Patent ID: 6996369

Claim:
A satellite phone repeater providing a communication link between a satellite and a satellite phone, comprising: a first antenna receptive to signals transmitted by a satellite; a downlink amplifier that receives and amplifies signals from the first antenna; a second antenna that receives said amplified signals from said downlink amplifier and transmits said amplified signals for reception by the satellite phone; a third antenna receptive to signals transmitted by the satellite phone; an uplink amplifier that receives and amplifies signals from the third antenna; a fourth antenna that receives the amplified signals from said uplink power amplifier and transmits said amplified signals for reception by the satellite; a first uplink preamplifier coupled between said third antenna and said uplink amplifier; and an RF switch disposed between said first uplink preamplifier and said uplink amplifier, said RF switch being in an open state when no valid signal is present.