Abstract: A non-keyed clamping shaft collar with radial mounts is disclosed to provide maximum effective holding force for a mounting clamp against high torque, and which provides a means for precisely locating a counterbalance weight to minimize system torque without requiring any measurements or calculations of system masses or vectors. The counterbalance clamp comprises two concentric rings of different materials. The outer material is strong enough to prevent breaking under a maximum designed clamping force. The inner material has a high coefficient of static friction with the bar onto which it is clamped to prevent slipping after it is clamped. The outer ring has two tapped holes located 180 degrees opposite each other. The clamp enables the use of a lower clamping force, mitigating the potential to deform the bar as a result of the higher coefficient of static friction between the two sliding elements (the bar and the inner ring) being clamped together.

Abstract: The present invention is an auto tracking antenna platform upon which multiple antenna elements can be mounted to track a common moving object. The antenna tracking platform generally comprises a bottom pedestal enclosing a rotary azimuth actuator for controlled-rotary motion about the single vertical (z) axis, and an upper multi-tier framework housing a horizontal antenna-mounting beam pivotally supported for rotation about a horizontal (x) axis, and a drive assembly for direct-drive rotation of the antenna-mounting bar. Antenna elements are mounted along the horizontal mounting bar and the feeds routed through the azimuth actuator. This enables the use of fiber optic rotary joints or slip rings to pass data and video, instead of RF (waveguide) rotary joints which are required to pass high power RF signals.