Comtech Xicom Technology, Inc., a developer of high power amplifier products for SATCOM, has announced new lightweight, high power, antenna-mount, traveling wave tube amplifiers (TWTAs) that expand the capabilities of broadcast and teleport operators. The new 500-Watt TWTA's operate in Ka-band uplink frequencies. Customers can see and learn more about these and other new products at Comtech Xicom Technology's booth #533, during the SATCON 2009 trade show in New York City, October 14 to 15, as well as at booth #925 during the MILCOM 2009 trade show in Boston, October 19 to 21.

With rapid growth in HD and multichannel broadcasting, use of Ka-band spectrum is increasing worldwide. Xicom is announcing four new 500W TWTAs to address these needs. The XTD-500Ka and XTD-500Ka6 allow the amplifier to be driven up to its saturated output power level, while the XTD-500KaL and XTD-500Ka5 are limited to operation up to the linear power level. This is done to optimize the overall efficiency of the TWT and results in high linear power at a more economical price. Comtech Xicom’s new outdoor TWTAs enable satellite operators to mount the HPA at the antenna, eliminating the high losses of long waveguide runs at Ka-band and reducing shelter requirements while maintaining high reliability.

“These new high power TWTAs will enable SATCOM service providers to meet the ever demanding requirements of expanding service, performance and reliability,” said John Branscum, President of Comtech Xicom Technology. Xicom's new TWTAs operate across the commercial uplink frequencies of 27.5 to 31 GHz. The rugged weatherized amplifiers are compact and lightweight to minimize the impact on the physical plant of the teleport. These four systems weigh but 58 pounds (26.4 kg) and are housed in the compact weatherized enclosures measuring 10.25“ high x 9.5” wide x 22.25” long (260mm W x 240mm H x 565mm L). The 500W amplifier package is just 2-inches longer than Comtech Xicom’s family of 250-Watt TWTAs, making the new models simple upgrade solutions for existing users.

The XTD-500Ka family features very high RF conversion efficiencies which enable a compact thermal management design for a smaller, lighter weight unit that still meets rugged environments up to the specified 60°C ambient operating temperature. Comtech Xicom offers a unique and automated bias control mechanism that extends the life of the TWTA by adjusting the bias over time to maintain constant current and keep the tube efficiency optimized. Comtech Xicom has also developed proprietary techniques for matching linearizer performance to the tube characteristics over a wide range of operating conditions— this ensures optimum linear power under the test conditions at beginning of life as well as maintaining optimum linear power across frequency, back-off conditions. The amplifiers are available with multiple options including redundant and phase combined system configurations, integral BUCs and harmonic filters. Remote external controllers are available to operate the HPA from user defined locations.

Additionally, Comtech Xicom Technology, Inc. has received orders totaling $1.8 million for ruggedized, high-power, solid-state power amplifiers (SSPA's). The SSPAs will be incorporated into transportable fly-away satellite terminals used by U.S. soldiers stationed overseas in remote areas. These terminals, designed for outdoor use in harsh environmental conditions, transmit in the Ku-band frequency, which offers a broad array of available satellite transponders around the globe. Additionally, the terminals can be packed into two transit cases making them ideal for transportable applications.