Kongsberg Gets Waiver for Maritime Communications System
The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology approved a waiver for Kongsberg Seatex, allowing the company to seek certification for a system used for broadband communications among maritime vessels, and between maritime vessels and shore. The system operates at 5.725-5.850…
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GHz band, emitting “steerable directional beams at power levels that exceed” FCC limits, said a Tuesday order. The higher antenna gain limits Kongsberg requests “will increase the maximum achievable communication distance over water from approximately 1.2 kilometers (under the current rules) to at least 9 kilometers,” OET said: “This increased range will be useful for a variety of maritime applications, including operation of autonomous surface vessels; hydrographic surveying prior to and during dredging of ports and waterways; remote inspection of underwater pipelines and other underwater installations; monitoring marine life; oil and gas exploration; scientific research; communications during search and rescue operations; fishery research; tracking of unmanned underwater vehicles; dock and harbor inspections; and monitoring sediment in river outlets for safe navigational passages.”