ITC/USA 2013 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Ninth Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 21-24, 2013 / Bally's Hotel & Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV / Telemetry ground antenna tracking performance evaluation and measurement was previously performed by evaluating only the antenna drive system. The integrated nature of software controlled antenna systems has prompted a need to evaluate the entire tracking antenna system, as a whole. Particularly, the ability of an antenna to remain "locked" on a dynamic target must be able to be evaluated and quantified. This paper presents one method for evaluating the tracking ability of a telemetry antenna system and discusses a likely set of metrics to be used as figures of merit for antenna system tracking performance.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 26-29, 1992 / Town and Country Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, California / The GPS Satellite System provides precise determination of time, space, and position of aerospace (airborne) vehicles during flight and flight test situations. The cost of "GPS" equipment has been decreasing dramatically -- a phenomenon similar to that which was experienced with "hand held" calculators 20 years or so ago. By the use of a multigain (and beam) antenna and GPS, a very low cost single axis system can be utilized for reception of telemetry and at the same time to provide accurate position, velocity, and acceleration information concerning the airborne vehicle.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 28-31, 1996 / Town and Country Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, California / Orbiting satellites can be tracked by following preprogrammed ephemeris data in the ground station controller. This tracking method is advantageous, because of the reduced acquisition cost of non-autotracking receiver and antenna feed components. Further, widely separated frequency bands can readily be tracked, without the complexity of a frequency specific auto-track system. Two types of mobile tracking systems are described. They are composed of elevation-over-azimuth-over-tilt and of an X-Y axis pedestal configuration. The calibration methods for establishing time and geographical references are discussed, as well as the challenges of minimizing the effects of system and environment induced error contributors.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 25-28, 1999 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / The Transportable Range Augmentation and Control System (TRACS), Mobile Telemetry System (MTS), is a versatile system capable of supporting anywhere when called upon. The MTS is designed to operate anywhere on land. It is unknown how the system will perform on a floating platform without a stabilizing gimbal. The operation of a tracking system at sea generally require the use of a three-axis pedestal. The MTS is a two-axis pedestal. This paper is a report on how the MTS responds to simulated ocean-motion. Testing the system on a body of water is very expensive, especially out in the desert. The MTS was tested in the desert area of Las Cruces, New Mexico in the parking lot of EMI Technologies, prime contractor, using two forklifts to simulate ship motion in the pitch and yaw planes. The location is perfect for crossover dynamics tests. The tests conducted were for the purpose of determining if the MTS could auto-track a moving signal in space while it also moves due to “simulated ocean swells” that increase the generated tracking error signal levels in an opposite or in addition to the ones generated from the space vehicle. There is no gyroscopic correction. Successful results of the tests could preclude the use of a gyroscopically stabilized gimbaled platform necessary to keep the tracking system steady for auto-tracking a target during “6 degrees of freedom” disturbances. Several thousand dollars can be saved if the concept can be proven.

ITC/USA 2011 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Seventh Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 24-27, 2011 / Bally's Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada / A novel dual-band S and C band antenna for high-performance autotracking applications is described. The antenna provides simultaneous dual band coverage for targets with circular or linear polarization. A vertex mounted C-band multi-mode common aperture feed is added in a Cassegrain configuration augmenting the existing ViaSat patented [1-4] ESCAN® S-band prime focus feed. A dichroic subreflector is also added allowing simultaneous dual band operation for the prime focus and Cassegrain configurations with minimal interaction. Existing S-band antennas are easily upgraded for dual band capability with only the additions of the vertex mounted C-band feed and dichroic subreflector.

ITC/USA 2012 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Eighth Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 22-25, 2012 / Town and Country Resort & Convention Center, San Diego, California / A new common aperture autotracking C-band feed, specifically designed to accurately track fast moving targets such as the Lance missile, is reviewed. Measured data demonstrates exceptional tracking modulation required for good tracking performance while simultaneously providing excellent data channel performance for high G/T over the entire 4.40-5.25 GHz band. The new patent applied for feed design allows users to maintain existing L/S-band capability with a cost effective field upgrade which adds high performance C-band capability to an existing telemetry tracking system.