US Electrodynamics (USEI), the major US teleport operator, is now readying its new antennas with weather protection systems to ensure high levels of uptime due to winter storms at its teleports. The company recently tied up with Walton De-Ice, the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of satellite earth station antenna (ESA) weather protection solutions, to add its antennas with Walton Plenum Hot-Air De-Icing systems.
USEI is known for providing quality services, attention to detail and cost-effective solutions. And according to Darryl White, USEI General Manager, the new and existing Walton De-Ice systems will ensure that the antenna systems keep snow and ice away from forming on antenna reflectors during winter storms thus ensuring customers mission critical services meet their operational requirements.
USEI, headquartered in Brewster, Washington, provides government, commercial and private satellite and terrestrial teleport network services. These include Telemetry Tracking & Control (TT&C), broadcast video, mobility, GEO, MEO & LEO tracking and Internet services. It’s Brewster Teleport in Washington State and Vernon Valley Teleport in New Jersey are major satellite gateways, delivering connectivity to the Pacific Ocean Region (POR), Contiguous USA (CONUS), and Atlantic Ocean Region (AOR). The company offers the combination of Brewster’s orbital arc view from 52 to 188° West Longitude and Vernon Valley’s view from 3 to 143° West Longitude
Due to growing demand, USEI is now adding two new antennas equipped with Walton De-Ice systems at the Vernon Valley teleport to serve Ka-Band and other growth markets. At its Vernon Valley Teleport, to protect customers from snow and ice USEI currently operates eight Walton De-Ice systems on C and Ku-Band antennas ranging in size from 4.8 to over 13 meters. Even with the Brewster teleport’s extremely low precipitation, the Walton Hot-Air De-Ice systems add an extra level of protection for sixteen antennas ranging in size from 3.7 to 16.4 meters. In addition, two electrically heated Hot-Air De-Ice systems protect smaller 2.4 meter Ka and Ku-Band antennas.
Walton’s Hot Air De-Ice systems, including the company’s unique Plenum Hot-Air enclosure installed on the rear of an antenna, provide the most reliable and economic de-icing solutions on the market. Unlike competing anti-icing solutions such as electric pad systems that can cause reflector distortion, Walton Hot Air De-Ice Systems heat the entire antenna reflector uniformly, which minimizes reflector distortion that can cause signal problems at the Ku and Ka Bands. Walton systems also uniquely offer maximum flexibility with electric, natural gas and liquid propane gas heater options.
During the IBC 2018 trade show from September 14-18 at RAI Amsterdam, Walton De-Ice will be promoting its latest in gas and electric heated hot-air Plenum systems for large 3.7 to 32 meter antennas as well as its innovative Ice Quake and Snow Shield solutions for 0.6 to 6.3 meter antennas.
