- News
9 April 2018
Mission Microwave and Sat-Lite demo GaN-based lightweight uplink for satellite news gathering vehicles
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Mission Microwave Technologies LLC of Santa Fe Springs, CA, USA has teamed up to introduce a lightweight, redundant high-power gallium nitride (GaN)-based Ku-band block up-converter (BUC) - part of its line of Ku-, Ka- and X-band solid-state power amplifiers (SSPAs) - integrated into a compact vehicular-mount antenna package made by privately held company Sat-Lite Technologies LLC of White Oak, TX, USA (which designs and makes transportable satellite antennae for the integrator and operator).
The combined antenna and BUC package is design for optimal size, weight and power (SwaP). The Sat-Lite ‘PELORIS’ vehicle-mount uplink uses a carbon-fiber antenna system and a custom-designed elevation-over-azimuth cable drive pedestal to provide what is claimed to be superior stiffness over existing products on the market. Coupled with Mission Microwave’s lightweight BUCs, the system is said to optimize quick set up performance and reliability.
The Mission Microwave ‘MOAB’ BUCs each provide 200W of linear Ku-band power while drawing only 1300W of prime power. Each BUC weighs just 35lbs, allowing the 1:1 redundant system to be mounted directly on the feed boom without creating excessive stress on the antenna positioning system.
“Our customers need more uplink power in smaller and more efficient packages,” says Sat-Lite’s director of sales Chris Callow. “Mission Microwave’s products offer an ideal combination of performance and efficient SWaP for our most challenging customer requirements in broadcast, government and commercial markets,” he comments.
The Sat-Lite model 1411 antenna system with the Mission Microwave 400W system is on display in Sat-Lite’s booth OE26017 at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show 2018 in Las Vegas (7-12 April).
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