Is laminated aluminum better for antennas?

TOPICS:

If you want an antenna to last a lifetime, you want it to be solidly made. Our Televes antennas are designed to the highest standards of quality and should last you decades if they’re properly mounted on the roof.

Why? What’s the difference? Televes antennas are made from laminated aluminum. Aluminum is the best material for antennas because it’s light, it conducts electricity fairly well, and as it ages its ability to receive signals doesn’t get worse. That makes it better than copper, steel, or even gold. It’s the perfect mix for an antenna.

However, aluminum is soft. If you’re going to build something out of alumimum you either need to reinforce it or you have to accept that it won’t last forever.

Very inexpensive antennas are made principally of stamped aluminum. In this process, a sheet of aluminum goes under a punch press. There’s not a lot more to it really, and what comes out are parts that can bend pretty easily. You don’t care too much about that if you’re looking for an antenna to last 5-7 years. If the antenna survives the shipping process, it’s probably going to be fine for a while.

Mid-range antennas have parts made from extruded aluminum. Sheets of aluminum are forced through long dies to make square or round tubes that hold up pretty well to stress and can be bent and shaped to make different antenna parts. This is very common in the antenna industry but all extruded parts are still vulnerable to specific kinds of damage. A very sharp impact to a small area can cause a weak spot which makes the antenna fold in on itself and break. This can happen with impacts from flying debris and can shorten an antenna’s life.

And then there is laminated aluminum. Laminated aluminum is similar to plywood – several thin sheets of aluminum are bonded together to become super strong. Because the material is laminated, it can bend without breaking and holds up to damage from flying debris much better. It can be extruded, roll-formed or welded just as if it were a large solid block of aluminum and still keeps its superior strength.

There’s no real sign that a part is laminated aluminum; unlike plywood it’s not obvious from a cross-section. Still, you can take it from me… Televes’ antennas are all laminated aluminum which is why we’re so confident that they’ll take a lot more punishment than other antennas. They’re the choice you make when you want to stay off that roof for decades.

When you’re ready for professional grade, Shop for a Televes antenna from Solid Signal.

About the Author

Stuart Sweet
Stuart Sweet is the editor-in-chief of The Solid Signal Blog and a "master plumber" at Signal Group, LLC. He is the author of over 10,000 articles and longform tutorials including many posted here. Reach him by clicking on "Contact the Editor" at the bottom of this page.