While it is possible to get 2x as marketing touts, the ThinKom (2Ku) antenna achieves about 1.5 times the spectral efficiency as a competing 2-axis antenna along typical routes. The ThinKom antenna may perform even better in the tropics, where the elevation angles may be highest.
The ThinKom antenna can operate without any performance reduction due to skew angles that may be encountered in the tropic regions, unlike a 2-axis antenna which may suffer severe degradation.
Theoretically, these same benefits await other flat-panel antennas. Practically, no other antenna has made public, legitimate claim to a design matching instantaneous bandwidth, efficiency, robustness, and scan loss, in the same size package. VICTS weakness is cost, weight, form-factor; all of which electronic phased array may have advantage.
The ThinKom antenna can operate without any performance reduction due to skew angles that may be encountered in the tropic regions, unlike a 2-axis antenna which may suffer severe degradation.
Theoretically, these same benefits await other flat-panel antennas. Practically, no other antenna has made public, legitimate claim to a design matching instantaneous bandwidth, efficiency, robustness, and scan loss, in the same size package. VICTS weakness is cost, weight, form-factor; all of which electronic phased array may have advantage.
