Tactical Antenna Switching and Positioning System (TASPS)

To meet SOCOM's desire for an inexpensive, lightweight, autonomous UHF satcom antenna system that will operate onboard a maneuvering ship, Syntonics proposes to combine four technologies in a single system: (1) Electronically steered, phased-array flatpanel antennas; (2) Integrated GPS, to facilitate signal auto-acquisition; (3) Beam dithering, to enable signal auto-tracking; (4) Signal strength comparison, to enable antenna auto-switching. This combination of four technologies will give SOCOM auser-friendly, highly automated antenna system that maximizes "up time" and minimizes user intervention. Portable satellite communications systems have become ubiquitous and the market for user-friendly satellite antenna systems is growing. The TASPS technology will directly appeal to any DOD user of portable SATCOM radios with intermittent blockages, suchas arise onboard a maneuvering ship. Civilian agency users (e.g., Drug Enforcement Agency) who occasionally operate aboard ships also represent potential users of this technology.More significantly for commercialization, a one-antenna version of TASPS will appeal to mobile land-based users of SATCOM. Most land-based SATCOM antennas have no tracking ability, so a user must setup and remain stationary while communicating. TASPS'auto-acquisition and auto-tracking features will enable continuous communications while "on the move.