VerStack platform 5G and GNSS antennas for Rail, IIoT and ITS applications

We are pleased to announce the addition of the VerStack platform to PCTEL portfolio of 5G ready antennas.

The VerStack platform consists of the most advanced 5G and GNSS vertically stacked antennas in the market. It utilizes PCTEL’s broadband element technology to provide top-of-the-line RF performance in rail and IIoT applications. These antennas have been designed in a rugged UV-resistant fiberglass housing making them ideal for harsh environmental conditions. The VerStack platform is easy to install and offers 3:1 and 5:1 configuration.

Product Highlights:

  • Very rugged, designed to meet wayside rail specifications
  • Vertically stacked solution for multiple ports
  • Pole mounted

Features:

  • Wideband coverage 
  • High rejection GPS LNA technology 
  • Dual port MIMO design 
  • High quality low loss cable and connectors 
  • Easy to install 
  • Rugged, UV-resistant fiberglass housing

Applications:

  • Industrial IoT
  • Rail
  • Intelligent Transportation Systems

Frequency Ranges:

  • 617 – 960 MHz 
  • 1710 – 2700 MHz
  • 3200 – 4200 MHz
  • 4900 – 6000 MHz

The VerStack platform is the most advanced 5G and GNSS vertically stacked antennas in the market for Rail, IIoT and ITS applications.

 

KONA: Harwin 8.5mm pitch High Reliability connectors – 60A per contact

The ultimate Hi-Rel connector for power handling capability and voltage flashover resistance. Fully rugged construction to withstand shock and vibration, but compact and lightweight compared to equivalent connections. Thumbscrew fixings for easy strain relief on cable-to-board connections.

Applications:

Aviation: Power control systems, in-flight infotainment & in-cabin services, navigation and flight systems.
Motorsport & EV: Battery control and monitoring systems, ERS control& supply, auxiliary system power, cabin systems.
Space: Satellites & CubeSats, communications, launch systems, power supplies.
Defense & Security: UAVs, rugged vehicle electronics, remote robotics drives, servo controls.
High-end Industrial: Power units and power control systems, robotics drives and servo controls, mining or oil & gas power systems.

Features:

  • Ensure continuous current integrity under extremes of bump, vibration and shock with tough housings and stainless steel screw-locks
  • Prevent contact damage and mis-mating – individually shrouded contacts sit in a rugged housing design with double polarization features
  • Benefit from Harwin’s cable assembly expertise, 100% inspected and tested harnesses, or choose do-it-yourself components
  • Fast contact identification in production with No. 1 contact position marked on housings
  • Mate-before-lock screw fixings for quick and simple connector mating-choose thumbscrews or front panel mounting

Key Specifications:

  • 65°C to +150°C operating temp
  • 250 mating cycles durability
  • Outgassing to NASA and ESA requirements

 

Agriculture Antenna Solutions: Omnidirectional BOA Series Base Station Antennas

PRECISION AGRICULTURE WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY

Optimize Efficiency and Reduce Costs

Precision engineering changes the way farmers manage crops, control pest infestations, take soil samples, and irrigate fields. Driven by Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS),
and wireless technology; precision agriculture advancements continue to improve crop yields, maximize operational efficiencies, and support cost-effective farming.

  • Field mapping

-uses GNSS to record and map the locations of rocks, potholes, power lines, poorly drained fields, pest infestations, and field fertility variations.

  • Tractor swath path optimization

-applies GPS to automate parallel tracking for improved operator efficiency.

  • Soil moisture and irrigation sensors employ

-GPS wireless technology to record moisture levels, so farmers can automatically measure, gauge, and redistribute water without manual field inspections.

  • Crop yield improvements

-leverage GNSS and GPS wireless data transfer technology to manage strip-till furrows, control seed usage, and minimize double planting; making farms more efficient.

Antenna Considerations

Antennas are key to accurate and successful implementation of wireless solutions for today’s modern farms.

  • Differential correction uses a dual-band GNSS system to mitigate the slightest errors in GPS locations caused by signal delay, multipath, satellite orbit, or timing synchronization discrepancies
  • GPS references accurately pick up at least three separate satellites to triangulate latitude and longitude positions plus a fourth satellite to determine elevation.
  • Multiband frequencies and GPS in a single radome are ideal for rovers that need to communicate with a reference base station located within five miles
  • Low noise characteristics prevent the GPS antenna from interfering with other on-board system communications.
  • Rugged design minimizes exposure to harsh chemicals, diesel fuel, axle grease, and petroleum-based products that eat away at rubber compounds.
  • Environmental testing ensures optimal performance during vibration, extreme temperatures, and agrochemical exposure.

Antenna Solutions

Omnidirectional BOA Series Base Station Antennas, placed with a GPS-TMG antenna at a silo elevator or distribution station improve communication accuracy.

 

Hairdryer

Hairdryer

Application:
Consumer electronics.

Background:
Aiming for the high-end consumer electronics market, the latest addition in the customer’s range was again a redesign on existing technologies – creating a more compact variation allowing for less electronics space.

The Challenge:
Multiple spring contacts required as contact points for different internal systems, all with minimal footprint and supplied ready for automated placement.

Harwin Solution:
Harwin’s spring contacts provided the right combination of footprint, contact height and spring force, supplied in tape and reel packaging.

 

IEH: HMP HYPERBOLOID SERIES

The HYPERBOLOID contact is an advanced design that satisfies performance requirements previously considered impossible. Radically different in concept, it is used in connectors having the highest standards of performance. The distinguishing feature of the HYPERBOLOID socket is the hyperboloid-shaped sleeve formed by straight wires strung at an angle to the longitudinal axis. Viewed from the side, you see a curve defined by a series of apparent short straight line segments which are tangent lines to points along a hyperbolic curve. This geometry provides for a design which has a decreasing circumscribed circle when viewed from the entry. It begins larger than the pin acceptance diameter and is less than this same diameter at the center. When the pin is inserted into this sleeve, the wires stretch, well within elastic limits, to accommodate it. In so doing, the wires wrap themselves around the pin providing a number of continuous line contact paths.

The actual physical construction of the contact involves several components. The wires are strung on an internal wire carrier (inner sleeve) which is subsequently capped or enclosed by a front outer ring (front sleeve) and rear ring which includes the termination configuration (terminal). All components to the assembly are completely finished with the specified electroplating prior to assembly. The wires are continuous process plated on reel before use. In this manner, interface finish requirements can be controlled very closely without the common problems of gradient, shadow, or other finish imperfections often appearing in alternative designs. Very often, this processing feature permits the specifier to reduce precious metal content with resultant savings. Joints are calculated interference fits, insuring gas tight interfaces between all elements of the HYPERBOLOID construction.

The unique geometry, precision processing, and careful attention to quality result in a highly desirable contact design which provides:

  • VLIF (Very Low Insertion Force): Common sizes #22 and less average under one ounce per contact.
  • Extraordinary Resistance to Shock & Vibration: Tests exceeding 300 g’s without discontinuity.
  • Duty Cycle Exceeding 100,000 Mate/Demate: The burnishing action of the wires on the pin surface is nondestructive. Unlike the “plow” and scrape action of common designs, HYPERBOLOID’s gentle mating action enhances life.
  • Low, Low Contact Resistance: The multiplicity of line contact, as opposed to point contact in other designs, provides an excellent interface exhibiting low contact resistance (often less than 1/2 of MIL spec. allowances). This characteristic also provides for a cooler running contact under load.
  • Improved Current Carrying Capacity: The low contact resistance gives a lower °C rise from ambient under load. This feature often allows the user to operate the same size contact under higher load.
  • Highest Reliability: In use for over 40 years under the most demanding conditions HYPERBOLOID has proven itself to be the leading design for integrity and reliability. On space platforms, ships and boats at sea, land vehicles, fighter and transport aircraft, missiles, torpedoes, medical and transplant electronics, industrial and environmental controls, rail, construction, ATE and test equipment, PGA sockets, test interface stations, and other applications, HYPERBOLOID has lived up to its promise of the highest reliability connector available.

 

 

Agriculture Antenna Solutions: 8117D Elevated Feed Antennas

PRECISION AGRICULTURE WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY

Optimize Efficiency and Reduce Costs

Precision engineering changes the way farmers manage crops, control pest infestations, take soil samples, and irrigate fields. Driven by Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS),
and wireless technology; precision agriculture advancements continue to improve crop yields, maximize operational efficiencies, and support cost-effective farming.

  • Field mapping

-uses GNSS to record and map the locations of rocks, potholes, power lines, poorly drained fields, pest infestations, and field fertility variations.

  • Tractor swath path optimization

-applies GPS to automate parallel tracking for improved operator efficiency.

  • Soil moisture and irrigation sensors employ

-GPS wireless technology to record moisture levels, so farmers can automatically measure, gauge, and redistribute water without manual field inspections.

  • Crop yield improvements

-leverage GNSS and GPS wireless data transfer technology to manage strip-till furrows, control seed usage, and minimize double planting; making farms more efficient.

Antenna Considerations

Antennas are key to accurate and successful implementation of wireless solutions for today’s modern farms.

  • Differential correction uses a dual-band GNSS system to mitigate the slightest errors in GPS locations caused by signal delay, multipath, satellite orbit, or timing synchronization discrepancies
  • GPS references accurately pick up at least three separate satellites to triangulate latitude and longitude positions plus a fourth satellite to determine elevation.
  • Multiband frequencies and GPS in a single radome are ideal for rovers that need to communicate with a reference base station located within five miles
  • Low noise characteristics prevent the GPS antenna from interfering with other on-board system communications.
  • Rugged design minimizes exposure to harsh chemicals, diesel fuel, axle grease, and petroleum-based products that eat away at rubber compounds.
  • Environmental testing ensures optimal performance during vibration, extreme temperatures, and agrochemical exposure.

Antenna Solutions

8117D Elevated Feed Antennas relays satellite positioning information to the management center and receives the differential signal from the base station BOA series antenna to improve accuracy at the sub-meter level.

 

Taitien release GNSS Positioning & Synchronization Solution

Taitien provides TCXO and OCXO solutions to major international satellite communication companies looking for critical frequency components. Up/down converters are essential in satellite communication in Ka- and Ku bands, and critical components include oscillators with high-frequency, low-phase noise performance. With the coming of high-throughput satellites and LEOs on a large scale, the aerospace industry has entered the New Space Era and end-user ground receivers for satellite communications will be widely adopted in vehicles and ships in every corner of the world. Taitien’s newly launched high frequency and low g-sensitivity TCXO, high-precision OCXO, timing module and atomic clock modules feature excellent frequency stability, ultra-low phase noise and ultra-low aging, making them optimal for ground station applications.

 

PCTEL Slender Sharkfin 5G Cellular Combination Antenna Platform with LMR Option

The new Trooper™ Max 5G FR1 antenna platform has been designed to PCTEL’s high quality and performance standards. Configurable and optimized for multiband applications, the platform is ideal for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and Public Safety applications because of the incorporation of the UHF/TETRA option through the external whip port for LMR connectivity.

With a slender shark fin form factor, and reliability, this antenna platform is recommended for installation on today’s leading Public Safety fleets. The Trooper Max antenna platform is compatible with the world’s leading cellular routers supporting 600 MHz to 6 GHz frequencies. It also covers Wi-Fi 6 frequency ranges.

Models:

  • GLPSF-5X1: 5-in-1 (2 LTE + 2 WiFi + 1 GNSS)
  • GLPSF-UH6X1LB: 6-in-1 (2 LTE + 2 WiFi + 1 GNSS + 1 UHF)
  • GLPSF-UH6X1HB: 6-in-1 (2 LTE + 2 WiFi + 1 GNSS + 1 UHF)
  • GLPSF-UH350-6X1: 6-in-1 (2 LTE + 2 WiFi + 1 GNSS + 1 UHF)

Frequency Ranges:

600 MHz – 6 GHz 2.4 – 2.5 GHz 4.9 – 5.9 GHz 1565 – 1608 MHz

Platform Highlights:

  • Combination Antenna – Cellular, WiFi, GNSS with LMR capability
  • 5G FR1 ready
  • Wi-Fi 6 coverage (5170 to 5835 MHz)
  • No field tune, multiband coverage
  • Meets high speed requirements of complex RF communication systems used for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)
  • Rugged, aerodynamic, and UV resistant black radome

Applications:

  • Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)
  • Public Safety

 

 

 

Taitien Releases Ultra-High Precision Disciplined Crystal Oscillator DT-5151

Today’s communication systems require more precise network synchronization and holdover performance. With the transition to 5G and beyond, packet-based networks makes sync technology more challenging as they do not naturally deliver synchronization. Similarly, with the development of today’s smart power grid, network synchronization precision is playing an ever-increasing important role calling for ultra-high precision timing synchronization and holdover capability.

The network’s ability to maintain time or holdover is critical so selecting a well thought out strategy is the first step. Taitien’s brand new ultra-high precision DT-5151 Disciplined Crystal Oscillator is the ideal solution. By combining the best of class precision oscillators with a proprietary adaptive algorithm, Taitien’s DT-5151 series achieve the standard of atomic-based oscillator performance. This series is engineered to control its internal phase error to within 1 ns through disciplining to an external one pulse per second (1PPS) signal broadcast by GPS. It offers an excellent frequency output with an accuracy reaching <±10-12 and its holdover ability reaching <±1.5 us within 24 hours.

Key Features:
• 24 hours Holdover < ±1.5 us, ±10˚C temperature change
• 1 pps input and 1 pps output for 1 pps synchronization
• 1 ns in phase and <10-12 in frequency
• 1 second continuous phase measurement and report system with high resolution≦ 1ns
• Time of Day (ToD)
• RS232 digital interface
• 5 MHz / 10 MHz / HCMOS outputs
• Operating temperature from -20˚C to 70˚C
• Proprietary adaptive algorithm
• 51 x 51 x 23 mm

Applications:
• Radar
• Broadcast
• IoT Master clock
• Smart power grid
• Clock reference
• High precise sever
• Telecommunication base stations
• Test and measurement equipment

Holdover Tested at 25ºC ±10ºC

Holdover Tested at 25ºC

 

Harwin Increases Mixed Layout Hi-Rel Connector Portfolio

Harwin has expanded the contact layout options of its Gecko-MT high-reliability (Hi-Rel) connectors. Announced at Electronica in Munich, the new variants have been added to complement the existing symmetrical 2-power/8-signal and 4-power/8-signal layouts.

There are 6 new contact arrangements that feature 2 to 6 power contacts and 4 to 24 signal contacts. These have a non-symmetrical structure, with the power contacts situated at one end and the data contacts at the other. The power contacts have a 10A current rating, and the signal contacts are rated for 2.8A (maximum).

A range of hardware fixings are available for each contact layout. Both male and female connectors can be supplied in either standard gender or reverse fix. There are front and rear panel mount options, plus board-mount fixings to reduce any strain placed on solder joints. In total, 72 extra Gecko-MT connector variants have been added.

As with all the Gecko connectors in our HRi product offering, these latest variants have high resilience to shock and vibration, plus compact size and lightweight construction. They support a -65°C to +150°C operating temperature range, and 1,000 (minimum) mating cycle durability. Evaluation samples are available on request.

As Ryan Smart, Head of Product Management at Harwin, notes: “Our Gecko-MT range has already proved very popular with our customers in the aviation, space and high-end industrial markets. These components provide a very effective way of reducing component count and saving PCB real estate by taking care of both power and data delivery.

Based on customer demand for a greater scope of different options, we’ve scaled up the number of variants. There is now a much wider choice of power and signal configurations, fitted with all our locking mechanism variations.”

All of our Gecko-MT connectors can be rapidly shipped from stock. We can also provide a cable assembly service on all Gecko connectors – supplying ready-made, full inspected harnesses.