Antenna Orientation

[muhockey86]

So I want to mount a directional antenna in my attic, and I have found that it may fit better if it lays horizontal rather than vertical, what effect would this have on reception/

 

[N_Jay]

So I want to mount a directional antenna in my attic, and I have found that it may fit better if it lays horizontal rather than vertical, what effect would this have on reception/

In a perfect world a cross polarized orientation can give you a 20+ dB loss . This is sometimes done for intentional isolation between signals.

Typically you will be between 6 and 18 dB of loss.

 

[muhockey86]

Yup...you lost me....cross polarized?

 

[W6KRU]

Yup...you lost me....cross polarized?

Yes. The signals you want to hear are vertically polarized and your antenna is horizontally polarized when laying flat like that. Your signal will have a large loss.

 

[muhockey86]

Well...won't be doing that then...