News | EQUIPMENT


Life-saving equipment Inflate to communicate


Shakespeare Marine is planning a November launch for its 3dB Galaxy-INFL8, which the manufacturer has described as an “inflatable emergency VHF antenna” developed to address the challenge of stowing an antenna aboard smaller craft, where onboard space may be limited.


The Galaxy-INFL8 antenna takes less than 10 seconds to npa and nate


Galaxy-INFL8 antenna element is made from a durable, 5mm-wide copper strip which delivers exceptionally high performance.” Shakespeare Marine also used a bespoke radio frequency [RF] welding tool to fashion the antenna’s protective bladder, to ensure that it was made “to the exact same standards as a lifejacket”. The Galaxy-INFL8 also comes with a splice


connector to facilitate connection to existing radio cables for improved radio transmission range, and features contrasting colours and built-in reflective strips for enhanced visibility. Te company adds: “Te range is dependent on its position and how elevated it is when attached to the vessel. However, it will match the range of any 3dB antenna on the market and, when tested on a fixed point, more than doubled the range compared to short helical units mounted on the same point.” Te product is scheduled to make its first formal


appearance at METSTRADE 2018, to be hosted in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in mid-November. www.shakespeare-ce.com/marine


IT and communications Iridium links up with


Rolls-Royce Marine Satellite network provider Iridium Communications has signed a letter of intent to support Rolls-Royce Marine’s smart shipping endeavours, including the latter company’s development of remote diagnostics, automated navigation and unmanned vessel solutions. Te arrangement sees Iridium keen to offer its


The Galaxy-INFL8 has been designed to ‘blow


up’ to a height of 1.6m when activated, courtesy of an embedded canister or manual tube. However, the antenna can also be stored in a 250mm space when deflated and not in use. Consequently, the antenna is reusable and does not have to “sacrifice length and range” to be stowed away neatly, explains Dave Manasseh, European sales manager at Shakespeare Marine. The antenna is mounted with hook and loop


Velcro straps, for quick and simple onboard installation. Shakespeare Marine tells Ship & Boat International: “The Galaxy-INFL8 takes less than 10 seconds to unpack and inflate, with the actual inflation taking less than one second when the canister is used.” The product has also been designed to duke it out with the elements: “Each aspect of the Galaxy-INFL8 is designed to enable the antenna to withstand the onslaught of harsh weather conditions at sea,” the company continues. “Unlike most other antennas that use coax, the


10


L-band satellite broadband service, Iridium Certus, as the communications backbone for Rolls-Royce Marine’s Ship Intelligence suite of offerings. According to Kenneth Solberg, technical product manager for Ship Intelligence at Rolls-Royce Marine: “Iridium’s interconnected low earth orbit [LEO] satellite network is able to provide global coverage with low latencies for both coastal and ocean-going vessels, while at the same time having the robustness of the L-band.” Identifying the global coverage provided by Iridium’s


satellites as a key influence on this partnership, Solberg adds: “The small-form antennas and terminals enabled by Iridium Certus have no moving parts, reducing the risk of breakdowns, and are built to withstand the harsh conditions at sea.” Te new Iridium Certus service offers initial speeds of 352kbps, which will later be increasable to 704kbps following a firmware upgrade. www.rolls-royce.com/marine www.iridium.com


Ship & Boat International November/December 2018


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