Case Studies

For nearly a decade, EM Solutions has provided expertise and developed solutions for the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) on a series of projects for satellite communications.

Two projects were connected to the CI Optus satellite program, and included the supply of Radio Frequency (RF) components for a 4.6m antenna and a demonstration multiband antenna.

EM Solutions was also awarded a contract to develop a Ka-band On-The-Move Satellite Communications System from Round 12 of Australia’s Defence Capability & Technology Demonstrator (CTD) Program, which is managed by DSTO.

4.6 Metre Antenna

In 2001, the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) asked DSTO to build a 4.6m antenna for acceptance testing on the Optus CI satellite in the Ka-band.

The requirements

The Ka-band was a new band at the time and equipment available commercially was limited. DSTO was also working with CSIRO, which was converting an older commercial band antenna for the military Ka-band. However DSTO required a supply for the radio frequency (RF) electronics to operate at Ka-band.

DSTO approached a number companies seeking existing equipment or a willingness to develop new technology. It accepted the EM Solutions proposal to build a solid state power amplifier, at 30 GHz, and a couple of frequency converters to go from L-band (1 GHz region) up to the Ka-band, for delivery in 2002 for the launch of the C1 satellite.

The solution

To get the power needed for the 4.6m antenna, EM Solutions developed a phase combiner along with commercial Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMIC) devices that were suitable for Ka-band. EM Solutions’ innovative approach matched the phase and amplitude on the individual MMICs, combining them through a RF phase combiner. This was EM Solutions’ first attempt at developing products for operation at Ka-band.

Multiband Antenna

The second project began when DSTO and CSIRO put together a CTD for a multiband antenna system incorporating Ka-band X-band operation.

The requirements

The project needed more Ka-band RF components, but also X-band. In late 2003 DSTO again selected EM Solutions to provide the RF systems they needed.

The solution

EM Solutions designed and manufactured Block Upconverters, Block Downconverters, SSPAs and Filters/Diplexers for both the Ka0band and X-band system. EM Solutions was able to build on the heritage of the first Ka-band products, and in the process continued to develop its know-how and understanding of higher frequency technology.

Satcom On-The-Move at Ka-band

In late 2008 EM Solutions was awarded a CTD to develop a Ka-band Satcom OTM antenna as part of the ADF’s investment in its understanding of land mobile communications On-The-Move in Network Centric Warfare (NCW) strategy.

EM Solutions believes the success of its earlier Ka-band projects for DSTO was a key factor in decision to award the CTD to EM Solutions.

The development of a Ka-band satellite tracking antenna system was a strategic decision for EM Solutions. Historically EM Solutions had concentrated on development of RF components as part of military systems developed by other vendors. The CTD Project provided EM Solutions an opportunity to develop an antenna subsystem where a high level of integration of the RF and antenna is required to achieve product performance targets.

BAE Systems, a major subcontractor on the CTD Project, will provide valuable experience and competencies in system and antenna design, baseband architecture, vehicle integration and system testing.

EM Solutions recognised the CTD program as extremely important to its business, as it provides an opportunity for an Australian SME, Defence Prime (BAE Systems) and a potential End User to define develop and test an emerging capability for the ADF. .

Other defence projects

EM Solutions was also awarded sizable projects for the supply of Ka-band RF components for the Advanced SATCOM Terrestrial Infrastructure System Maritime Communications Element (ASTIS MCE) program for the Royal Australian Navy, and Compact Transmit Receive Suite (CTRS) for the Theatre Broadcast System project for Australian Army.

Low noise block downconverter

EM Solutions worked with Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), in 2003–04, to build a core component of their Compact Transmit Receive Suite (CTRS) for the Theatre Broadcast System project. The Ka-band SSPA was based on the heritage established in the DSTO project.

The early CTRS Terminal experienced problems with the low noise block Downconverter (LNB). DMO had tried a number of commercial designs, but a series of problems rendered these systems unreliable.  BAE Systems (Prime for the manufacture of the CTRS) and DSTO investigated and found the LNB was causing modems to lose synchronisation intermittently. Furthermore the Phase Noise was not good enough to enable a Downlink data rate of 9.6kBps. The hunt was on to find a solution to the problem.

After 18 months using a number of vendors to find and understand the problem, EM Solutions solved the problem and developed a new LNB component that DMO now uses on the CTRS Terminals.

Ka-band in the tropics

In the period 2006–08, DSTO investigated the availability of Ka-band satellite communications in tropical regions.

EM Solutions provided compact Ka-band low noise block Downconverters and block Upconverter/power amplifiers. The equipment observed the effect of rainfall on signal attenuation by measuring signals from the C1 satellite at Innisfail and Darwin.