Norsat Announces Ultra-Portable Satellite System

GLOBETrekker

Norsat Unveils GLOBETrekker – The Next Generation of Ultra-Portable Satellite Systems

Amsterdam, The Netherlands — (Market Wire) — 09/09/2005 — Norsat International, Inc. (TSX: NII) (OTC BB: NSATF) unveiled the new Norsat GLOBETrekker, a revolutionary “backpackable,” broadband satellite system, at the IBC 2005 Exhibition in Amsterdam. The GLOBETrekker is an intelligent, ultra-portable satellite system that enables users to establish a reliable broadband connection on short notice — anywhere in the world — even in harsh and hostile conditions. It is designed to be carried in a backpack, is airline checkable, and fits in small vehicles. It is helicopter- and parachute-friendly.

"This signals a significant development in the industry in three areas — portability, intelligence and durability," explained William Coyne III, president and CEO of Norsat. "No longer do you need to lug your transit cases to move your satellite system from place to place. Secondly, the GLOBETrekker has sophisticated ‘built-in intelligence.’ Our sensor-driven system manager automatically monitors and adjusts for environmental operating conditions such as moisture, sand and rain. This is significant as it means that the system can operate effectively even in harsh weather conditions. Thirdly, Norsat has added additional ruggedized features to enable the GLOBETrekker to be operational even in the most arduous situations. Norsat is setting a new standard for satellite communications."

William Coyne III, President and CEO of Norsat

The GLOBETrekker is particularly well suited for "grab-and-go" applications and "temporary situations" — where broadband communications need to be initiated quickly and on very short notice or on a temporary basis. Its ergonomically designed backpack and overall "quick-connect" design enables users to transport, assemble, operate and disassemble it quickly and discreetly. This is particularly appealing to journalists, disaster relief agencies, the military and first responders who are often given short notice of an assignment. This is also of interest to companies seeking an emergency backup system, luxury travelers, business owners and VIPs seeking to establish a reliable broadband connection while they are traveling.

The GLOBETrekker is equipped with sophisticated "built-in" intelligence. The GLOBETrekker’s Sensor Driven System Manager is housed in a single board computer, which acts as the nerve center of the entire system. It continuously monitors the internal environment of the system and automatically counters harsh weather elements (extreme temperatures, sand and humidity) by engaging built-in defenses. This latest system was designed to withstand harsh transport and operating conditions. The GLOBETrekker sports three physical layers of protection including a hard shell exterior, shock absorbing foam inserts and a shock-mounted baseband.

The GLOBETrekker supports data transmission rates of up to four megabits per second. It is capable of operating on multiple bands, including the Ku, Ka and X bands. The GLOBETrekker is a highly integrated system which includes a 1m carbon fiber antenna, RF electronics, motorized azimuth/elevation superstructure, motorized feed assembly, built-in inclinometer, compass, GPS and a baseband unit with a modem, spectrum analyzer, DVB-S receiver, Ethernet switch, DC-DC converter and shock protected chassis.

Norsat is accepting advance orders for the GlobeTrekker. Norsat can be found in Booth OEE145 in the Outdoor Europa Exhibit Area at IBC 2005 in Amsterdam, between September 9th and September 13th, 2005, and at Booth 1145 in the Canadian Pavilion section of DSEi at the ExCeL Centre in London, between September 13th and 16th, 2005.

GLOBETrekker Backpack

Norsat International, Inc. designs, engineers and markets intelligent satellite solutions for high-speed data transmission. For more than 25 years, Norsat has built a reputation in the field of satellite technology by providing its customers with innovative products and has sold more than 2.5 million products in 87 countries around the world. Norsat’s latest innovation is the Norsat OmniLink™ line of portable satellite terminal products that provide rapidly deployable broadband satellite data and video connectivity in areas where traditional communications infrastructure is insufficient, damaged, or non-existent. Norsat’s sectors of concentration include Health Care, Military, Emergency Services and Media.