TV Antenna (Yagi) Symbol
Definition: The TV Antenna (Yagi) symbol represents a directional, parasitic-element antenna used for receiving or transmitting UHF/VHF television broadcast signals, recognised in IEC 60617-09 and ANSI Y32.2 / IEEE 315 antenna symbol conventions, with a single coaxial feed point terminal.
Also known as: Yagi-Uda antenna, TV aerial, UHF antenna, VHF antenna, rooftop antenna, beam antenna, directional TV aerial.
What the TV Antenna (Yagi) symbol means
The TV Antenna (Yagi) symbol represents a Yagi-Uda directional antenna — the most common type of rooftop or attic antenna used for terrestrial television reception. The Yagi design uses a driven dipole element connected to the coax feedline, flanked by one or more passive reflector elements behind it and multiple passive director elements in front, all of which add gain and directivity toward the broadcast transmitter.
In electrical and AV wiring diagrams, the TV antenna symbol identifies the outdoor signal capture point for a residential or commercial TV distribution system. From the antenna's coaxial feed point, the signal is routed through a diplexer or splitter to individual television outlets. The symbol also appears in RF circuit schematics to represent the receive or transmit port connected to an antenna feed in tuner and transmitter design.
How to identify the TV Antenna (Yagi) symbol
The TV Antenna (Yagi) symbol is drawn as a horizontal boom line (the antenna mast axis) with a series of short vertical crossbars of varying lengths placed at intervals along the boom — mimicking the physical Yagi antenna's appearance from the side. The longest crossbar toward the rear represents the reflector element; a slightly shorter crossbar in the middle represents the fed dipole element; and progressively shorter crossbars toward the front represent the director elements. A short downward diagonal line at one end of the boom represents the coaxial feed drop, which is the single terminal of the symbol.
Function in a circuit
A Yagi television antenna captures electromagnetic RF energy in the UHF band (470–694 MHz in most countries) or VHF band (174–230 MHz) broadcast by television transmitters and converts it into an electrical signal on the coaxial feedline. The parasitic reflector and director elements shape the radiation pattern so that gain is concentrated in a narrow forward beam (typically 8–15 dBi for a 5–10 element Yagi), allowing the antenna to capture a usable signal from a transmitter up to 80 km away while rejecting multipath reflections from other directions. The same antenna symbol and design can represent transmitting antennas in two-way radio and amateur radio circuits.
Standards: IEC vs ANSI
| IEC 60617 | IEC 60617-09 (telecommunications and electronic components): antenna symbols are drawn as a vertical or horizontal line (mast/boom) with radiating element lines; the Yagi type is identified by the parallel crossbars of varying length along the boom. |
|---|---|
| ANSI/IEEE 315 | ANSI Y32.2 / IEEE 315: antenna symbol conventions use the same boom-and-crossbar representation for Yagi antennas; a general antenna may also be shown as a vertical line with a diagonal or T at the top. Designator: ANT or E. |
| Key difference | IEC 60617-09 and ANSI Y32.2 use essentially the same Yagi antenna glyph (boom with crossbars). IEC tends to use the designator E (aerial/antenna) while ANSI/IEEE uses ANT. Functional representations are identical. |
Terminals / pins
| Pin | Name |
|---|---|
| feed | Coax Feed |
Typical values
Typical Yagi TV antenna specifications: gain 6–15 dBi depending on element count; impedance 75 Ω (matched to coaxial TV cable); frequency range UHF 470–694 MHz (DVB-T, ATSC) or VHF 174–230 MHz; F/B ratio 15–25 dB; wind load area 0.2–0.8 m².
Where the TV Antenna (Yagi) symbol is used
- Residential rooftop or attic terrestrial TV reception (DVB-T, ATSC, ISDB-T)
- Master antenna television (MATV) systems feeding multiple outlets in apartment buildings
- RF distribution diagrams showing signal path from antenna through amplifier, splitter, and TV outlets
- Amateur radio (ham) VHF/UHF station diagrams showing transmit/receive antenna connections
- Point-to-point wireless LAN or CCTV video link diagrams using directional antennas
- Broadcast engineering diagrams for television transmitter site installations
Example
A home MATV wiring diagram shows a rooftop TV Antenna (Yagi) symbol connected via RG-6 coaxial cable to a mast-head amplifier, then through a 4-way splitter to four wall outlet symbols — each run labelled in dBµV to confirm adequate signal level at each television set, a layout that clearly communicates the entire antenna distribution system on one page.
Key facts
- The TV Antenna (Yagi) symbol represents a Yagi-Uda directional antenna, identifiable by its horizontal boom with multiple crossbars of decreasing length representing the reflector, driven dipole, and director elements.
- The single terminal in the symbol is the Coax Feed — the 75 Ω coaxial cable connection point at the driven dipole element.
- Reference designator: ANT or E (IEC 60617-09 / ANSI Y32.2 / IEEE 315).
- Yagi antennas provide 6–15 dBi gain in a narrow forward beam, making them superior to omnidirectional dipole antennas for long-range TV reception.
- The standard impedance for TV antenna systems is 75 Ω, matched by RG-6 coaxial cable and F-type connectors.
- DVB-T (European), ATSC (North American), and ISDB-T (Japanese/South American) digital TV all use UHF band signals receivable with the same Yagi antenna type.
- A Yagi antenna symbol on a wiring diagram marks the input of the RF distribution network; signal levels are expressed in dBµV (decibels relative to 1 microvolt) in TV systems.
- Adding a mast-head preamplifier (LNA) directly behind the antenna feed point in the diagram compensates for cable loss before the signal reaches the splitter.
Diagrams that use this symbol
Frequently asked questions
What does the TV antenna (Yagi) symbol look like?
The TV Antenna (Yagi) symbol shows a horizontal boom line with a series of short vertical crossbars of different lengths along it — the longest crossbar at the rear is the reflector, the middle-length one is the fed dipole, and progressively shorter bars toward the front are director elements. A downward line from one end of the boom represents the coaxial feed drop.
What does the TV antenna symbol mean in a wiring diagram?
The TV antenna symbol marks the point where off-air broadcast RF signal enters the distribution system. Everything downstream of the symbol — cable runs, amplifiers, splitters, and wall outlets — carries the signal the antenna captures. It is the source node of a residential or commercial antenna distribution circuit.
What is a Yagi antenna and why does it have that shape?
A Yagi-Uda antenna (commonly called a Yagi) is a directional antenna invented by Shintaro Uda and popularised by Hidetsugu Yagi in 1926. Its distinctive crossbar-on-boom shape comes from the physical arrangement of parasitic conductor elements — one reflector behind the driven dipole and multiple directors in front — which together add gain and focus the antenna beam toward the transmitter.
What impedance does a TV antenna system use?
Television antenna systems use a standard impedance of 75 Ω, matched by RG-6 coaxial cable and F-type connectors. This 75 Ω standard is defined in IEC 60728 (cable distribution systems) and matches the characteristic impedance of the Yagi's folded dipole feedpoint when a balun is used.
What is the designator letter for an antenna on a schematic?
The reference designator for an antenna is ANT (ANSI Y32.2 / IEEE 315 convention) or E (IEC 60617-09). On residential wiring diagrams the symbol may simply be labelled 'Antenna' or 'Aerial' without an alphanumeric designator.
What is the IEC vs ANSI difference for the TV antenna symbol?
Both IEC 60617-09 and ANSI Y32.2 use the same boom-and-crossbar glyph for a Yagi antenna. The primary difference is the designator: IEC uses E (for aerial/antenna) while ANSI/IEEE uses ANT. The graphical representation is functionally identical in both standards.
What frequency bands does a TV (Yagi) antenna cover?
A typical TV Yagi antenna is designed for UHF channels (470–694 MHz for DVB-T, or 470–698 MHz for ATSC in North America) and/or VHF-high channels (174–230 MHz). Separate Yagi antennas optimised for each band are sometimes combined via a diplexer, which is shown explicitly on more detailed RF distribution diagrams.
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