Digital Audio and Video Broadcasting Antenna Components and Systems

KATHREIN, founded in 1919

in Rosenheim, Germany, is an international enterprise active in antenna and communications technology. For over 80 years the Kathrein group has been developing, producing and marketing a wide range of antenna systems and signal processing products. Today, the Kathrein group has over 3,900 employees worldwide. It consists of 4 factories in Rosenheim, 7 national sales offices and 51 independently operating companies either wholly or partially owned by Professor Dr. Anton Kathrein. Globally active, over 60% of the groups turnover (2001: 750 Mio Euro ) is achieved outside Germany.

Quality leads the way is our company motto Kathreins quality management system is certified in accordance to ISO 9001 / EN29001 and for the environmental management according to ISO14001. For almost 40 years, Kathrein is active in the field of broadcast antennas offering antenna system components, as well as project engineering and related services. Kathrein has started very early engaging in DAB and DVB by being a member of the DAB platform and DVB working group. A full range of broadcast antenna components for DAB and digital TV transmission can be offered, such as radiators, power splitters, filters and combiners. Furthermore, Kathrein provides special designed antenna systems for practically all customer requirements.

Broadcast Antennas for DAB

With DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) 6 - 7 programmes plus data can be transmitted in one channel. Frequencies in VHF Band III (216 240 MHz) and L-Band (1450 1492 MHz) are used. The digital broadcasting allows the received signal to be regenerated and thus providing a sound which is practically noise free. Using the COFDM modulation technique with up to 1536 carriers, narrow band interferences and reflections no longer create a drop of the wanted signal, making the system extremely suitable for mobile reception. It further provides the possibility to build SFN networks. A smooth transition from analogue FM radio broadcasting to DAB is planned for most of the countries. Therefore, broadcasters often face the situation having to attach additional antennas onto existing masts, or even integrate the antennas for DAB into occupied mast space, e.g. FM or TV VHF Band III antenna systems. For every kind of requirement, Kathrein can offer suitable components and antenna systems. 1

1. Panel for DAB in L-Band a wide variety of beamwidth and gains are available 2. Omnidirectional antenna for DAB in L-Band a wide variety of gains is available 3. Dipole antenna for DAB in VHF Band III 4. Directional antenna for simultaneous operation of TV and DAB in VHF Band III 5. 4-dipole panel for DAB in VHF Band III

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Broadcast Antennas for Digital Terrestrial TV

Also for terrestrial television, there are new digital standards on the way. Main systems are the DVB-T, the American ATSC and the Japanese ISDB-T standard. Although they use different modulation techniques, all are supposed to use the VHF and UHF television bands. Digital terrestrial television opens new possibilities for TV and data broadcasting. With almost the same advantages as DAB for mobile use, TV reception at practically every location seems applicable. Furthermore, the programme content per channel can be increased due to sophisticated compression technologies. Some countries like USA have already started to quickly and widely introduce digital terrestrial televison, while still some parameters are open and differ from country to country, such as modulation and polarization. Thus, broadcasters may desire to simultaneously operate analogue and digital TV via one antenna, or adapt an additional antenna for digital TV to a free mast section. 3 Kathrein provides antenna components and systems fitting to all digital terrestrial TVbroadcasting requirements. Customers benefit from the excellent broadband characteristics (full band operation).

1. UHF broadband 4-dipole panel for analogue and digital TV Horizontal or vertical polarization 2. VHF Band III broadband 4-dipole panel for analogue and digital TV Horizontal or vertical polarization 3. UHF broadband omnidirectional antenna for analogue and digital TV Horizontal polarization 4. UHF logarithmic-periodic broadband antenna for analogue and digital TV Horizontal or vertical polarization

Turnkey Projects

The antennas for DAB and digital terrestrial TV set new challenges for the engineers, such as: - Using remaining mast space with unfavorable size for additional antennas - Evaluating power and voltage handling capabilities of antennas for use with digital modulation - Combining analogue and digital channels to one antenna system More than 40 years of experience in the field of broadcast antennas making Kathrein an experienced and reliable partner for your broadcast antenna projects. Turnkey systems consisting of: Antenna arrays Feeder cables Combiners Patch panels Fibre-glass radomes UHF steel carriers Accessories - Site survey Installation Project planning and Commissioning .

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1. Turnkey installation of Band III DAB antenna at station Schmallenberg (Telekom), Germany 2. Special designed Band III DAB antenna, integrated in existing VHF TV antenna station Stuttgart Degerloch (SWR), Germany 3. Special designed UHF DVB-T multipanel antenna, for big mast diameter station Sandy Heath (NTL), UK 4. MasterTransmit Antenna for 8 UHF DTV Channels, Salt Lake City (DTV Utah), USA

References:

Major customers for DAB and digital terrestrial TV antennas world-wide:

Austria Begium Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Germany VRT Ceske Radiokomunikace Tele Danmark Yleisradio TDF Telekom Broadcasting stations under Public Law BR, HR, SWR India Ireland Netherlands Norway Poland Singapore Slovakia Sweden Switzerland Taiwan UK Doordarshan RTE Nozema Telenor Telekomunikacja Polska SIMCOM Radiokomunikacie Teracom Swisscom BCC Crown Castle NTL USA DTV-Utah (private broadcasters) ORF

Further Kathrein products for DAB and DVB-T: 1. Signal meter MSK 33 for Sat, TV, FM and DVB-T 2. DVB-T receiver UFD572 3. DVB-T receiving antenna BZD-20 4. DAB starpoint combiner 2 x 2 kW, critical mask
9986.478 / 0502 / 1 / JH / Pf

Internet: http://www.kathrein.de
KATHREIN-Werke KG Telephone (++49) 80 31/1 84-0 Fax (++49) 80 31/ 1 84-9 91 Anton-Kathrein-Str. 1-3 P.O.Box 10 04 44 D-83004 Rosenheim Germany