Comtech Xicom Debuts GaN Solid-State X-Band Satcom Block Upconverter

New XTSLIN-20X-B1. Photo: Business Wire

[Via Satellite 05-04-2016] Comtech Xicom has released a new Gallium Nitride (GaN) based solid-state X-band Block Upconverter (BUC) that provides 20 watts of linear output power in a 147mm x 130mm x 99mm feed-mountable package. The BUC is designed to handle tough environments and meet stringent X-band Radio-Frequency (RF) requirements while drawing very little power for extended battery operation.

Comtech’s model XTSLIN-20X-B1 features approximately 50W of saturated output power, 25W of linear power using MIL-STD-188-164 definition at mid-band, and more than 20W of linear power across the 500 MHz frequency band (7.9 to 8.4 GHz) over a temperature range of -40 degrees Celsius to +60 degrees Celsius. This output power level is achieved at less than 120W prime power consumption across all conditions, and comes in a ruggedized self-cooled feed-mount package.

“This new BUC enables system integrators to offer highly compact transportable and man-portable satcom terminals that take advantage of Skynet, XTAR and Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) to provide much higher data rates and more efficient operation. End users no longer have to drop to Kbps data rates in order to carry their X-band terminal on their backs,” said John Branscum, president of Comtech Xicom.