Multi-reflector multi-band antennas for airborne and maritime broadband applications

In all main offshore maritime activities (business, transport, yachting, etc.), the possibility to access wideband-Internet services via satellite is more and more interesting for both passenger and crew members. The same interest is increasing also for communication onboard airplanes. For some particular applications, high data rate exchange of operational information with the staff on the ground is required while, for commercial applications, satellite communications provide passengers with infotainment services (IPTV reception) as well as with broadband connectivity. The launch of new satellites generation, working in Ka-band with regional or global earth coverage, allows high throughput capacity, with an increase of the available bandwidth and a decrease of satellite connectivity costs. This reflects in a new interest for high performance mobile Ka Band antenna terminals and even more for the Ku/Ka bands reconfigurable ones. Starting from a consolidated company experience, after developing high speed trains Ku/Ka bands Satcom products, a new fully mechanical antenna design, able to work both in Ku and Ka-band, is outlined here below. The main technical aspects of a multi-reflector antenna, working in Ku and Ka frequency bands, will be analyzed even considering the different design guidelines for two selected field of applications. Moreover some preliminary results, on the design of a multi-band radome for mobile applications, will be included.