Reliability, ease of installation, and operational simplicity are essential for maritime VSAT technology.
The constant demand for seamless, on-sea communication has intensified expectations, leading to diminished patience for slow speeds and unreliable connections. As such, the necessity for simple setup, commissioning, maintenance, alongside a robust support network, is critical.
Introducing Intellian's NX Range of VSAT Antennas
Historically, setting up and supporting antenna systems has been an expensive and intricate process, often demanding specialist expertise that varies from product to product.
Intellian has addressed these issues with its NX range of VSAT antennas, reassessing the complete lifecycle from shipping to upgrades, health checks, and part replacements.
Features of the NX Series
According to Mike Wilson, Intellian NX product specialist, a notable attribute of the NX Series is its capacity to swiftly transition between Ku and Ka bands and track satellites in various orbits including geostationary (GEO), medium Earth (MEO), and low Earth (LEO) orbits.
“This flexibility enables customers to adapt their service provision without significant hardware changes, extending the lifecycle of this onboard equipment,” Wilson explains.
Intellian’s AptusNX Interface
Wilson notes, ensuring the antenna adheres to company specifications, leaving no task overlooked
Supporting this configurability is Intellian’s AptusNX, a browser-based tool accessible via local networks or remotely through the antenna or an alternate onboard connection. “AptusNX guides engineers with a step-by-step wizard during commissioning,”
Wilson notes, ensuring the antenna adheres to company specifications, leaving no task overlooked.
Optimising Antenna Setup and Troubleshooting
The AptusNX interface personalises user access, allowing bespoke dashboards and troubleshooting capabilities to test individual antenna parts, streamlining repairs.
“A comprehensive health check conducted during commissioning provides service engineers with a performance benchmark,” explains Wilson.
Efficient Hardware Installation and Connectivity
Efficiency in installation is another priority, as all NX antennas arrive with pre-installed lifting harnesses, removing the need for shipping brackets due to a dynamic braking system that stabilises movements during transit.
The innovative design features a single coaxial cable for power and signals, greatly simplifying connections, especially over long distances. “There’s no need to remove the dome for installation,” Wilson adds, reducing potential waterproofing failures and setup time.
Enhanced Antenna Control and Configuration
Intellian’s integrated NX concept marks a promising initial venture in this direction
Below decks, the antenna control unit (ACU) integrates AptusNX tools and an embedded mediator for seamless dual antenna configuration using a single modem.
Additionally, Intellian has streamlined the supply chain by reducing parts by 40% through greater parts sharing and enhanced local stock availability, facilitating comprehensive spares kits for service engineers. “This reduction makes warehousing and servicing far more efficient,” Wilson says.
By adopting a plug-and-play approach, Intellian opens the market to a broader user base while reducing both service and hardware costs. Transitioning toward serving as a connectivity solutions provider, Intellian’s integrated NX concept marks a promising initial venture in this direction.
Maritime VSAT technology should be reliable, simple to set up and straightforward to operate. Easily accessible, always-on communications have become part of everyday life at sea. However, the closer the onboard communications experience becomes to that found onshore, the less tolerant customers are of slow speeds and unreliable connections.
Therefore, easy installation, commissioning and servicing, plus the reassurance of an extensive, dependable support network are pivotal considerations.
NX range of VSAT antennas
Antenna system installation and support have traditionally been costly, complex and time-consuming
Antenna system installation and support have traditionally been costly, complex and time-consuming. They required specialist knowledge which varied significantly from product to product, even between those from the same range and manufacturer.
To mitigate these issues, Intellian re-examined the entire antenna lifecycle from start to finish for its NX range of VSAT antennas. This began with shipping the antennas and ended with straightforward upgrades, health checks and parts replacement.
Key aspects of the NX Series
Intellian NX product specialist Mike Wilson explains, “One of the key aspects of the NX Series is its ability to convert quickly and easily between Ku and Ka bands, and to track satellites across different orbits.”
This includes satellites in geostationary (GEO), medium Earth (MEO) and low Earth (LEO) orbits. “This allows a customer to change their service provision easily without having to carry out major hardware changes, and proofs their NX antenna against foreseeable infrastructure upgrades,” says Mr Wilson. This extends the life of this critical onboard hardware.
Intellian’s AptusNX interface
This configurability, whether installing or upgrading, is underpinned by Intellian’s AptusNX interface
This configurability, whether installing or upgrading, is underpinned by Intellian’s AptusNX interface. This browser-based utility can be accessed locally via a local area network or wifi, and remotely using either the antenna itself or an alternative onboard web connection.
“AptusNX is used from the early stages of commissioning, where a step-by-step installation wizard guides the engineer through the setup process,” says Mr Wilson. This ensures the antenna is set up according to Intellian’s recommendations and that no tasks are left undone.
Individual antenna components
“AptusNX users can be granted varying access rights, and each user’s dashboard can be customised to ensure their essential tools are easily to hand,” Mr Wilson continues. “A troubleshooting page allows tests to be carried out on individual antenna components, isolating faults and facilitating swift repairs."
“On commissioning, a full health check is automatically carried out, ensuring service engineers have a clear datum from which to assess current performance,” he explains.
Speed and complexity of hardware installation
All NX antennas arrive pre-slung, with lifting harnesses already in place within the crate
Intellian also considered the speed and complexity of hardware installation. All NX antennas arrive pre-slung, with lifting harnesses already in place within the crate.
On arrival, the antenna can be lifted straight into position. There are no shipping brackets thanks to a dynamic braking system on the antenna motors, which will dampen any sudden movements during transit.
Three individual cables
“There is no need to remove the dome at all,” says Mr Wilson. “The cable connection has been brought outside the antenna. This removes potential waterproofing failures from cable glands and incorrect refitting of the dome, as well as dramatically reducing the time taken to connect the unit.”
There is a single coaxial cable carrying power, transmit and receive signals, as opposed to the three individual cables used in the past. “This simplifies installation, especially over long cable runs,” says Mr Wilson.
Dual antenna configuration with a single modem
Below decks, the antenna control unit (ACU) has AptusNX tools built in and an embedded mediator
Below decks, the antenna control unit (ACU) has AptusNX tools built in and an embedded mediator, allowing it to be linked directly to another NX ACU to enable a dual antenna configuration with a single modem.
Intellian streamlined parts supply through two strategies: increased parts sharing and improved local stock. “NX antennas share as many parts, such as motors, as possible,” says Mr Wilson. “The net result is a 40% parts reduction, making it much easier for warehouses to store a full set of parts and for service engineers to carry a comprehensive spares kit.”
Range of users and drives
This holistic, plug-and-play approach to antennas opens the antenna market to a wider range of users and drives both service and hardware prices down.
Intellian is repositioning itself from being an antenna manufacturer to a connectivity solutions provider, and the integrated concept of NX is a first, positive step.
