For tower hunters/techies and those interested in antenna manufacturers

The largest? Based on what? How about Andrew Corporation (soon to be part of ADC)?

http://www.andrew.com/products/antennas/

 

I wasn't questioning the validity, just curious as to the benchmark of measurement.

A little funny fact; While working as a Sr. Program Mgr. at Andrew, I bought a lot of Kathrien/Scala combo GPS/BCCH antennas.

 

I am quite familiar with Mr. Kramer. I believe he is/was a member of the IAC/LSGAC and helped with some of the OET-65 content.

Thanks for the welcome note!

 

They may not be the largest, but what about EMS Wireless? Bigger and better do not always go hand in hand. The manufacturing is done, here, locally in the US (Norcross GA) and is not shipping another US job out of the country. This makes their 'build-to-install' time much shorter. They have pioneered several technologies that everyone uses now....

www.emswireless.com

 

I am very familiar with EMS, know a handful of employees, and have bought/installed their stuff. What did they pioneer? EMS Technologies is widely credited with the first wireless data link in the early 70's, but EMS Wireless is a sales/manufacturing division of the parent. Their manufacturing takes place in large part in GA, but you can't say they don't do things abroad since there is a factory in Brazil and they are using some parts from outsources vendors for some system components. They are a worthy competitor in a tightly contested market, but not the leader.

 

Wireles, I too am very familiar with EMS wireless but would take their antennas over Andrews anytime. I've used them for over 8 years on over 500 sites and I bet I can count the number of failures on 1 hand. Once we had one get struck by lightning so bad that it blew the fiberglass exterior off but the antenna was still transmitting. That made a believer outa me.

 

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/2.0 (compatible; MSIE 3.02; Windows CE; PPC; 240x320) BlackBerry8700/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102 UP.Link/6.3.0.0.0)

It depends on the application. I couldn't definitively choose one over another in general. It depends on the requirement...freq., indoor/outdoor, technology, etc...

That goes for all manufacturers. Each has something they excel in.

For example, Kathrein-Scala has the best BCCH/GPS base station antenna in the world.

 

I'll agree with that. Wireles have you done any work with DAS systems? I've had luck with both Andrews & LGC Wireless.

 

LGC has a decent system and the Andrew stuff is good as well. I have also used systems from Mobile Access and others.

For a little over a year, I did a tremendous amount of DAS design and installation PM work. It was mostly neutral host for PCS and WiFi purposes, but we did a fair amount of T-Mobile in-building GSM also....lots of microcells (Ericsson 2708's, if my memory isn't shot.)

 

Wireles did you see where Mobile Access is in hot water over the Abramoff mess? They were found to have paid him $200G for help with a Gov contract.