| Is
a Ground Plane required for our antennas?
No. As a result of our design and the
"Tuning" that we perform at our factory, no ground plane is required.
What makes your antenna
different from your competitors?
- All of our antennas are hand assembled
and tuned for maximum gain.
- All of our connections are soldered,
whereas our competitors use mechanical joints (crimping), which is
less reliable and often fails under salt water conditions.
- Digital Antenna uses its exclusive
marine grade low loss UV stable RG8X cable to reduce transmission
line loss in all Digital Antenna marine antennas.
- All of our antenna bases are epoxy glued
and filled with silicone base caulking to insure complete watertight
seal. Our competitors use rubber gaskets and do not fill the ends.
Often, the rubber gaskets fail with time.
- Bottom Line: Our antennas are
better made, more reliable and outperform all other antennas on a
category by category basis.
What should be the main
reason to buy your antenna?
The antenna is part of your life support
system during an emergency. Reliability should be the main decision
factor in purchasing our antenna. The radio and antenna act as one
system that must perform in all weather conditions and at maximum range.
Simply put, having a good radio with a poor antenna does not give you the
best odds when you are in a distress situation. It is our belief
that Digital Antenna has the best and most reliable product on the market
-- one that beats the competition in both gain and distance, resulting in
an increased safety margin.
Is it true that the
higher the antenna, the further the transmission and the better the
reception?
Yes, in general, that can be one of the
factors influencing performance. However, for most uses, mounting the
antenna in the usual locations is acceptable.
Does the gain of the
antenna really matter?
Yes, it does. The gain of an antenna
translates to greater distance for transmission and reception. A gain of
6db usually results in a performance increase of four times the radio's
power output and eight times with a 9dB gain. However, other factors
can be equally important, including the tuned frequency of the antenna and
its SWR. Digital Antenna tunes all of its products in accordance
with the median frequency of usage, (i.e., VHF will be tuned for 156.8 Mhz).
Our SWR ratio approaches 1:1, reducing most of the losses associated with
our competitors' antennas. All of these factors are important when it
comes to choosing an antenna.
I have a Shakespearee
antenna and I am unhappy with its performance. Can I use your antenna as a
replacement without having to buy a new mount?
Most of our antennas fit into the standard
mounts of our competitors. For best results, prior to ordering, please go
to our technical support page and email us with the make and model number
that you want to replace. Then, we can be sure that the replacement
will fit your mount.
Why should I purchase
your cellular antenna? Isn't the one I have on the phone good enough?
Our cellular antennas are tuned for maximum
gain and distance. One customer reported that his cell phone reached
Miami, Florida's towers from Bimini, Bahamas, more than 45 miles
across the Gulf Stream. The little antenna on your cell phone simply does
not have the gain or range.
What is the minimum
distance that I can mount the antenna from the radio?
In order for no squealing to occur from
transmission interference, you must mount the antenna no less than three
feet away. Of course, the greater the power of the radio, the greater the
minimum distance.
How do power losses
occur in an antenna?
The gain of an antenna is closely related
to its directivity. Because directivity is based solely on the shape of
the radiation pattern lobes, it does not take into account power losses
that may occur in the actual antenna system.
 Every
Digital Antenna marine antenna is tuned for minimum standing wave ratio (SWR)
which approaches 1:1, reducing the system loss significantly.
Additionally, a ferrite choke bead is used to contain RF power in the
antenna system. By using a choke bead, all RF power is directed into the
radiating element and prevented from leaking back to the transmission
cable.
This technique increases usable RF power
and minimizes cable interference with other electronic equipment. Also,
Digital Antenna uses its exclusive marine grade low loss UV stable RG8X
cable to reduce transmission line loss in all Digital Antenna marine
antennas.
|
Vertical
antennas are in fact quite directional, except in the horizontal or
azimuth plane.
