Antennas evolve to meet restrictions

Communities and landlords have become tolerant of wireless towers and antennas to a point, but zoning restrictions have lead to an evolution in stealth and disguised components.

Trying to compete in this restricted market, EMS Wireless (www.ems-t.com) and Decibel Products (www.decibelproducts.com) both released new antenna products this month. EMS has released a 4-foot PCS antenna to fill a void the company had at that length.

“What we’ve found out is that you really need to have a 4-foot-long product to fit in with building facades,” said Jeff Vann, EMS product marketing manager. “Anything above that starts to obstruct the architectural look.”

He said the fundamental reason for creating the antenna was to develop a product that would be more zoning friendly. The antenna includes features such as electrical downtilt, beam-shaping options and upper sidelobe suppression.

“We know from doing market research that this product was in big demand,” Vann said.

Zoning issues also impacted Decibel’s decision to expand its VariTilt antenna line.

“What we find is that operators that are using diversity-polarization schemes tend to concentrate that effort in urban centers where there’s a lot of pressure on general aesthetics,” said Philip Sorrells, Decibel director of product management. “There are a lot of zoning pressures.”

The three antennas added to the VariTilt line can be installed on a flat surface, which helps them blend in with their surroundings. One model is just 2.6 inches deep, another is only 10.5 inches wide. “These antennas can sit flat against a wall, so they can be painted to match exactly with the veneer of the building they’re being installed to,” Sorrells said.

The Decibel antennas have similar features to the EMS antennas, including electrical downtilt, upper sidelobe suppression and disguise abilities.

Zoning issues drive product development for antenna manufacturers, Sorrells said, because RF engineers need something that provides good coverage, while looking pretty.

“It’s kind of a 2-edged sword,” he said. “First, they have to find an array that meets their basic RF needs. Then, they have to find an array that can be installed in an acceptable manner within the community.”