Antenna Tracking Pedestal ANTP 3.2
Mobile Antenna Tracking Pedestal with GPS and North Seeker Auto-Alignment for Telescopic Mast Deployment up to 25 Meters
ANTP 3.2 is a dual axis antenna tracking pedestal designed to point an antenna automatically toward another antenna located at a different geographic location, without requiring manual aiming. Built around closed loop azimuth and elevation drive with GPS and North seeker integration, it calculates the bearing and angle needed to reach the remote antenna and drives the pedestal there directly. Ruggedized for mounting on mobile trucks with telescopic masts up to 25 meters, it supports a 30 kg payload across an indoor/outdoor split architecture suited for mobile communications, homeland surveillance and radar tracking deployments.
What is ANTP 3.2?
ANTP 3.2 is a dual axes antenna tracking pedestal that delivers precise dynamic motion in both azimuth and elevation, positioning an antenna toward a remote antenna at a different geographic location. It incorporates GPS for position determination and a North seeker for true heading reference, working together to automatically align the pedestal with a remote antenna without manual sighting. The product is ruggedized for mounting on mobile trucks with telescopic mast deployment up to 25 meters, splitting into a weatherproof outdoor positioning unit and a protected indoor control unit.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Azimuth Drive | |
| Movement Control | Closed Loop Position Control |
| Modes | Position and Manual |
| Range | 0° to 359.9° |
| Angular Accuracy | ±0.5° |
| Angular Resolution | 0.25° |
| Elevation Drive | |
| Movement Control | Closed Loop Position Control |
| Modes | Position and Manual |
| Range | -15° to +15° |
| Angular Accuracy | ±0.5° |
| Angular Resolution | 0.25° |
| Pedestal | |
| Payload | 30 kg |
| Power Consumption | Less than 70W |
| Weight – Outdoor Unit (ODU) | ≤30 kg |
| Weight – Indoor Unit (IDU) | ≤5 kg (exclusive of cables) |
| Finish – ODU | Polyurethane – Olive Green – Mat Finish |
| Finish – IDU | Polyurethane – Light Green – Semi Glossy Finish |
| Environmental – Outdoor Unit (ODU) | |
| Operating Temperature | -20°C to +55°C |
| Storage Temperature | -30°C to +70°C |
| Thermal Shocks | -40°C to +55°C (sudden change) |
| Humidity | 95% non-condensing at +45°C |
| Altitude | 3000m (at -20°C – 70kPa) |
| Corrosion | Salt Spray – 35°C – 5% Salt Solution – 95%RH for 22 hours |
| Mould Growth | 29±1°C – 90% RH for 28 days |
| Rain | 450 lts/hr with static pressure of 200 kPa |
| Sand and Dust | Velocity 1-2 m/s – Temp 40°C |
| EMI/EMC Protection | MIL STD 461 E |
| Environmental – Indoor Unit (IDU) | |
| Storage Temperature | -30°C to +70°C |
| Altitude | 3000m (at -20°C – 70kPa) |
| Vibration | 20-500 Hz at 0.1 g²/Hz |
| Mould Growth | 29±1°C – 90% RH for 28 days |
| EMI/EMC Protection | MIL STD 461 E |
GPS and North Seeker Working Together, Not Independently
Knowing where you are is only half the problem when pointing an antenna at a remote location. GPS tells the pedestal its own coordinates, but on its own provides no reliable heading reference when the platform is stationary, which is exactly the condition a parked mobile truck is in during deployment. The North seeker solves the other half of the problem using gyroscopic principles to establish true north independently of satellite signal or magnetic field, which also makes it immune to the local magnetic interference that a truck chassis or nearby metal structures would otherwise introduce into a standard compass reading. With accurate position from GPS and accurate heading from the North seeker, the pedestal has everything it needs to calculate the bearing and elevation to a remote antenna at known coordinates and drive there directly, without an operator manually sighting the target.
Position and Manual Modes for Automated Tracking and Operator Override
Automated GPS and North seeker alignment handles the majority of operational scenarios, but field deployment rarely goes exactly to plan. ANTP 3.2 offers Position mode for standard automated operation, where the pedestal drives to a calculated angle and holds there, and Manual mode for direct operator control during initial setup, troubleshooting, or situations where the automated alignment needs fine adjustment or override. Having both available on the same controller means the system handles routine automated tracking without operator intervention, while still giving the operator a direct path to take control when conditions call for it.
Built for the Realities of a 25 Meter Telescopic Mast, Not Just Rated for It
Raising an antenna to 25 meters solves a line of sight problem, but it also introduces a structural and environmental challenge that a ground-mounted pedestal never faces. At that height, wind loading, vibration transmitted up the mast, and thermal cycling all act on the pedestal differently than they would at ground level. ANTP 3.2's outdoor unit is tested specifically against the conditions a mast-mounted deployment actually produces, including thermal shock from -40°C to +55°C as a sudden change, salt spray corrosion resistance, and driving rain at 450 litres per hour with significant static pressure. These are not generic weatherproofing claims; they reflect the specific stresses a pedestal experiences when it is the thing being lifted 25 meters into open air on a mobile platform.
Indoor and Outdoor Units Tested Against Different Environments, Deliberately
Rather than applying one blanket environmental specification to the whole system, ANTP 3.2's outdoor and indoor units are tested against the conditions each one will actually face. The outdoor unit, exposed on the mast, is rated for corrosion, rain, sand and dust ingress and wide thermal shock. The indoor unit, housed in a protected enclosure, is instead tested for vibration resistance across a 20 to 500 Hz frequency range, which matters more for equipment mounted inside a moving vehicle than weatherproofing does. This split testing approach means neither unit is over-engineered for conditions it will never see, nor under-engineered for the conditions it will.
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The pedestal combines GPS for its own position with a North seeker for true heading, determined independently using gyroscopic measurement. Once it knows its location and orientation, and the coordinates of the remote antenna are entered, it calculates the required azimuth and elevation and drives there automatically.
GPS establishes position well but does not directly provide heading when a platform is stationary. The North seeker determines true north independently of satellite signal or magnetic interference, giving the system a reliable heading reference that GPS alone cannot provide on its own.
It means the pedestal maintains accurate azimuth and elevation pointing even when raised well above the truck's chassis height, which is often necessary to clear terrain or structures blocking line of sight to a remote antenna, rather than being limited to short, fixed-height mounting.
Position mode drives the pedestal automatically to a calculated angle and holds it there. Manual mode lets an operator take direct control, used for initial setup, troubleshooting, or overriding the automated alignment when needed.
The outdoor unit faces corrosion, rain, sand, dust and thermal shock on the mast, while the indoor unit, housed in a protected enclosure, is tested instead for vibration resistance. Testing each unit against what it actually faces means both are rated appropriately for their deployment conditions.
Homeland surveillance, radar surveillance and airborne surveillance applications where a ground-based pedestal needs reliable, automated pointing toward a moving or remote reference point, particularly in field-deployed or vehicle-mounted scenarios requiring rapid setup.
