Latest news with #Yagi
Tom's Guide
10 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
Antennas Direct Goliath TV antenna review: An absolutely massive, but very powerful outdoor antenna
Range: 70 miles1080p reception: YesSize: 27.5 x 24 x 87 inches (H x W x L) These days, there are tons of small, indoor, high-quality TV antennas. But the facts of physics still remain — with a little more power, you can capture more channels. The Antennas Direct Goliath, which is being sold with the company's Juice Plus preamp, is for those who want the most channels and the best reception — and who don't mind installing an antenna that lives up to its name. Like with any antenna, your mileage will vary depending on your location, nearby terrain, and what broadcasters are near you (even an antenna the size of the Goliath can't get around mountains), but for those struggling to get reception, it just might get closer than any other antenna on the market. Let's get one thing out of the way right now — the Antennas Direct Goliath is, true to its name, giant. It measures in at a whopping 87 inches long, 27.5 inches high, and 24 inches wide, and that's without any mounting posts. It was actually much lighter than I thought it would be given its size, but at nine pounds, it's still certainly not lightweight. While others have moved to different designs, the Goliath has a more 'old-school' Yagi design, which is still effective and efficient when it comes to directional and long-range reception. To that end, the Goliath isn't multi-directional like many modern antennas, so while there's room for error, you'll need to make sure it's pointed in the right direction. According to Antennas Direct, the Goliath is made to be durable enough to withstand wind speeds of up to 115 mph. The weather in my area wasn't wild enough for me to test that, however it certainly does seem pretty strong. As mentioned, the antenna ships with a ClearStream Juice Plus preamplifier, which itself is split into two parts: There's the main unit, which should be installed near the Goliath (typically on the mounting post), and a power inserter, which plugs into the wall and can be located on the indoor side of the cable. The Juice Plus comes pre-installed in a heavy-duty weather-proof casing, so it too should be able to survive the elements — though perhaps water is a bigger concern for it than wind. Is the Antenna Direct Goliath elegant? Well, no, not really. It's not really meant to be. It's imposing. Some might want something a little more petite than the Goliath, and if you prioritize design over power, then it's perhaps not for you. But hey, at least it makes a statement on your roof. Setting up the Goliath is a little more involved than most other antennas. Before you can mount it, you'll have to actually assemble it. The antenna comes in a series of poles, clips, and bolts, and it took me a good 30-45 minutes to put the thing together. It's worth working in an area with a good amount of space, too. I decided to assemble it in my relatively small office, and found myself hitting walls with random poles in the process. Strike one. Once you assemble it, you'll need to mount it on the roof, and it's worth noting that you might need a taller-than-average mounting post considering the antenna's heft. I did not realize this would be necessary, and had to wait a day for a new mounting post to arrive before I could install it. Strike two. The rest of the setup is relatively straightforward, but you'll need to be a little more careful to complete installation. The antenna is large and very unwieldy, so make sure you're safe and secure before trying to carry it up a ladder, for example. Once the antenna is on the roof and mounted to the post, you'll mount the Juice Plus below it, connect a coaxial cable from the Juice Plus to the antenna, and then connect another coaxial cable that runs inside your home to the Juice Plus. Then you'll need to plug in the power inserter, both to the wall and the coax wall jack, and then finally, run another coaxial cable to your TV. If your setup is anything like mine, you already have a coaxial cable running through the walls, so you'll need an additional three cables. The Juice Plus comes with two, which is handy. If you're keeping track, I never got to strike three. Considering that strike could have been falling off a ladder, I'm pretty glad I didn't — but really, be careful up there, and don't do anything silly without someone else nearby. If you're smart, you'll have someone else hand you the antenna instead of trying to carry it up a ladder yourself. The whole point of the Goliath is performance, and perform it does. But, it's worth noting a few caveats. This is a unidirectional antenna. It has a 24-degree reception pattern, which is a pretty small slice of space — and as a result, it's easy to come across online users who have opted for two Goliath's instead of one. The antenna's range, however, is a massive 70 miles, and it's specifically designed for UHF frequencies from 470 to 608 MHz. Before installing the Goliath, our home had a Televes DiNova Boss Mix antenna, which was left over from the previous tenants. Upon moving in, all we had to do was plug the TV into the coax wall jack and scan for channels. It was able to pick up 100 channels. After installing the Goliath and scanning for channels again, only 76 channels were found. Now, there are a few reasons for this. For starters, as mentioned, the Goliath is very directional, and while the DiNova Boss Mix antenna that I had before is still somewhat directional, it has a much wider reception pattern that allows it to capture signals from a wider field of view. The Goliath has a longer range too, but between 50 and 70 miles, there aren't many channels that I would be missing out on without the Goliath. That said, the quality of the signal was very good on all of these channels. It easily picked up local affiliates and delivered crisp and detailed video for all of them. Subchannels in 480p looked about as good as you would expect from a 480p signal. This high quality largely has to do with some of the technologies built into the antenna. Antennas Direct says it's effective at rejecting interfering signals from LTE and 5G towers, and indeed, I never really noticed a poor quality signal with this antenna. It picked up all of the channels that it could excellently. It's just that it didn't pick up all the channels that other antennas might. All that to say, just because you have a big antenna, that doesn't mean you're going to get more channels or necessarily a much better signal. If you live in an area where broadcast stations are spread out a little and are decently close, then you might want to go for an antenna with a wider reception pattern instead. The Antennas Direct Goliath is an impressively powerful antenna, but it's not for everyone. If you need to capture signals from far-away broadcast stations within a relatively clustered area, it's the antenna for the job, and for some, buying two will yield better results for two areas of broadcast stations. But, check where the stations are broadcasting from before you buy an antenna like this, because its directionality will impact how much it can actually pick up — and you might find that a smaller antenna with a lower range and wider reception pattern is better for your needs. That said, if you live in a rural area and need a long-range antenna with a focused reception pattern, the Goliath is an excellent option.
India Gazette
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
PM Modi addresses International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure 2025
New Delhi [India], June 7 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure 2025 via videoconferencing on Saturday. Addressing the gathering, he welcomed the participants to the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure 2025, marking its first-ever hosting in Europe. He expressed gratitude to the President of France Emmanuel Macron and the Government of France for their support in organising the event. The Prime Minister also extended his best wishes for the upcoming United Nations Oceans Conference. Highlighting the theme of the conference, 'Shaping a Resilient Future for Coastal Regions,' PM Modi underscored the vulnerability of coastal regions and islands to natural disasters and climate change. He cited recent disasters, including Cyclone Remal in India and Bangladesh, Hurricane Beryl in the Caribbean, Typhoon Yagi in South-east Asia, Hurricane Helene in the United States, Typhoon Usagi in the Philippines, and Cyclone Chido in parts of Africa. PM Modi emphasised that these disasters have caused significant damage to lives and property, reinforcing the need for resilient infrastructure and proactive disaster management. Recalling India's past experiences with devastating disasters, including the super-cyclone of 1999 and the tsunami of 2004, the Prime Minister emphasised how India adapted and rebuilt with resilience, constructing cyclone shelters across vulnerable areas and contributing to the establishment of a tsunami warning system benefiting 29 countries. Underlining the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure's (CDRI) ongoing work with 25 Small Island Developing States to build resilient homes, hospitals, schools, energy systems, water security measures, and early warning systems, PM Modi expressed his appreciation for the presence of representatives from the Pacific Indian Ocean, and Caribbean regions, and welcomed the African Union's participation in the coalition. Drawing attention to key global priorities, the Prime Minister outlined five key topics. First, the importance of integrating disaster resilience courses, modules, and skill development programs into higher education to build a skilled workforce equipped to tackle future challenges. Second, he stressed the need for a global digital repository to document best practices and learnings from countries that have faced disasters and rebuilt with resilience. PM Modi underscored that disaster resilience requires innovative financing and called for the creation of actionable programs to ensure developing nations have access to necessary funds as the third priority. Fourthly, the Prime Minister reaffirmed India's recognition of Small Island Developing States as Large Ocean Countries and emphasised the need for special attention to their vulnerabilities. Mentioning the fifth priority, PM Modi highlighted the necessity of strengthening early warning systems and coordination, noting their critical role in facilitating timely decision-making and effective last-mile communication. The Prime Minister expressed confidence that discussions at the conference would address these essential aspects. Prime Minister called for the construction of infrastructure that remains steadfast against time and tide, emphasising the need for resilience in development. He concluded by urging global efforts to build a strong and disaster-resilient future for the world. (ANI)
Japan Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- Japan Today
'Floating village' in Nagoya to house thousands of Asian Games athletes
Performers representing Japan at the closing ceremony of the Hangzhou Asian Games By Andrew McKIRDY Athletes at next year's Asian Games in Japan will stay on a "floating village" cruise ship and in converted shipping containers, an organizing official told AFP, defending the cost-cutting move. The plan will see 4,600 athletes and officials housed on the ship for the duration of the Games, which are being held in Nagoya and the wider Aichi area from September 19 to October 4, 2026. Organizers will lease a luxury cruise liner that will be docked at Nagoya's port. A further 2,400 people will stay in temporary shelters made from shipping containers a short bus ride away, with the two locations accommodating about half of the 15,000 athletes and officials expected at the Games. The rest will be in other accommodation, including in Tokyo where the swimming competition will take place. Local organizers were keen to avoid the cost of building a traditional athletes' village, but Asian Olympic chiefs warned that any alternative must make sure athletes can meet and mingle together. Kazuhiro Yagi, vice-secretary general of the Aichi-Nagoya Games organizing committee, told AFP that they had listened to athletes' opinions and wanted to "provide a service that satisfies them". "The cruise ship and container houses are in different locations, but they are only about 10 minutes apart by shuttle bus," he said. "I don't think it will be a problem at all with regards to being able to interact with other athletes. "There is an aquarium and various other entertainment facilities in the area. I think they'll be able to take a break, relax and come together." The 2023 Games in China's Hangzhou had about 12,000 athletes, making it the biggest Asian Games in history, with more competitors than the Olympics. The Asian Games are back in Japan for the first time since Hiroshima in 1994. The country has held several major sports events since then including the pandemic-delayed Olympics in 2021, soccer's World Cup in 2002 and the Rugby World Cup in 2019. Yagi admits that there "still isn't enough awareness" that the Aichi-Nagoya Games are happening, and says more needs to be done to spread the word. "I don't think there is anyone in Japan who hasn't heard of the Olympics or Paralympics, but my personal feeling is that maybe only half the population knows the Asian Games," he said. "Young people weren't born when it was last held here 32 years ago, so I'd like them to find out that it's a great event." The Asian Games feature an eclectic mix of events, with bridge, kabaddi and dragon boat racing rubbing shoulders with traditional Olympic sports such as athletics, swimming, gymnastics and football. The Aichi-Nagoya Games has added mixed martial arts to the program and Yagi hopes its debut will showcase Asia's diverse martial arts traditions and attract new fans. "We want to appeal to the needs of young people, so including new events is essential," he said. "We want to include mixed martial arts so that we can get the younger generation interested in sport." Esports proved a huge hit on its full Asian Games debut in Hangzhou, with fans packing into the futuristic 4,500-seat arena to watch star gamers like South Korea's Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok. Aichi-Nagoya will be the first time Japan has hosted an eSports competition on such a large scale, and Yagi thinks its benefits will be felt by more than just young people. "Esports can help elderly people who don't get a chance to exercise much," he said. "You use your fingers and make detailed movements, which I have heard is good for combating dementia. "I think this is a good chance for people of a wide range of ages to find out more about eSports." © 2025 AFP
NDTV
3 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"Lets Build A More Resilient Future": PM Inaugurates Key Conference In France
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. At the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure in France, PM Modi emphasised collaboration to protect vulnerable coastal regions from climate change risks. Inaugurating a key conference on disaster-resilient infrastructure in France, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted that coastal regions and islands are at great risk because of climate change and stressed the need for countries to come together to build a resilient future for all. The International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI), which is now in its seventh year, is being held over Friday and Saturday in Nice, France. This is the first time the conference, organised by the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), has been held in Europe with France as a co-chair. This year, the focus is on ways to unlock public and private finance to protect coastal and island communities and small island developing states (SIDS) like Mauritius and Fiji, from growing climate risks such as sea level rise and extreme storms - which is especially important since approximately 37% of the global population resides within 100 km of the coast. The theme for the year is 'Shaping a Resilient Future for Coastal Regions'. Inaugurating the event virtually, Prime Minister Modi spoke about shared experiences of coastal communities across the globe and how India and Bangladesh recently witnessed Cyclone Remal, the Caribbean had Hurricane Beryl, South East Asia saw Typhoon Yagi and parts of the United States of America were devastated by Hurricane Helene. "Coastal regions and islands are at great risk due to disasters and climate change. Let us build infrastructure that stands firm against time and tide, creating a stronger, more resilient future for all," the Prime Minister said. The conference has brought together leaders, policymakers, technical experts and practitioners from 54 diverse countries, including India, Samoa, Fiji, Japan and New Zealand. Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, said, "Resilient infrastructure is not just a policy option - it is a necessity for survival. We believe that resilience begins not at the shoreline but in the minds and systems we build." Call To Action With changing climate patterns leading to stronger storms and rising sea levels, the impact on vulnerable infrastructure systems and communities is intensifying and during sessions and closed-door meetings at the conference, three key pillars to drive resilience efforts were addressed: access to finance, data, technology and early warning systems, and codes and standards. Announcements at the conference included the awarding of research grants for 53 projects spanning 21 countries, as well as a call to action for accelerating infrastructure resilience in small island nations. The emphasis was on the urgent need for global collaboration and investment. In his opening address, CDRI's Director General Amit Prothi said, "ICDRI 2025 unites global voices to inform action for vulnerable coastal communities and SIDS. Through our IRIS programme, we are supporting 24 projects across 25 SIDS, driving sustainable and inclusive infrastructure development." CDRI, which is headquartered in Delhi, was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the UN Climate Action Summit in September 2019, and is a major global initiative playing a leadership role in climate change and disaster resilience matters. ICDRI is taking place alongside the 3rd United Nations Oceans Conference in Nice and, on Friday, there was a spectacular drone show over the coastline, with 2,025 drones taking to the skies, creating sea animals such as dolphins, fish, turtles and manta rays. The drone show was the largest in Europe so far.
United News of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
PM calls for global efforts for strong, disaster-resilient future for world
New Delhi, June 7 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for global efforts to build a strong and disaster-resilient future for the world, stressing the need for construction of infrastructure that remains steadfast against time and tide. Addressing the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure 2025 via video conferencing, the Prime Minister outlined five key global priorities to strengthen disaster resilience. These are: The importance of integrating disaster resilience courses, modules and skill development programmes in higher education; a global digital repository to document best practices and learnings from countries that have faced disasters and rebuilt with resilience; innovative financing for creation of actionable programmes; necessity of strengthening early warning systems and coordination and special attention to vulnerabilities of small island developing states. Pointing out that India had established a tsunami warning system benefiting 29 countries, the Prime Minister said India recognizes the small island developing states as large ocean countries and the need for special attention to their vulnerabilities. 'Strengthening Early warning systems and coordination is crucial,' he said, adding that a global digital repository of learnings and best practices of building back from disasters would be beneficial for the entire world. Highlighting the theme of the conference, 'Shaping a Resilient Future for Coastal Regions,' Modi underscored the vulnerability of coastal regions and islands to natural disasters and climate change. He cited recent disasters including Cyclone Remal in India and Bangladesh, Hurricane Beryl in the Caribbean, Typhoon Yagi in South-east Asia, Hurricane Helene in the United States, Typhoon Usagi in the Philippines, and Cyclone Chido in parts of Africa and emphasized that these disasters had caused significant damage to lives and property, reinforcing the need for resilient infrastructure and proactive disaster management. Recalling India's past experiences with devastating disasters, including the super-cyclone of 1999 and the tsunami of 2004, the Prime Minister emphasized how India adapted and rebuilt with resilience, constructing cyclone shelters across vulnerable areas and contributing to the establishment of a tsunami warning system benefiting 29 countries.
