Dual range antenna
An antenna system that for use in both high density areas and rural areas while still obtaining acceptable reception in both locations. The antenna system includes a switching mechanism that permits the user to select between a lower gain range, appropriate for high density areas, and a higher gain range, which is more conducive to rural areas where UHF and VHF signals tend to be the weakest. This system provides the user with greater utility and performance and broader compatibility with television markets of varying sizes.
1. A television set antenna system suitable for use both in weak signal areas and in strong signal areas comprising:
a housing that supports a UHF antenna and a VHF antenna each having output signal conducting wires extending within the housing;
mounted on the housing's surface, at least one gain adjustment switch, a pair of gain adjustment movable members, and an RF signal output compatible with a standard RF input of a television set;
within the housing, a pair of serial RF circuits each comprising a balun and at least two amplifiers oriented to amplify signals flowing from the balun towards the amplifiers, at least one of which amplifiers in each serial RF circuit includes a gain control mechanism and a gain control signal input, the wires from the UHF antenna connecting to the first of the two baluns, the wires from the VHF antenna connecting to the second of the two baluns, and the final amplifier in each serial RF circuit having an output connecting to the RF signal output;
within the assembly, a pair of gain control signal generators each including and having its gain control signal adjusted by one of the gain adjustment movable members and each also having its gain control signal adjusted by the gain adjustment switch.
2. A system as in claim 1 wherein the gain adjustment movable members are potentiometers.
3. A system as in claim 1 wherein the gain adjustment movable members are rotary potentiometers.
4. A system as in claim 2 wherein the gain control signal generators are adjustable DC power supplies the output voltage of which are controlled by the potentiometers and by the gain adjustment switch, and wherein the gain control signal inputs are also the power inputs of the amplifiers having such inputs.
5. A system as in claim 1 wherein the gain control signal generators are adjustable DC power supplies the output voltage of which are controlled by the gain adjustment movable members and by the gain adjustment switch, and wherein the gain control signal inputs are also the power inputs of the amplifiers having such inputs.
6. A system as in claim 1 wherein each of the two serial RF circuits comprises at least three amplifiers, and wherein at least the middle amplifier in each of the two serial RF circuits has the gain control mechanism.
7. A system in accordance with claim 6 wherein at least the first and middle amplifier in each of the two serial RF circuits has the gain control mechanism.
8. A system in accordance with claim 7 wherein the third amplifier is shared between the two serial RF circuits.
9. A system in accordance with claim 6 wherein the third amplifier is shared between the two serial RF circuits.