Antenna
Antenna (pl. antennas in radio/TV, antennae in biology) may refer to:
Science and engineering
- Antenna (radio), also known as an aerial, a transducer designed to transmit or receive electromagnetic (e.g. TV or radio) waves
- Television antenna (or TV aerial), is an antenna specifically designed for the reception of broadcast television signals
- Antennae Galaxies, the name of two colliding galaxies NGC 4038 and NGC 4039
Technology
- Antenna tower, typically a tall structure designed to support antennas (also known as aerials in the UK) for telecommunications and broadcasting, including television
- Antenna array, a collection of simple antennas (called elements) arranged normally in a rectangular of circular configuration and connected together by a complex feed system which may be constructed of cable, waveguide, stripline of microstrip components, connected together in such a way (phased) as to produce a directional beam (called the main beam). The array feed system typically is designed to suppress radiation in unwanted directions (sidelobes) by various highly mathematical design methods (often, but not always, related to the Taylor or Tchebycheff polynomials) A Phased Array is an antenna array capable of steering its directional beam in one or more directions without any moving (mechanical) parts. The beam's movement is accomplished by introducing electrical components called phase shifters into the feed system that connects to the individual antenna elements that make up the face of the array.
- Dipole antenna, a simple antenna usually constructed from two wires in opposite phases (180 degrees out of phase) placed end to end (with a small space in between) and whose total length approximates one half the wavelength of the RF energy it is designed to radiate, but which can be constructed from one longer wire folded in such a way that length and phase relationships are maintained so as to maximize radiation from the antenna. The dipole is fed at its input by an appropriate source of RF energy.
- Directional antenna, or beam antenna, radiates greater power primarily in one direction, with radiation in other directions (called sidelobes) usually suppressed by various design methods.
- Horn antenna, a type of directional antenna shaped like horn, usually, but not always, with a rectangular face, dimensioned to produce a directional beam of a narrowly varying angular width over a limited frequency range.
- Metamaterial antenna, a class of antenna incorporating metamaterials to increase performance of a miniaturized (electrically small) antenna systems
- Omnidirectional antenna, an antenna system which radiates power uniformly in all directions in one plane, typically the horizontal plane but possible in any plane. The energy level radiated from the antenna normally drops off gradually on both sides of the plane of omnidirectionality until it approaches zero at +/-ninety degrees away from the design plane. The beam shape is similar to that of a donut.
- Parabolic antenna, An antenna type generally used at microwave and millimeter wave frequencies but sometimes utilized at frequencies lower than one GHz, shaped like a parabola in one or both planes and fed by a smaller antenna system located near the parabolic focus. The feed antenna is often, but not always, complex and may be composed of more than one simple antenna (such as horns, dipoles or microstrip patches) connected together in order to improve the tracking ability or pointing accuracy of the system (the antenna itself plus ancillary transmitting and/or receiving equipment). Simple versions of this antenna type are used for radio, television and data communications. More complex versions are generally used for Radio Detection And Ranging (RADAR) and for direction finding applications.
- Radio telescope, a form of directional antenna, usually a parabolic antenna, but sometimes a large horn antenna, primarily used in radio astronomy but also used for tracking and collecting data from satellites and space probes.
Biology
- Antenna (biology), one of a pair of appendages used for sensing in arthropods; also applied to cilium structures present in most cell types of eukaryotes
- Antenna (journal), the journal of the Royal Entomological Society
Entertainment
- Antenna (band), an American indie rock band active from 1991 to 1994, formed in Bloomington, Indiana by John Strohm and Freda Love
- Antenna (Cave In album), the third studio album and first major label album by American rock band Cave In, released in 2003
- Antenna (GO!GO!7188 album), the seventh studio album by Japanese rock band GO!GO!7188, released in 2009
- Antenna (ZZ Top album), the eleventh studio album by American blues-rock band ZZ Top, released in 1994
- Antenna (film), a satirical 1969 Dutch film directed by Adriaan Ditvoorst
- "Antenna", an episode of the Adult Swim animated television series, Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Broadcasting
- ANT1, a Greek-language terrestrial channel
- Antena Internaţional, a Romanian television channel
- Antena 1 (Romania), a Romanian television channel
- Antena 2 (Romania), a Romanian television channel
- Antena 3 (Romania), a Romanian television channel
- Antena 3 (Spain), a Spanish terrestrial television channel
- Antenna TV, a U.S. television channel established in 2011 by Tribune Broadcasting
- RDP Antena 1, Portuguese public radio station
- RDP Antena 2, Portuguese public radio station
- RDP Antena 3, Portuguese public radio station
See also