Meet the ‘Cool Stuff’ Winners: Electronics Research Inc. Dual-Input Side-Mount FM Antenna

Analog and digital from the same elements, and no STA required.
ERI’s antenna is capable of transmitting both the analog and digital FM signals without a high-loss hybrid combiner or a circulator to attain isolation between the D and A transmitters. Low-power isolators may be specified based on site considerations, for added protection to the digital transmitter or for multiplexed operations.
According to ERI, the design meets the FCC requirement for informal notification of IBOC implementation.
The antenna is a true dual-input design; it excites all radiating elements with both signals. You can use a single antenna while eliminating combining loss as in the 10-dB hybrid combining method.
The antenna can achieve in excess of 30 dB isolation between A and D inputs without using an isolator/circulator; no analog signal is lost to a reject load and no additional insertion loss caused by a circulator. Both formats have the same horizontal and vertical patterns and therefore the same gain.
Price is $17,000 to $120,000, depending on gain. The company quotes 60- to 90-day delivery.
Info: (812) 925-6000 or www.eriinc.com.