Iridium satellite based communication uses a system of 66 active satellites for worldwide voice and data communication from hand-held devices and other transceiver units. The low-earth-orbit (LEO) Iridium satellites positioned in 6 planes at a height of approximately 485 miles (780 km) can deliver low-latency communications and true global coverage.
The Iridium network covers the whole earth, including poles, oceans and airways. The commercial gateway in Tempe, Arizona, provides voice, data, and paging services for commercial customers. The Iridium constellation operates as a fully meshed network and is the largest commercial satellite constellation in the world. Typical customers include military, maritime, aviation, government, emergency/humanitarian services, mining, forestry, oil and gas, heavy equipment, transportation and utilities – in short all those who are relying on communication and data-logging applications in remote locations of the earth. Some types of buoys (e.g. the Tsunami Warning System) use Iridium satellites to communicate with their base. Satellites communicate with neighboring satellites via inter-satellite links to relay communications to and from ground stations. Special modems (e.g. Quake Global) can be used for sending and receiving short data bursts used for asset tracking and remote monitoring.
Remote devices are programmed to call or send SBD (Short Burst Data) messages to the base at specified intervals, or can be set to accept calls in order for them to offload the collected data. Messages will be delivered in email format or HTTP to a preconfigured address. Raw positioning information is also included in each message. Typical global latency of modern modems is less than thirty seconds, making them appropriate not only for routine communications but also for utilization in applications where delays in communication are unacceptable, such as those involving safety and emergency situations. To address the communication challenges in transmitting data from machines, oftentimes working in rough terrain at remote sites, the antennas besides being rugged and compact, have to meet specific performance criteria. Hi-tech and high performance antennas with excellent coverage in the 1616.0 to 1626.5 MHz range are required for commercial use in connection with the Iridium Communications System.
Hirschmann Car Communication has established a reputation as a leading provider of innovative Iridium antennas achieving highest performance results and meeting the commercial needs of the customer. Iridium stand-alone antennas (e.g. magnetic mount auxiliary antennas) as well as automotive grade Iridium combination antennas adding GPS and WLAN (WIFI) or Cellular Phone functionality are state-of-the-art solutions. A variety of customizing options and extremely fast and effective product development allow Hirschmann Car Communication to meet nearly all requirements today’s demanding Iridium customers have.