US Army One Step Closer to On-the-Move Satellite Comms

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blantonl

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FORT BLISS, Texas — Out in the blazing hot Texas desert, dismounted soldiers with the Army’s 101st Airborne Division’s 26th infantry regiment carried an egg-beater shaped antenna sticking out of their rucksacks to tap into a Navy satellite some 22,200 miles above Earth.

Nearby, soldiers driving a Humvee outfitted with a satellite terminal tested the ability to receive communications via satellite while on the move.

The completion of the Navy’s Mobile User Objective System satellite constellation — which has been described as a series of “cell phone towers in the sky” for its ability to deliver smartphone-like services — is expected to bring unprecedented communications capability to ground forces.

Army One Step Closer to On the Move Satellite Comms
 

KD4UXQ

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FORT BLISS, Texas — Out in the blazing hot Texas desert, dismounted soldiers with the Army’s 101st Airborne Division’s 26th infantry regiment carried an egg-beater shaped antenna sticking out of their rucksacks to tap into a Navy satellite some 22,200 miles above Earth.

Nearby, soldiers driving a Humvee outfitted with a satellite terminal tested the ability to receive communications via satellite while on the move.

The completion of the Navy’s Mobile User Objective System satellite constellation — which has been described as a series of “cell phone towers in the sky” for its ability to deliver smartphone-like services — is expected to bring unprecedented communications capability to ground forces.

Army One Step Closer to On the Move Satellite Comms

That is an interesting looking circular polarized antenna. It will be nice for them to not have to carry and setup the terminal radios like the AN/PSC-5 I used to work with. Sometimes they were a PITA getting lined up with the satellite.
 
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DaveNF2G

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US Army getting closer to parity with civilian communication capabilities.
 

gmemory

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While MUOS has the capability of adding some very nice features and thruput, its complexity (both systemic and user interface) is nothing less than scary. If it were me being forced to use it in a live tactical situation, I'd lament the outgoing UFO (or similar) network the same as if loosing a child. All reports seem to lead one to believe that eventually all will be well. Since most users have little or no other choice, I nervously hope so.
 

AdamElteto

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Army thinks they are high tech?

Army thinks they are high tech? They may have the budget. Now, Marines, they can probably do it with duct tape, comm wire, and a few-dollar eggbeaters from WalMart...
 

KE5MC

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Army thinks they are high tech? They may have the budget. Now, Marines, they can probably do it with duct tape, comm wire, and a few-dollar eggbeaters from WalMart...

Nope... Marines will take an anvil, beat it into submission to work as an eggbeater antenna.

I left the Navy in '77 and they were just beginning move to satellite communications. I worked on a lot of HF equipment and have always wondered if HF communications has survived in the surface fleet Navy.

I too am concerned for high tech satellite communication in a large scale shooting war.

Mike
 

AdamElteto

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Nope... Marines will take an anvil, beat it into submission to work as an eggbeater antenna.

I left the Navy in '77 and they were just beginning move to satellite communications. I worked on a lot of HF equipment and have always wondered if HF communications has survived in the surface fleet Navy.

I too am concerned for high tech satellite communication in a large scale shooting war.

Mike

Haha! Absolutely. If a tool does not fit the purpose, Marines will beat the purpose into fitting the tool.

On a serious note, HF is alive and well. You can have all the satellite technology in the world, but depending on a rough environment (terrain, foliage), and weather, it may be tough to get a solid uplink/downlink. HF is very resilient, and while power is important, you can get extra mileage with the right field wire setup and propagation.

Not to mention when satellites become targets in warfare/information warfare, their is a lot of resilience in HF. It is a skill set that must be maintained in the military.
 

c_snyder

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Yes HF will always be the fallback and I don't ever expect it will be phased out. Satellites make things very convenient but in widespread conflict they're a prime target.

The benefits far outweigh the negatives though and our current satellite network has really opened up doors that make life a lot easier.
 

KA2WPL

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That is an interesting looking circular polarized antenna. It will be nice for them to not have to carry and setup the terminal radios like the AN/PSC-5 I used to work with. Sometimes they were a PITA getting lined up with the satellite.

You have just done my heart good, as the original AN/PSC-5 Project Manager and Developer. :)
 
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