Tactical Antenna Switching and Positioning System (TASPS)

"Satellite communications has advanced remarkably and applications are now expanding rapidly, particularly in the use of very small aperture terminals (VSATs). In many instances, military forces are required to establish and maintain communications viaSATCOM (using VSATs) while stationed temporarily on Navy ships. Applied EM, Inc. (AEM) proposes to design and develop a Tactical Antenna Switching and Positioning System (TASPS) that will enable continuous satellite (SATCOM) communications withoutaccessing permanently installed Navy communications assets. AEM's design concept will provide unattended operational contact with SATCOM by utilizing spatial and polarization diversity techniques to acquire and maintain contact. Switch logic circuitsintegrated with dual receiver channels will automatically select the best antenna signal during periods of ship motions and signal blockage. The TASPS will include two lightweight, UHF antennas with portable electronics that can be temporarily installedat two different ship locations (possibly at port and starboard locations). The effective gain for the AEM design will be at least 9 dBic and will incorporate amplification as required to compensate for the lower gain characteristics when usingomni-directional antennas. The proposed TASPS system will be both portable (in two containers) and `hardened' for shipboard environments. TASPS system could be used in a broad range of military and civilian a