Top Antenna Technologies That WISPs Are Using

WISPs are continuously challenged to provide high quality service to subscribers, without the resources that large incumbents enjoy. The fact is that most WISPs today are running small to medium-sized operations, on very tight margins—so there isn’t much room for error.

Making things more difficult, rural WISPs tend to face more physical obstacles like trees, mountains, and vast distances when connecting with subscribers. It’s not the same as trying to establish connectivity in a dense metropolitan area. Customers, for that matter, expect reliable coverage no matter where they are located, or who is providing it.

For this reason, it’s critical that WISPs use the right antenna technologies in their deployments. This can make all the difference in the world when providing service—and there’s no shortage of options to choose from.

Here are some of the common antenna technologies that WISPs are using today:

Yagi antennas

Yagi antennas—also called beam or parasitic arrays—are directional microwave antennas that feature a single “dipole,” or horizontal rod.

Yagis produce very high gain, because they concentrate the majority of their signal in one direction.They are ideal for use in both line of sight and non-line-of-site (NLOS) point to point or point to multipoint deployments.

Yagis are spectrum specific, and KP performance provides Yagi antennas in the 900 MHz and 470 MHz bands.

Flat panel antennas

Flat panels are another type of high gain, directional microwave antenna which come equipped with flat reflectors. In this type of antenna, the dipole is placed in front of the panel.

Flat panels are typically used as access points for providing concentrated coverage to a small area. They are also used as client-side antennas.

KP Performance offers the KPPA-900DP-FP, a 900 MHz 13.5 dBi dual pole directional flat panel antenna.

Sector antennas

Sector antennas are also classified as directional microwave antennas, and have varying amounts of gain.

Their long, narrow design produces a sector-shaped radiation pattern, making them ideal for use in point-to-multipoint deployments. Recent advancements in side and back-lobe suppression also make sectors great for mitigating inter-sector interference.

KP Performance provides sector antennas in 40°, 60°, 65°, 90°, and 120° beamwidth patterns, and in various frequency bands like 2.4 GHz (2000-2999 MHz), 3 GHz (3000-3899 MHz) and 5 GHz (4900-5999 MHz).

Reflector dish antennas

Reflector dish antennas are classified as directional microwave antennas as well, and can provide a strong signal over large distances where NLOS coverage is needed. These antennas feature a parabolic reflector dish, and either a horn or a dipole antenna. The gain of a reflector antenna will largely depend on the diameter of its dish, among other factors.

Reflector antennas are commonly used in the 2.4 GHz (2000-2999 MHz), 3 GHz (3000-4899 MHz), and 5 GHz (4900-5999 MHz) spectrums.

Omni antennas

Unlike the above-mentioned antennas, omnidirectional—or omni—antennas radiate their signals in uniform 360 patterns. They are typically used as access points or as a WISP base station antennas.

Omni antennas lack the gain, and the range that directional antennas have making them less ideal for rural environments. However, they can provide consistent coverage over a wide area. Omni antennas can also be used to amplify signals from different carriers.

KP Performance provides omni antennas in the 2.4 GHz, 3 GHz, and 5 GHz spectrums.

As you can see, KP Performance has a variety of antenna technologies to choose from. To learn more about how KP Performance can help you meet your objectives, contact us today.