LBA Technology Supplies Antenna Solution for US Navy - Guam NAVTEX System

Greenville, NC August 25, 2009 - A new cost effective antenna system for transmitting navigational messages to offshore ships combines an innovative dual frequency compact design and remote control system to produce upgraded broadcast coverage with a space saving tower profile.  

Ships sailing in waters near Guam have a new connection to shore. The island’s NAVTEX navigational telex broadcast system has been upgraded by replacing three conventional 300’ vertical towers with one small aperture SAMWAS antenna.

SAMWAS-200 Antenna System

The unique SAMWAS medium wave antenna system is a product of LBA Technology, a North Carolina telecommunications firm with over 40 years experience in antenna innovations. The company’s engineered solution for the Guam site is replicable at most other NAVTEX locations worldwide.

NAVTEX Stations World Wide

The coastal telex broadcast system called NAVTEX is a vital link for commercial and military ships operating within 400 miles of a coastline. NAVTEX is a maritime safety system typically operated by navies, coast guards, or lighthouse authorities in coordination with the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Narrow band teletype messages carrying weather reports, search-and-rescue bulletins and other navigational information are beamed to text printers on ships from transmitters at coastal locations around the world. The shore-to-ship signals are sent out at either 518 kHz or 490 kHz. The Guam NAVTEX transmissions are operated by the US Coast Guard.

For the US Navy transmission site on Guam, LBA Technology used a suite of subsystems called SAMWAS-200 that incorporates an electrically short transmission antenna. Installed for LBA in the spring of 2009 by Guam contractor AIC International Construction, the antenna’s propagation of medium wave signals has proven effective and efficient, though its physical footprint is much smaller than the three-tower system it replaced.

The SAMWAS antenna system is rated for 2,500 watts and incorporates a 199 foot triangular grounded steel tower and proprietary radiating and tuning technology. The new antenna is stubby in comparison to conventional ¼ wave vertical NAVTEX antennas, yet provides similar broadcast coverage at much less cost. The antenna system operates at modest radio frequency voltages, yielding a more environmentally stable and broader bandwidth signal than a conventional series fed tower of comparable height. The short height avoided the need for aviation safety lights and the associated installation and operating costs. The grounded tower reduces system vulnerability to lightning and reduces RF safety hazards. The system was engineered by LBA Technology to withstand wind gusts up to 170 mph.

The tower rises in a clearing in an otherwise verdant Guam landscape with the transmitter building is located fully 3,000 feet from the tower. The dual frequency SAMWAS-200 with LBA’s Phantom-E™ remote control option uses a coaxial cable as its sole connection for both RF and control signals. As no AC power was required for tower lights, an existing coaxial cable was utilized and eliminated trenching and placement costs for electrical services. The remote system is transmitter site-based and both powers the circuitry in the tuning unit and selects between 490 and 518 kHz frequency modes.

As there are no moving RF parts in the SAMWAS tuning unit, it is expected to function reliably for years with minimal maintenance. Because of the stability of the overall system, periodic retuning is not needed to accommodate changing environmental conditions.

Installing SAMWAS-200 ATU

Other SAMWAS antenna systems from 65 to 350 feet high are available to support DGPS, NAVTEX, and GMDSS medium wave transmissions. Dual NAVTEX frequency support and DGPS diplexing are options. Full turnkey projects with transmitters and message equipment are offered.

For tactical communication situations, LBA Technology offers medium wave transmission systems integrated into trucks or trailers, and smaller emergency units that can be assembled on site by hand.

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About LBA Technology, Inc.

LBA Technology is a leading manufacturer and integrator of radio frequency systems, components and test equipment for broadcast, industrial and government users worldwide.  With consultant firm Lawrence Behr Associates, Inc., the company is a unit of the LBA Group, Inc., which has over 40 years experience in providing support for infrastructure assets of the wireless telecommunications industry.  The companies are based in Greenville, NC.

Press contact:

Dick Hansson, Marketing Director
LBA Group, Inc.
dhansson@lbagroup.com
252-757-0279