High Frequency & NVIS Communications Antennas

STAR-H´s vehicular NVIS antenna system replaces and outperforms the 16 and 32 foot tall whip antennas with a dual loop that extends only 36 inches above the roofline.

• Low Profile, Electrically Small Elements - Only 36" Above Roofline
• Effective Pattern for Reliable Short and Long Range Communications
• Rugged, Adaptable Design and Construction Featuring Flexible Elements
• A Control System to Tune the Antenna for Optimal Gain
• Compatibility with the AN/VRC-100 and most other HF Radios
• User Selectable Models Including Both Low Angle and NVIS
• Automatic Tuning System for Optimal Gain on the Active Frequency
• Proven NVIS Communications Over 200 Miles, Greater Distances Using Low Angle

High Frequency Communications Antennas

Star-H is a leader in advanced HF antenna technology. Star-H can custom-design HF antennas for broadcast, military, and communications applications. Star-H personnel have designed a 1-megawatt HF antenna system for the Arecibo radio telescope, and have experience with antennas for fixed, vehicular, airborne, and shipboard applications.

Use of advanced computer design tools, along with extensive experience with the design and operation of HF communications systems gives Star-H a tremendous capability to provide the optimum antenna system for any application.

Star-H´s customers include several agencies of the U.S. government, broadcasters, and the scientific research community.

Star-H´s unique experience in HF includes the design of the most advanced HF Yagi and Log-Periodic antennas, as well as adaptive beam-steerable antenna arrays, high-directivity rhombic antennas, and antennas for NVIS communications.

NVIStar™ HF/NVIS Vehicular Antenna

STAR-H has developed a patent-pending unique high-efficiency, low-profile HF communications antenna suitable for use on tactical operations shelters or large ground vehicles such as the HMMWV or Stryker combat vehicles. The antenna can also be mounted on ships, fixed equipment shelters or other locations. This antenna is unique in that it´s radiation pattern is switchable between NVIS short-range and low-angle long-range communications. It is intended to provide on the move, zero setup time communications to Army units in combat operations, replacing the 32-foot whip and deployable mast-mounted NVIS dipole antennas which are currently used and which do not function while in motion or require significant setup and tear-down time.

The antenna is available in two versions, one for radios such as the AN/VRC-100 equipped with internal antenna tuners, and one for radios without. The antenna has been tested in NVIS and long-range operation and is ready for integration onto vehicles for military and civilian operations. Mounted on heavy duty spring bases conforming to the standard military antenna mounting pattern, the antenna consists of two heavy gauge aluminum tubular loops. In the patent-pending design, the antenna responds to contact with overhead obstacles by folding inward, allowing it to safely pass under obstructions without damage to the antenna or the vehicle.

For ALE operation, a rapid-tune version is available that can be controlled by radios with RS-232 band data outputs, or via a signal sampling circuit.