Kathrein Braodcast Antenna Seminar

Basical Considerations for Broadcast

Station Planning 1

Basical Considerations for Broadcast Station Planning

Criteria for Broadcast Site Selection

Coverage requirements

Access and electric power supply

Climatic conditions

Land ownership

Economical considerations

Basical Considerations for Broadcast Station Planning

Sites on Mountains or Hills

Far coverage range

Heavy weather conditions

Difficult access

Low athmospheric pressure

Favourite place for tourism /

sightseeing

Basical Considerations for Broadcast Station Planning

Sites at Country Borders

Often required are directional radiation patterns, for interference protection!

Increasing conflict with DTV because of increase of used channels!

Example with panel antenna system Example with logper antenna system
(high power application) (low power application)
Minimum limits ca. -15 dB practical Minimum limits ca. -20 dB practical

Backlobe effects may vary with tower and fixation structure! 4

Basical Considerations for Broadcast Station Planning

Sites in Metropolitan Areas

Expensive land prices in city centre

A broadcast tower often is a

landmark and unique architectural
object for a metropole
-> Structure and location might not
be ideal for broadcast antennas

Shadow zones due to skyscrapers

Multipath propagation

Blank spots close to the station

Basical Considerations for Broadcast Station Planning

Analog TV: Broadcast Site at the Edge of the City

Ghost pictures from disturbing Shadow zones due to skyscrapers!

reflections can be avoided by
directional Rx antennas with good
f/b ratio!

Basical Considerations for Broadcast Station Planning

Problem of different Analog TV Broadcast Sites around a City

In the example on the right,

most households will turn their
Rx antenna westwards to get
most of the stations (A, B, C)!

Fewer households may Station A

use multiple Rx antennas!Station B
Station C
Station D may suffer
from less viewers!
City
Typical beam of Rx yagiantenna

Station D

Basical Considerations for Broadcast Station Planning

Analog TV: Broadcast Sites in the City Centre

Disturbing Reflections come from all Difficult nullfill close to

sides and and cannot be avoided by the tower!
directional Rx antennas!
-> Ghost pictures Electromagnetic
compatibility matter
close to the tower!

Basical Considerations for Broadcast Station Planning

Digital TV: Broadcast Sites in the City Centre

DTV for portable indoor receiption Strong signal due to

requires high location probability! low distance between
Tx and Rx!
Reflections are not disturbing with
DTV and can even be used for
blank spot filling!

Basical Considerations for Broadcast Station Planning

Two DTV-Stations on opposite Sides of a City

Two DTV-Transmitters for common

channel increase the location probability
for portable indoor receiption!

Possible with Single Frequency

Networks!

10

Basical Considerations for Broadcast Station Planning

Places of multiple Broadcast Station Towers

Large mast sections may shadow or

reflect the signal from neighbour towers
(mostly a VHF Band problem...)!

Interference may be avoided by use of

Tx bandpass filters!

11

Basical Considerations for Broadcast Station Planning