JFW has recently added four new models to their attenuator assemblies that operate at 200-7125 MHz with attenuation range 0-95 dB by 1 dB steps. All of these models feature Ethernet remote control that can be used with scripts for automated testing. Models include a 1 attenuator in benchtop chassis, 2 attenuators in benchtop chassis, up to 8 attenuators in rack mount chassis and up to 16 attenuators in rack mount chassis. If you are using Python for your automated testing, you can contact their engineering team for Python examples that will work with these step attenuator models.

Keysight Technologies announced a real-time spectrum analysis (RTSA) solution enabling up to 2 GHz RTSA bandwidth for use with the Keysight N9042B UXA Signal Analyzer. The software based RTSA solution monitors satellite signals and interference, allowing satellite network operators to provide the highest quality of service (QoS) to users. Keysight's RTSA solution addresses this challenge by enabling the N9042B UXA Signal Analyzer to conduct continuous, gapless capture and analysis of elusive and transient signals with industry leading optical data interface (ODI) streaming up to 2 GHz.

Macom was featuring their MMICs and SSPAs including 1 W 71-86 GHz, 2 W 71-86 and 10 W 71-76 GHz SSPAs. All feature 20 dB gain and greater than 30 dB reverse isolation. They also showed a GaN on SiC die Ka-band PA featuring 6 W from 27-31 GHz with 26 dB typical gain and 25% PAE.

Maury Microwave was there with recently acquired dBm. dBm recently released the ACE9600 that builds upon the SLE900 by adding Payload impairment capability, synchronization of up to 16 channels, 12 tap multipath fading, and 600 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth. The instrument can be configured with 1 to 4 channels. Link impairments include delay, Doppler, attenuation, phase offset, AWGN, frequency hopping, and multipath fading. Payload impairments include IMUX/OMUX emulation (amplitude and delay distortion), amplifer compression effects (AM/AM and AM/PM), phase noise, and spurious signals. Parameters can be set to fixed values in Static mode, or continuously changed in real-time in Dynamic mode without phase discontinuities.

OneWeb announced that it signed a letter of intent with Amazon Web Services EMEA SARL (AWS) to explore providing cloud-based connectivity and the delivery of innovative services to customers worldwide. OneWeb and AWS will work together to expand both horizontal and vertical services to provide customizable and integrated solutions for edge-to-edge operations. Teaming-up global satellite broadband connectivity with AWS cloud services and edge computing capabilities, OneWeb can create a more sustainable, competitive offering and deliver advanced connectivity to a vast array of customers around the globe. The ambition is to provide a fully integrated satellite constellation management solution as a service to the public and satellite community. Working together to innovate, develop, and enhance industry and cloud solutions, OneWeb and AWS will aim to create the next generation of virtual network functions focused on bringing LEO connectivity to customers and communities around the globe.

Orbit Communication Systems is presented its OceanTRx 4MIL advanced antenna system and launching its Orbit Switching Matrix for management of several antennas on a military naval vessel, in order to enable continuous satellite communication, even in challenging conditions. Orbit showed the OceanTRx 4MIL - a full MIL-STD maritime SATCOM terminal - for the first time in the USA. The MIL’s unique four-frequency-band capability enables simultaneous operation or automatic switching between dual X/Ka, Ku/Ka and multiple bands, and optional fast, manual band swapping with multiple BUCs per system. The compact system offers significant space savings in any navy vessel existing today, while delivering extremely high performance.

QuadSAT ApS has received acceptance confirmation from Satellite Operators Minimum Antenna Performance (SOMAP) for its drone-based antenna verification system. QuadSAT's unique testing solution provides a cost effective, scalable and precise way to test antennas and satellite systems in operation, and anywhere in the world. The SOMAP Group was formed in 2013 by industry leading satellite operators (consisting of AsiaSat, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, Intelsat and SES), with the aim of developing an antenna qualification framework that could be adopted by the participating members. This framework is primarily intended to address the qualification of new antenna products being introduced to the market. The SOMAP Group has concluded that it could accept ground station antenna measurement results that are obtained via Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (“UAVs”). The SOMAP Group further confirmed that antenna performance measurement via drone technology as developed by QuadSAT would be acceptable as a means to measure satellite ground antenna performance.

Quantic Ticer, Quantic Ohmega and Quantic Eulex were represented in the Quantic booth. Quantic Ohmega and Quantic Ticer have been the trusted source for embedded resistor foils by engineers. The products are widely used across mission critical electronics to remove SMT resistors from the surface of the PCB and integrate the resistive elements within signal traces or features on the inner layers of the PCB. Quantic Eulex has patented technology that allows ceramic capacitors to be manufactured with higher capacitance using fewer dielectrics improving temperature and frequency performance in a high reliability package.

Rohde & Schwarz showcased an end-to-end test infrastructure featuring its R&S SMW200A vector signal generator and R&S FSW signal and spectrum analyzer together with SatixFy’s Sx3099 modem ASIC demonstrating DVB-S2X Annex E wide bandwidth beam hopping and high bit rate DVB-RCS2 transmission. Rohde & Schwarz and SatixFy cooperated to develop test equipment and multi-beam SDR modem ASIC beam hopping ready, based on the DVB-S2X standard with DVB-S2X superframes and DVB-RCS2 waveforms. The Sx3099 chip from SatixFy sets a record in terms of throughput with 1 Gsymb/s DVB-S2X beam hopping traffic in forward direction and 400Msymb/s throughput in RCS2, or 1 Gsymb/s in S2X in the return direction. The new wideband SDR modem is the only one in the market today supporting beam hopping (DVB-S2X Annex E Rev 2019) and VLSNR capable of multi-beam receive and transmit to support “make before brake” handover in LEO aero connectivity. The DVB-S2X beam hopping demonstration was setup by the high-end vector signal generator R&S SMW200A providing a 500 MS/s DVB-S2X beam hopping signal with superframe 6 format on the forward downlink to the SatixFy Sx3099 SDR modem on the satellite IF of 1.225 GHz. The return uplink from the modem is modulated with a 380 MS/s wide DVB-RCS2 signal which is transmitted to the spectrum and signal analyzer R&S FSW. With the onboard DVB-RCS2 tool it is possible to analyze the spectrum and the signal quality with its content and also to decode the DVB-RCS2 signal.

Satcoms Innovation Group (SIG) aims to promote innovation in the satellite communication industry to improve operational efficiency and reduce impact, saving time and money. As an open forum to generate innovative thinking, it enables the industry to come together and discuss current challenges. This helps manufacturers and service providers to deliver innovations and solutions that respond more precisely to those challenges. We talked with them about the current challenges of interference and steps they are taking to prevent it industry wide.

SI2, an ARA company, provides solutions to the DoD’s most pressing antenna system and signal mitigation challenges. SI2 optimizes performance and cost by utilizing both conventional and additive manufacturing techniques. They design and manufacture antennas, arrays and signal mitigation products including flexible and conformal shapes.

Stellant Systems was showing their Traveling-Wave Tubes/Amplifiers, Electronic Conditioners, Microwave Power Modules, Electric Propulsion XENON ION Propulsion Systems® and Active & Passive RF Components. Stellant has provided satellite communication solutions for over 60 years in support of commercial, civil & military satellite and deep space missions. They are positioned to perform all design, development, manufacturing, integration and test functions in one fully integrated facility. They are a partner for civil, military, and commercial organizations whose missions seek to ensure a safe, aware, and connected world as a premier manufacturer of critical spectrum and power amplification systems for defense, space, medical/scientific and industrial customers worldwide.

SWISSto12 announced the incorporation of St12 RF Solutions, Inc. The new entity has business offices in Manchester, NH and will focus on engaging government and industry partners in the United States to commercialize advanced RF solutions. St12 RF Solutions, Inc. will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of SWISSto12, SA. Frontgrade Technologies collaborates with SWISSto12 in bringing these unique products to the US market and customers by leveraging a production facility in Exeter NH under a licencing agreement with SWISSto12. CAES was acquired by Veritas Capital in January 2023 and rebranded as Frontgrade Technologies.

Teledyne had many divisions represented in their booth. Teledyne Brown Engineering has designed a space radiation sensor that provides high-fidelity, real-time characterization of space weather in a compact unit. Six micro-sized radiation detectors, two photodiodes, one surface dosimeter radiation sensor fits into a 6.9 x 6.1 x 2.9 in unit. Teledyne Paradise Datacom was featuring their line of modems including Axiom satellite modems in a rugged housing. The Axiom Air provides aircraft SATCOM terminal integrators with a ¼ ATR modem manager that is adaptable for ARINC 781 or 791/792 applications. They also supply SSPAs and SSPA systems. Teledyne e2v has microwave data converters including the first Ka-band dual DAC with beamforming features plus a Ka-band ADC for SATCOM payloads, SAR imaging and TT&C systems.

Virginia Diodes recently worked with Keysight to demonstrate what is achievable in system performance in the 220 to 330 GHz frequency band: system-level simulation, conducted EVM measurements, and Quasioptic techniques for an over-the-air point-to-point transmission across a distance of 26.5 feet (8 meters) at 285 GHz with 30 GHz occupied bandwidth. This was the topic of our March Test and Measurement themed issue which you can find here.

Wireless Telecom Group was featuring many testing configurations and demos. These included latency & timing measurements for 5G TDD satellite networks, Antenna performance testing for satellite networks, high power amplifier linearity testing for satellite networks, noise tolerance & jitter measurements for satellite networks, phase noise measurements for satellite networks and satellite uplink & downlink testing. These all combine their Holzworth signal sources, Holzworth phase noise analyzer, Booton power sensors, Noisecom programmable noise generator and dBm link emulator.