Founded in 1958 to design and manufacture a range of high-frequency (HF) antennas and radio masts together with associated accessories, South Midlands Communications (SMC) quickly developed into the military and commercial radio sector, providing a broad variety of expertise in both the home and overseas markets.
Tubular support masts
SMC stocks a full range of tubular support masts for many applications, from 6m to 30m in aluminium, steel and composite glass fibres. The masts are either designed or manufactured at SMC’s in-house facilities, with the added capability of customising to specific environments or applications.
Pneumatic telescopic masts
SMC has designed and manufactured the Hilomast range of pneumatic telescopic masts for more than 30 years. The range has been independently tested to MIL-STD-810E for operation and storage, including low-pressure (high-altitude) operation. SMC has in-house design and manufacturing locations both in Europe and the US for the masts.
The new addition of a non-locking model of the Hilomast is suitable for applications where manual access to the mast is impossible, which results in the mast being quicker and easier to deploy. All production processes are carried out at SMC’s own purpose-designed manufacturing facilities and every mast is fully tested to relevant international standards.
The Hilomast models offer the widest choice available on the world market, with trailer-mounted, transportable and vehicle-mounted options. SMC’s investment in MIL-STD-810E and its installation, design and customisation service, has enabled the company to become a major player in the international defence and security communications market.
Tactical antennas
SMC specialises in the manufacture of HF communication antennas, including simple dipoles and multi-frequency trapped dipoles, wide-band, low and medium power antennas, and custom antennas for specific requirements.
For many years the company has manufactured tactical and transportable military antennas, from the very popular LW8 tactical dipole, weighing less than 1kg, to a range of wide band, directional and omni-directional antennas for applications up to 1kW. These antennas are specifically designed to cope with modem frequency agile equipment.
Modern high-strength / low-stretch materials such as Kevlar and carbon fibre have been incorporated into the latest range of tactical antennas to provide tough, very lightweight systems. SMC’s Near Vertical Incidence Skywave (NVIS) mobile loop antenna operates over 3MHz – 15MHz and has been used by the UK military as well as military forces and NGOs worldwide.
SMC’s latest product is the SMC/VHR very high frequency (VHF) Half Rhombic (VHR) antenna, which is a tactical unidirectional antenna designed for operations across 30MHz – 88MHz.
SMC’s flexibility and design capabilities are well-suited for customers requiring a design for a specific task, or an existing design that may require special treatment to suit special applications.
Positioners
SMC’s military specification pan-and-tilt positioner is MIL810-approved and independently tested, including land mobile and marine vibration. It has a carrying capacity of 30kg, is IP66 weatherproof, constructed from stainless-steel shafts and fittings, and uses precision ball bearings to ensure the unit remains square on both axes with low backlash, for ultimate stability in high winds.
SMC has a range of positioners, including in-house custom-designed types to suit any specifications for military microwave systems.
Radio systems
SMC’s 50 years of involvement within the radio industry has given the company a proven ability to provide large or specialised systems for military, governmental departments and NGOs. The product specifications range from HF through to point-to-point communications and up to 40GHz.
Transformers
SMC manufactures and designs the CTS brand of HF broadband ferrite matching transformers, hybrids, multi-couplers, filters and associated products, including the popular TA range of balanced transformers introduced by CTS since its formation in 1987.
An SMC project team can also advise, design, manufacture and supply a system around a client’s needs, whether it is HF, VHF, ultra high frequency (UHF) or microwave. In addition to this, its technicians can survey and assist in commissioning systems in most parts of the world.
SMC’s capability to design complete communications systems integrating Hilomast has secured major military contracts and provided the establishment of reliable, easy-to-use, long-range communications. SMC’s sales and technical team will be more than happy to answer any queries on requirements.