Viviana Pebble Body Wave Antenna

The Viviana Pebble is a low-profile Body Wave antenna for transmitters worn on talent, built to cut dropouts when the wearer’s body blocks the signal.

A whip antenna worn against the skin loses RF energy to the body, and more of the signal drops whenever talent turns away. The Pebble’s patented BodyWave design works with the body instead. Its rear surface is a ground plane that sends RF energy away from the wearer.

It holds a 50 ohm match across its tuned band of 590 to 630 MHz, so the transmitter delivers its full output. The transmitter must run inside that band. In the U.S. and Canada, wireless mics in that band are limited to 590 to 608 MHz and the 614 to 616 MHz guard band.

Where It Helps

The largest gains come outdoors in open space, on large stages, and in large studios. They also come when a transmitter hides under wardrobe, or when talent often turns away from the receive antennas. Gains are smaller when the antenna is not close to the body, or indoors where reflections already fill in the signal.

Wearing It

On a Viviana Straps Extreme, place the Pebble in one of the strap’s two lav cable pouches. The side marked BACK goes against the body, and the cable runs along that back side, never across the front or edges. It also works in a sock or a pocket.

The antenna is passive, so it works on receive as well, including body-worn IFB receivers. It works best with receive antennas slanted in opposite directions. Viviana Pebble Cables, sold separately, connect it to SMA, SSMA, and 1-pin LEMO antenna ports.

Features

• Patented BodyWave design for body-worn transmitters
• Rear ground plane sends RF energy away from the body
• In launch testing, usable range grew from 51 m with a whip to 122 m with the Pebble
• 50 ohm match across the tuned band
• Tuned for 590 to 630 MHz
• SMA connection; cables sold separately
• 6 × 5 × 1.5 cm (2.4 × 2.0 × 0.6 in)
• Works on transmit and receive