QEST introduces novel Ku-Band Single Antenna Panel for Global ...

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QEST introduces novel Ku-Band Single
Antenna Panel for Global Operations
Holzgerlingen, February 03, 2012 QEST Quantenelektronische Systeme
GmbH, the supplier of the antenna panel for KuStream ® 1000
of TECOM Industries, Inc., today announced that it has developed
a novel low height
single panel design for airborne
broadband antennas
operating in Ku-Band which
enable single panel antenna
systems to be
operated globally including
equatorial flight routes.
Pict. 1: QEST high efficiency horn array aperture
When conventional low height single panel aircraft antennas
are operated near or at the equator, real broadband data rates
require special encoding schemes. Implied by their low profile,
the main beam of single panel antennas widens significantly
when approaching the equator. This effect leads to interference
with signals from satellites adjacent to the target satellite
so that the receive data rate may suffer.
Until present the only practical approach to that issue seemed
to be the use of so-called multi-panel antenna systems. Here
two or more antenna panels are operated simultaneously
when the aircraft approaches the equator, thus limiting the
physical effect of antenna main beam widening to a certain
extent. However, such multi-panel antenna systems present
specific disadvantages: A reliable command of two or more
combined beams within regulatory limits requires considerable
technical effort and complexity. This adds cost and weight,
and raises questions about antenna system reliability - all be-
February 03, 2012 Page 1 of 3

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ing major criteria for airlines looking for connectivity solutions.
By construction the antenna efficiency of multi-panel systems
is rather low, unnecessarily increasing the overall antenna
system size. Inoperative - thus useless - in higher latitudes,
the additional panels are needed in a small region around the
equator only. About 90% of all commercial aircraft flight routes
do not touch that region, and most of the affected routes are
typically crossed in a relatively short period of time. Altogether,
multi-panel antenna systems don’t seem to offer balanced
economic solutions for commercial aircraft applications.
Based on its advanced technologies and its extensive experience
in the field of satellite antennas for commercial aircraft,
QEST has now succeeded in designing a low height single
panel that significantly reduces Adjacent Satellite Interference
also for large geographical skew angles, i.e. for the regions at
and around the equator.
The basis for that is QEST’s proprietary and field proven horn
array antenna panel which is already installed on more than
200 commercial aircraft today. Despite its small size (60cm x
16cm only), this single panel solution offers superior performance
in both transmit and receive operations. By applying
advanced antenna beam engineering to the new panel, Adjacent
Satellite Interference has been reduced significantly while
preserving antenna dimensions and performance.
Antenna systems using QEST’s novel single panel can be operated
within the global coverage area of geostationary
satellites at broadband data rates with standard providing
schemes. Even at the equator, the improved antenna beam
shaping enables large bi-directional data volumes. The advantages
of single panel antenna systems with respect to
robustness, reliability and costs are now also fully available in
equatorial regions.
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"Based on QEST's advanced antenna technology we have
achieved another breakthrough in the field of aeronautical
broadband antennas", comments Dr. Joerg Oppenlaender,
CTO of QEST. "The equatorial performance of our improved
Ku-Band single panel is now comparable to far more complex
multi-panel antennas. Finally, Ku-Band global broadband operations
can be provided by a field-proven and most reliable
antenna technology." And he adds: "Of course, QEST will be
using similar technologies for its Ka-Band single panels which
will reach prototype testing phase very soon".
"The new QEST single panel has the potential of presenting
significant cost savings for service providers and airlines”,
supplements Michael Stobinski, QEST's Director of Sales and
Marketing, "facilitating a true global broadband connectivity
offer to passengers.”
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Pict. 1: QEST high efficiency horn array aperture
KuStream ® is a registered trademark of TECOM Industries, Inc.
QEST Airborne Broadband Antennas
QEST Quantenelektronische Systeme GmbH designs, develops and manufactures
novel, small-sized and lightweight Airborne Broadband Antennas with integrated
multi-band capability and superior performance.
The company’s annual production output is more than 300 antenna systems.
QEST is based in Holzgerlingen, Germany – www.qest.de
February 03, 2012 Page 3 of 3
QEST Quantenelektronische
Systeme GmbH
Max-Eyth-Str. 38
71088 Holzgerlingen, Germany
Michael Stobinski
Director Sales & Marketing
Tel: +49 7031 20495-10
Mobile: +49 162 2817 659
Fax: +49 7031 20495-69
michael.stobinski@qest.de
www.qest.de