[Satellite TODAY 01-09-12] Skycasters has reached a milestone in the company’s teleport expansion project with the completion of a new 8.1-meter uplink antenna, the broadband satellite solutions provider announced Jan. 6.

   The company said the new antenna, manufactured by General Dynamics’ Vertex division, provides significantly higher gain than its existing 6.3-meter antennas, and would add additional reliability and redundancy to their expanding satellite Internet teleport infrastructure.

   “The antenna’s reflector is a thin skin of aluminum secured to a skeleton structure. The structure holds the aluminum skin in proper alignment, allowing it to focus captured RF energy on the feed. The giant 8.1-meter reflector is nearly four stories tall and had to receive clearance from the [U.S. Federal Aviation Administration] FAA prior to construction. It is supported by a nearly two-ton kingpost, which is bolted to the antenna pad,” Skycasters said in a company statement.