News Review: Aussie radio maker expands | ADM Dec 09/Jan 10

Previously, Barrett Communications manufactured a range of HF equipment primarily for the commercial market.

Their market has quickly expanded to include the military when Defence personnel conducting peacekeeping and disaster relief duties had exposure to the commercial off the shelf equipment.

Following input from Defence customers, Barrett Communications has evolved their HF equipment to better fulfill Defence requirements.

HF transceivers became lighter and more compact.

Current consumption was reduced and much of the equipment was manufactured to meet military specifications for immersion, temperature, shock and vibration.

QMAC had recently released the VHF-90, a range of low band VHF tactical radios (30 - 88 MHz).

Barrett Communications recognised an opportunity to supplement their military catalogue with an additional range of transceivers and after some software and hardware modifications, the VHF-90 has been released as the Barrett PRC-2080 VHF tactical radio system.

The range includes 5 Watt squad radios weighing less than 1kg, 25 Watt radios for manpack or vehicle operation and 50 Watt mobile radios.

A 50 Watt, vehicle mounted or field deployable re-broadcast system (retrans) is also available.

The combined Barrett HF and VHF military catalogue was recently launched at DSEI in London last year and the equipment attracted a high level of interest from Defence Forces, system integrators and major military contractors.

Orders for the new equipment have already been received from Europe, South East Asia and the Pacific Region.