Mobile satellite antenna systems are used for countless applications across the globe and are constantly developing. Satellite Evolution asks what products are new on the market and looks at the trends in mobile antenna technology. When looking closely at satellite antennas and the changes that have been made to them over the years, it is quite amazing to think that they have come so far. The early antennas were very large and clumsy, not to mention heavy. They were difficult to manoeuvre and therefore virtually impossible to transport. Developments in antenna technology have opened the door to a myriad of applications.
Obviously, with no antenna there is no means of receiving the satellite’s signal so they are a crucial part of any satellite system. So what has happened? Well, antennas have decreased in size to a great extent. Nowadays, they range from extremely small to large earth stations. They are also lighter. The advent of the use of carbon fibre in antenna manufacture means that they can be checked in as airline luggage and remain well within baggage weight restrictions. The antennas now often break down into small pieces and are packed into flight cases for easy and safe transportation. When it comes to the assembly of the antennas it is quick and easy to deploy, in some cases taking just minutes. Operation is also simple. A great many antenna systems today do not require specialist teams to operate them and to find the correct azimuth in order to reach the satellite – this happens at the touch of a button. These are just a few of the fundamental aspects of antenna manufacture and usage that have evolved and made the deployment of satellite-based services possible anywhere and by non-specialists. These antenna systems are invaluable to the military and other government agencies, to satellite newsgathering, to humanitarian organisations. They are also more cost efficient, a very important factor in today’s market.
I would like to look at two aspects of the word ‘mobile’ in this article – those systems that are literally mobile and portable and the systems that provide communications whilst in motion. |
