StreamCaster 4400 wireless data-link product

The StreamCaster 4400 is a 4x4 MIMO mobile ad hoc network (MANET) radio from Silvus Technologies, a wireless data link for video, voice and data between unmanned aircraft, vehicles and ground stations. The Enhanced version (SC4400E) is built for fixed infrastructure, vehicular, long-range and airborne use where maximum link performance is wanted, and it serves as a line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight radio link in networks of many nodes.

The radio uses the maker's Mobile Networked MIMO waveform with COFDM modulation and automatic link adaptation, which adjusts the link to the changing conditions of a moving platform. Channel bandwidth modes are 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 MHz, so an integrator can trade throughput against spectrum use and range. MIMO techniques include spatial multiplexing for throughput, space-time coding for robustness, and transmit and receive beamforming. Output power is up to 20 W, equal to 80 W effective with transmit eigen beamforming, which extends range at a given data rate. Average latency is 7 ms per hop.

The network is self-healing and self-forming. It supports up to 559 nodes in one network in star, hub and spoke, series and relay, fixed backbone and hybrid topologies, using single-frequency time-division duplexing. Dual frequency bands are possible in a single radio, with most licensed and unlicensed bands available. The embedded StreamScape management interface shows network topology, signal strength and congestion from any computer, tablet or smartphone, and Cursor on Target messaging links the radio with ATAK, WinTAK and iTAK. Push-to-talk voice uses G.722 encoding.

For integration, the radio has one Ethernet, two USB and one RS-232 interface, with WiFi and GPS added through external dongles, and it takes a supply of 9 to 50 V DC. The housing is rated IP68 and is offered in three form factors: rugged with straight RF connectors for horizontal mounting, rugged with right-angle connectors for vertical mounting, and a non-rugged OEM board for embedding in custom products. Optional pole-mount and surface-mount hardware are available. Onboard storage reaches 128 GB. Encryption is AES 256 with FIPS 140-3 Level 2 validation, and the maker lists a Spectrum Dominance suite with low probability of intercept and detection, anti-jam resilience and threat protection.

Typical applications are airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data links, unmanned system control and video relay, law enforcement and military networks, broadcasting and maritime communications.