Affordable, Electronic Beam Steering Antennas For Satcoms

The Portable Satellite Hotspot (PSH) is intended to be a laptop-sized product (Figure P-1) that is extremely easy to use, delivering DSL-like data rates at price points on par with 3G cellular data services. Typically, the PSH would be placed on a surface outside, and the user would then rotate it until the appropriate satellite was detected. During this rough alignment period, the receive beam would automatically be in wide search mode and the user would hear an audio tone or a display would indicate when the signal was strongest. Rough manual alignment to +/-20 degs. of the satellite should be adequate. At this point, the beam shape would automatically switch from wide mode to narrow mode, locking onto the satellite with both transmit and receive systems activated. The PSH would then be ready to use. LINK