Microwave Switches
COM DEV manufactures a broad range of electromechanical waveguide and coaxial switches, which form a critical part of communications satellite payloads. Our switches perform two main functions: they route signals to the appropriate piece of equipment on a satellite, and connect back-up equipment in the event of a primary system failure.
COM DEV also produces high performance ferrite switches (S-band to Ka-band) to provide functions such as receiver protection, antenna routing and redundancy switching. Key characteristics include low insertion loss and small size and mass.
One of the key performance drivers for the operation of ferrite switches is the quality of the driver circuitry. COM DEV has developed various circuits to suit different customer needs. Telemetry interface options include RS422 Interfaces, TTL and LVDS, with other circuits designed specifically for relay pulse operations (positive or negative).
The combination of switch and driver circuits results in a high performance assembly, featuring fast switching (<2 µs), high repetition rate (6 kHz) and minimal power drain in steady state.