Antenna buying guide
Buying an antenna is easier once you know four things: the frequency, the pattern you need, how it connects, and how much cable sits between it and the radio. This guide walks through each, with the regulators' and manufacturers' own numbers.
Frequencies by system and regionWhat frequencies cellular modems, LoRa, SCADA radios, GPS, Wi-Fi, two-way radio and public safety use in the Americas, and what changes in Europe.How an antenna is tunedWavelength, quarter-wave and half-wave elements, bandwidth and VSWR: why a 450 MHz antenna won't work at 150 MHz.Pattern, gain and polarizationOmni or directional, dBi and dBd, beamwidth, front-to-back ratio, polarization and downtilt, with CompleTech's own numbers.Transmit, receive or bothThe same antenna works both ways. What changes on transmit is power handling and match; GNSS is receive-only.Combining antennas and radiosStack antennas with a power splitter, run two radios on one antenna with a ring hybrid, and keep antennas on one mast from interfering.Connectors and cableN, TNC, SMA, RP-SMA, BNC, QMA, 7/16 and 4.3-10: frequency limits and how to tell them apart. Coax loss by type and frequency, and lightning protection.Identify what you haveFind the frequency from the label (FCC ID, IFT number), the license, or the datasheet band list, and identify the connector. Or send us a photo.
In a hurry? Find an antenna by system or frequency.