ORBIT Communication Systems successfully tests Triple Band feed system

ORBIT Communication Systems, Inc. was proud to announce the successful first operational deployment of its new, auto-tracking Triple Band tracking antenna systems at the US Naval Air Station Patuxent River.

Triple Band technology promises to deliver unmatched performance for long-range telemetry missions while also smoothly augmenting C-band communications.

The telemetry market is adopting C-band frequencies in parallel to their legacy L- and S-bands. ORBIT designed the patent-pending feed solution to take full advantage of the new opportunity.

The Triple Band feed is a single feed that uses ORBIT's concentric coaxial cavity technology to support simultaneous telemetry communication in all three bands. It also allows users to switch between tracking bands on the fly without a drop in performance. Finally, it is compatible with antenna reflectors of various sizes, including the older ones used by L-band and S-band systems.

ORBIT delivered two of its Triple Band systems to the Naval Air Warfare Center telemetry team for strict field testing. The US Navy personnel set stringent test requirements when they performed the actual tests. They reported that ORBIT's new feed performed better, indeed, than any other available technology.

ORBIT is debuting its Triple Band solution at the International Telemetering Conference (ITC) in San Diego, California from October 23 to 25. The innovative feed solution can also be ordered, and interested customers can acquire it as part of an ugprade and refurbishment program, or as part of a new satellite communications system.


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ACTi retrofits cable MSO sites with Simulsat-5b multi-beam antenna kits

According to Antenna Technology Communications Inc. (ATCi,) its Simulsat-5b retrofit kits have been adopted and implemented by major U.S. cable multiple system operators (MSOs) at their multi-beam satellite antenna sites.

ACTi participated in the recent SCTE Cable Tec Expo in Orlando, Florida, where it made the announcement. The Company designed its Simulsat-5b system from the ground up with the latest in composite fabrication, computer simulation, and solid modeling technologies.

The original Simulsat-5 multi-beam satellite antenna can seamlessly transition into the new -5b system, which improves upon its predecessor's established full-arc and flexibility.

According to Gary Hatch, CEO of ATCi, cable MSOs needed to upgrade their older systems to the latest high-tolerance design if they wanted to ensure their digital reception remained of the highest quality when handling the MPEG-4/DVBS2 modulation. He described the Simulsat-5b update to be extremely quick and cost-effective as it can use a standard maintenance window and only replaces the reflector and feedbox of a satellite antenna system, allowing the customer to keep their old, expensive, and hard-to-replace mount.

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Beam Communications installs IsatDock Pro at Russian Antarctic polar station

Beam Communications recently installed its Inmarsat IsatDock Pro product at the remote Antarctic Polar Station in Russia. The Inmarsat product will support the station’s various satellite communications systems.

The Russian Federation operates five research stations in the polar regions. During research seasons, the sites’ population can grow to more than 150, which is a significant number considering the inherent difficulties of supplying polar sites.

The Russian polar stations rely on a number of satellite communication systems such as Inmarsat IsatPhone Pro, BGAN, and Iridium. They can access the Inmarsat satellite communications network even at 78 to 79 latitudes due to the uniqueness of the Antarctic landscape.

The installation process put a number of antennas to the test. The ISD710 Maritime Active Antenna and the ISD700 Fixed Passive Antenna were singled out for providing high voice quality despite the severe environment. Beam’s IsatDock Pro SATCOM solution achieved similar performances.

In addition to maintaining communications between several polar stations, satellite communications systems also allows station personnel to contact the mainland head office and their own families.

An intelligent docking station for the IsatPhone Pro, the IsatDock Pro uses Bluetooth and RJ11/POTS to support voice services. The Inmarsat dock is key lockable and serves as a snug fit for the handset. It also charges the satellite phone and has a USB data port, a ringer antenna built into the dock itself, and permanent power connection.

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Air Force issues contracts under Protected Milsatcom Design study

According to a recent announcement made by the US Air Force Space Command’s Space and Missile Systems Center, the USAF’s “Protected Milsatcom Design for Affordability Risk Reduction Demonstration Study” initiative has issued  more than 15 contracts for protected military satellite communications to big satellite manufacturers.

The goal of the USAF study is to find out if existing and/or narrowly modified commercial protected satellite communications systems can be used to support future protected Milsatcom needs in a cost-effective and affordable manner. The Protected Milsatcom study will cover concept development and component level demonstrations.

The USAF awarded contracts to Boeing, General Dynamics, General Dynamic Advanced Information Systems, Government Communications Systems, Harris, Hughes Network Systems, L-3 Communications, Lockheed Martin, Markham Technology, Northrop Grumman, Orbital Sciences, Space Micro, Raytheon, Space Systems, and ViaSat. The study participants will be given until July 28, 2013 to complete their proposals for protected satellite communications systems.

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Astrium Services integrates SATCOM solution into Brazil Tetrapol radio networks

Cassidian and Astrium Services recently staged a live demonstration on how satellite communications could connect Tetrapol regional networks in Brazil. The two companies created an end-to-end communications solution to enhance Brazil's border surveillance capabilities and to show the advantages in combining SATCOM and digital radio communications.

Cassidian's Tetrapol professional mobile radio (PMR) networks provide secure radio communications to Brazil's Departamento de Polícia Federal (federal police force) and other government offices. Brazil operates nine Tetrapol regional wireless IP networks, which provide wireless communications coverage from the Atlantic coast to Brazil's borders with nine South American countries.

Terrestrial infrastructure usually links up Tetrapol regional networks. However, there are plenty of remote areas in Brazil that lack such connections.

Astrium Services provided its SKYWAN technology as a new way to connect several networks. DAMA technology allows networks to share bandwidth between all the nodes over satellite links.

The satellite solution's scalability will expand Tetrapol's service offerings, allowing them to be delivered through tactical temporary coverage as well as permanent regional coverage. And it will not be limited to Tetrapol's voice communication services.

The satellite link generated by Astrium's SKYWAY and DAMA technologies will provide access to Internet from satellite services and allow for numerous media applications and data transmission services.

iPhone 5 before the big announcement

Speculations about the iPhone 5 and its specifications arose shortly after the announcement of the iPhone 4S; both touchscreen-based smartphones developed by Apple Inc. However, detailed and substantial rumors and leaks did not come up until June 2012. As early as July 30, 2012, rumors pinpointed the exact date of announcement and release of the phone along with the speculated features of the phone.

On September 4, 2012, Apple sent invitations to a media event scheduled for September 12 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA), a multidisciplinary contemporary arts center in the “City and County of San Francisco,” the leading financial and cultural center of Northern California and the San Francisco Bay Area of the United States (US). Many media sources speculated that the event would be related to the next iPhone due to a shadow of the numeral 5 that featured in the design of the invitations.

Apple announced a number of new products which they designed and marketed at the event including: the iPhone 5; iPod Nano (7th generation; stylized, and marketed as “iPod nano”), a portable media player; and the iPod Touch (5th generation; colloquially referred to as the “iTouch,” by analog to the iPhone), a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device.

The phone will be available for pre-order from September 14, 2012 and available in-store on September 21, 2012 in the US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

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2012 World Teleport Awards for Excellence

Missed highlights of the 2012 World Teleport Awards for Excellence. Check out the video above to see what happened at the SATELLITE 2012 annual conference held in Washington last March 2012.

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