A typical sector antenna is depicted in the figure on the right.

At the bottom, there are RF

connectors for coaxial cable (feedline), and adjustment mechanisms. For its outdoor placement, the
main reflector screen is produced from aluminum, and all internal parts are housed into
a fiberglass radome enclosure to keep its operation stable regardless of weather conditions.
Grounding is very important for an outdoor antenna so all metal parts are DC-grounded.
The antenna's long narrow form gives it a fan-shaped radiation pattern, wide in the horizontal
direction and relatively narrow in the vertical direction. According to the radiation patterns depicted,
typical antennas used in a three-sector base station have 66 of horizontal beamwidth. This means
that the signal strength at the 33 directions is half (3 dB down) from its peak value at the center. At
the 60 directions, it is suggested to be a border of a sector and antenna gain is negligible there.
Vertical beamwidth is not wider than 15, meaning 7.5 in each direction. Unlike antennas
for commercial broadcasting - AM, FM and television for example - which must achieve line-of-
sight over many miles or kilometers, there is usually a downward beam tilt or downtilt so that the
base station can more effectively cover its immediate area and not cause RF interference to distant
cells.
The coverage area which is equal to the square of the sector's projection to the ground can be
adjusted by changing electrical or mechanical downtilts. Electrical tilt is set by using a special control
unit which usually is built into the antenna case, though different remote control devices are widely
produced. Mechanical downtilt is set manually by adjusting an antenna fastener.