Dipole Antenna Explained:

coverage and power go hand in hand

The correct placement of an FM Transmitter antenna is key in providing a great audience experience.

Please read the below article explaining the concept of a Dipole Antenna for an FM Transmitter and the benefits of having a frequency matching antenna setup.

Dipole History

German physicist Heinrich Hertz first demonstrated the existence of radio waves in 1887 using what we now know as a dipole antenna (with capacitative end-loading). On the other hand, Guglielmo Marconi empirically found that he could just ground the transmitter (or one side of a transmission line, if used) dispensing with one half of the antenna, thus realizing the vertical or monopole antenna.[8] For the low frequencies Marconi employed to achieve long-distance communications, this form was more practical; when radio moved to higher frequencies (especially VHF transmissions for FM radio and TV) it was advantageous for these much smaller antennas to be entirely atop a tower thus requiring a dipole antenna or one of its variations.
In the early days of radio, the thus-named Marconi antenna (monopole) and the doublet (dipole) were seen as distinct inventions. Now, however, the "monopole" antenna is understood as a special case of a dipole which has a virtual element "underground".

Source: Wikipedia

The Dipole Antenna is simplest to understand from a theoretical point of view. Most commonly it consists of two conductors of equal length oriented end-to-end with the feedline connected between them.

These are a type of resonant antennas, that increase the dB gain when the length is matched to the intended FM Transmission frequency.

Toroidal Polar Pattern:
The Dipole antenna has a toroidal polar pattern that allows you to achieve great coverage without nulls except for the centre. Correct placing of this type of antenna is crucial to achieving a coverage that avoids the centre of the toroidal null.

Dipole antenna Radiation Pattern (EMI vs Waves)

Dipole Antenna:
Blue = Electric Field, Red = Magnetic Field

Animated Diagram of a Dipole Antenna

Dipole provides the best performance if it is more than a half-wavelength above the ground, surface of a body of water or horizontal conducting medium such as sheet-metal roofing. The element should also be a certain wavelength away from electrically conducting obstructions such as supporting towers, utility wires and other antennas.

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