2003 R&D 100 Winner
Every neighborhood shies away from having an antenna tower. Even when placed in discrete locations, the outcry is that its height will disfigure the landscape and decrease property value. A compact solution to this problem is the KinStar Antenna created by STAR-H Corp., Lancaster, Pa., and Kintronic Laboratories, Inc., Bluff City, Tenn. Although one third the height of conventional transmitter towers, this “low-profile” AM radio broadcast antenna is capable of providing about 98% of their radiation frequency.
Not requiring a tower, the antenna employs vertical and horizontal wires, similar to power lines, mounted atop wooden, concrete or metal poles. Best suited for longer wavelength bands, such as in AM radio broadcasting, it can also be employed to transmit the entire radio frequency spectrum.
Finally, computer simulation can be used to determine the KinStar Antenna’s performance before installation. Such confidence in antenna towers has been available traditionally only with tall towers, where the increased height guarantees the quality of transmission.
Technology
AM radio broadcast antenna
Developers
STAR-H Corp.
Kintronic Laboratories, Inc.
