Antenna technology for mobile satellite radio reception

For mobile satellite radio reception in cars high demands are made to the antennas with respect to gain, efficiency, volume requirements and mounting conditions as well as reliable reception in fading environment. In comparison to common antennas for satellite digital audio radio services (SDARS) as well as for navigation services, new types of single satellite antennas and combinations for antenna diversity are shown. New ring antennas of type "Scarabeus" show a significantly higher performance compared to common patch antennas. In severe fading scenarios a set of up to three SDARS antennas, which are located together within a mounting volume of only around 1.5" × 1.5" × 0.5" together with an appropriate scan-phase diversity circuitry lead to a reduction of mute rates by more than one order of magnitude. This diversity technology enables for the first time the use of critical mounting positions like in side mirrors or on the dashboard, which would never be used for single antennas.