UHF SATCOM

UHF
SATCOM

Blacktree offers a vertically integrated system which enables multi-carrier operations in the UHF SATCOM architecture, compliant with military standards. The system is designed to be deployed in harsh and challenging environments, enabling reliable critical communication. The system is available with a Monitor and Control (M&C) interfaces to support remote operations from a centralised operations centre.

Antenna Pedestal
There are two architectures for the antenna pedestals:

Manually Targeted
The PED-03 manually targeted antenna pedestal is designed for use with the Blacktree UHF SATCOM antennas.
Remote Controlled
The PED-04 remote controlled pedestal provides remote targeting with the control of azimuth (360 degrees) and elevation (90 degrees) and is designed for use with Blacktree UHF SATCOM antennas. The PED-04 is controlled using an Antenna Control Panel (ACP) situated on-site in an equipment rack, or off-site remote control with additional configuration. The pedestal can support a variety of orbits ranging from Geostationary (GEO) down to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

The pedestal has been designed to support the Blacktree Diplexer assemblies or the smaller termination enclosure depending on the application. They are capable of enduring severe coastal (salt, water, wind, and sand) exposure and can remain operational in cyclonic weather conditions.

Helical Antennas
The SRR-01 is a 14 dBi right-hand circularly polarised helical antenna optimised for the UHF SATCOM band, covering the MIL Standard frequency range from 240 to 320 MHz. The robust construction makes it suitable for locating in a range of harsh environments where reliability is critical. The SRR-01 antenna may be mounted in a single or dual phased array configuration for additional system gain. The helical antennas are designed to support Full Duplex RF operation.
Low Noise Amplifiers
The Blacktree LNA-40 is a low noise amplifier designed specifically for UHFSATCOM applications where excellent interference and overload protection is required. The standard configuration offers 40dB gain, with alternative configuration available depending on the application.
High Power Amplifiers
The Blacktree HPA-300 High Power Amplifier (HPA) is a solid-state amplifier rated at 300W continuous operation for use in the UHF SATCOM band. The amplifier is protected against high input levels, high output VSWR, and high temperature. The protection systems are self-correcting, allowing the amplifier to be restored to its normal operating state upon removal of the fault condition. The amplifier’s operational parameters are monitored and controlled by an embedded system controller that can be accessed from the front panel controls, or remotely. The remote-control interface enables the operational parameters to be dynamically changed, including output power, along with mode and retrieval of the system status.
Diplexers
The DSE-01 Diplexer/LNA System consists of an assembly of individual components enclosed in a Grade 316 stainless steel enclosure, designed to be mounted externally on the antenna pedestal. All items are mounted on a common stainless steel backing plate located inside the enclosure which comprises of a Transmit and Receive Band Pass filter along with the LNA and the combining harnesses.
RF Splitter / Combiners
Blacktree offers a number of solutions for splitting and combining the RF signal to allow the use of up to 8 transceivers to operate full duplex concurrently on a single antenna system without causing adjacent channel interference.

Solutions include:
- 2, 4, 8 port transmit combiners.
- 2, 4 port receive splitters, transmit combiners.
- Options to include bias T for operating antenna mounted active systems.
DC Injector Units
The Blacktree DC Injector Units, ranging from Single to Multiple output configurations, enable supply of DC power to equipment located at the Antenna, such as the LNA’s. With the optional redundant power supply installed, the unit will maintain powered operation if one power supply is to critically fail. Options are available to use SNMP to monitor the operation of the unit.