Click on the advert above to visit the company web site

Product category: Antennas and Feeders
News Release from: Sarantel
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 31 May 2004

GPS antenna contributes to SOLAS design

Request your FREE weekly copy of the Electronicstalk email newsletter. News about Antennas and Feeders and more every issue. Click here for details.

Sarantel has won a contract to supply its GPS antenna to Norwegian antenna systems developer Comrod, as part of Comrod's new combined VHF and GPS antenna.

Sarantel has won a contract to supply its GPS antenna to Norwegian antenna systems developer Comrod, as part of Comrod's new combined VHF and GPS antenna intended to meet the new UAIS (universal automatic identification system) regulations for maritime applications UAIS is a growing part of international SOLAS (safety of life at sea) conventions, which now require automatic identification of vessels of certain size to other vessels and transmission of identification and status information to land-based VTS (vessel traffic services) receivers

The Sarantel GeoHelix antenna was chosen for its ability to receive global positioning system (GPS) signals in the presence of strong electromagnetic interference, and when the GPS antenna is in continuous motion.

The design win was achieved by Acal Norway, which was appointed by Sarantel to support Norwegian developers.

Mr Enok Odegaard, Sales Manager of Comrod Marine Division said: "As greater numbers of smaller vessels come under mandatory requirement to fit UAIS equipment, there is an increasing need to make solutions more cost effective - the size and impressive performance of Sarantel's antenna made simple economic sense".

Nils Olav Gjorvad, product manager GPS/GSM of Acal Norway adds: "This has truly demonstrated the breadth of application that Sarantel's antenna can address, we wish Comrod every success as they take their solution to the maritime market".

Sarantel's GeoHelix antenna is particularly immune to local radio frequency interference allowing it to be mounted along side other antennas or sources of RFI.

Furthermore it is less sensitive to its operating angle with respect to the horizon, and can provide good GPS fixes when pitching or in constant motion.

These attributes allow it to be integrated within Comrod's renowned VHF antennas in its new UAIS products.

Alan Spencer, Sarantel's European Sales Manager said: "GPS has an increasingly important part to play in the safety and security of people wherever they may be - the Comrod VHF/GPS combination demonstrates the robustness and performance of our antenna in a difficult RF environment, and allows more maritime GPS users to come under the protection of the SOLAS convention".

Sarantel: contact details and other news
Email this article to a colleague
Register for the free Electronicstalk email newsletter
Electronicstalk Home Page

Search the Pro-Talk network of sites