antenna indoors significantly attenuates the level of the available signal. Directional antennas must be pointed at the transmitter they are receiving; in most cases great accuracy is not needed. In a given region, it is sometimes arranged that all television transmitters are located in roughly the same direction and use frequencies spaced closely enough that a single antenna suffices for all. A single transmitter location may transmit signals for several channels. CABD (communal antenna broadcast distribution) is a system installed inside a building to receive free to air TV/FM signals transmitted via radio frequencies and distribute them to the audience. Analog television signals are susceptible to ghosting in the image, multiple closely spaced images giving the impression of blurred and repeated images of edges in the picture. This is due to the signal being reflected from nearby objects (buildings, trees, mountains); several copies of the signal, of different strengths and subject to different delays, are picked up. This is different for other transmissions. Careful positioning of the antenna can produce a compromise position, which minimizes the ghosts on different channels. Ghosting is also possible if multiple antennas connected to the same receiver pick up the same station, especially if the lengths of the cables connecting them to the splitter/merger are different lengths or the antennas are too close together. Analog television is being replaced by digital, which is not subject to ghosting; the same reflected signal that causes ghosting in an analog signal would produce no viewable content at all in digital. However, in this case, interference causes significantly more significant image quality degradation.

Aerials are attached to roofs in various ways, usually on a pole to elevate it above the roof. This is generally sufficient in most areas. In some places, however, such as a deep valley or near taller structures, the antenna may need to be placed significantly higher, using a guyed mast or mast. The wire connecting the antenna indoors is referred to as the downlead or drop, and the longer the downlead is, the greater the signal degradation in the wire. Certain cables may help reduce this tendency. The higher the antenna is placed, the better it will perform. An antenna of higher gain will be able to receive weaker signals from its preferred direction. Intervening buildings, topographical features (mountains), and dense forests will weaken the signal; in many cases, the signal will be reflected such that a usable signal is still available. There are physical dangers inherent to high or complex antennas, such as the structure falling or being destroyed by weather. There are also varying local ordinances which restrict and limit such things as the height of a structure without obtaining permits. For example, in the United States, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 allows any homeowner to install "An antenna that is designed to receive local television broadcast signals" but that "masts higher than 12 feet (4 m) above the roof line may be subject to local permitting requirements."

As discussed previously, antennas may be placed indoors where signals are strong enough to overcome antenna shortcomings. The antenna is simply plugged into the television receiver and placed conveniently, often on the top of the receiver ("set top"). Sometimes, the position needs to be experimented with to get the best picture. Indoor antennas can also benefit from RF amplification, commonly called a TV booster. Reception from indoor antennas can be problematic in weak signal areas.

Sometimes, it is desirable not to put an antenna on the roof; in these cases, antennas designed for outdoor use are often mounted in the attic or loft, although antennas designed for attic use are also available. Putting an antenna indoors significantly decreases its performance due to lower elevation above ground level and intervening walls; however, in strong signal areas, reception may be satisfactory.

It is sometimes desired to receive signals from transmitters which are not in the same direction. This can be achieved, for one station at a time, by using a rotator operated by an electric motor to turn the antenna as desired. Alternatively, two or more antennas, each pointing at a desired transmitter and coupled by appropriate circuitry, can be used. To prevent the antennas from interfering with each other, the vertical spacing between the booms must be at least half the wavelength of the lowest frequency to be received (Distance = ). Properly installed masts, especially tall ones, are guyed with galvanized cable; no insulators are needed. They are designed to withstand worst case weather conditions in the area and are positioned so that they do not interfere with power lines if they fall. There is an inherent danger in being on the rooftop of a house, required for installing or adjusting a television antenna.