| 20120001816 | THREE-AXIS PEDESTAL HAVING MOTION PLATFORM AND PIGGY BACK ASSEMBLIES - A rotationally-stabilizing tracking antenna system suitable for mounting on a moving structure includes a three-axis pedestal for supporting an antenna about a first azimuth axis, a second cross-level axis, and a third elevation axis, a three-axis drive assembly for rotating a vertical support assembly relative to a base assembly about the first azimuth axis, a cross-level driver for pivoting a cross-level frame assembly relative to the vertical support assembly about the second cross-level axis, and an elevation driver for pivoting an elevation frame assembly relative to the cross-level frame assembly about the third elevation axis, a motion platform assembly affixed to and movable with the elevation frame assembly, three orthogonally mounted angular rate sensors disposed on the motion platform assembly for sensing motion about predetermined X, Y and Z axis of the elevation frame assembly, a three-axis gravity accelerometer mounted on the motion platform assembly and configured to determine a. true-gravity zero reference, and a control unit for determining the actual position of elevation frame assembly based upon the sensed motion about said predetermined X, Y, and Z axes and said true-gravity zero reference, and for controlling the azimuth, cross-level and elevation drivers to position the elevation frame assembly in a desired position. Instead of or in addition to the motion platform assembly, the antenna system may include primary and secondary antenna affixed relative to the cross-level frame assembly and a control unit for selecting operation of a selected on of the primary and secondary antennas, determining the actual position of elevation frame assembly based upon the sensed motion about said predetermined X, Y, and Z axes, and for controlling the azimuth, cross-level and elevation drivers to position the selected one of the primary and secondary antennas in a desired position for tracking a communications satellite. Methods of using the three-axis pedestal having motion platform assembly is also described. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20100295749 | Radome for tracking antenna - A radome for a tracking antenna system may include a dome for covering the tracking antenna, wherein the dome includes a dome wall having inner and outer skins sandwiching a low dielectric material layer therebetween, and wherein the dome wall includes a gel coat layer covering the outer skin to protect the dome in a marine environment. The inner and outer skins may have a thicknesses of approximately 0.007 to 0.027 inches, more preferably approximately 0.014 to 0.020 inches, and most preferably 0.017 inches. The low dielectric material layer may have a thickness of approximately 0.153 to 0.173 inches, more preferably approximately 0.160 to 0.166 inches, and most preferably 0.163 inches. The gel coat may have a thickness of approximately 0.010 to 0.030 inches, more preferably approximately 0.017 to 0.023 inches, and most preferably 0.020 inches. The tracking antenna system may include a tracking antenna having a resonant frequency of approximately 3 Hz to 5 Hz., and a radome including a base for supporting the tracking antenna and a dome secured to the base for enclosing the tracking antenna, wherein the base may have a resonant frequency above approximately 10 Hz. | 11-25-2010 |
