Chaparral Communications Helps Connect the World Through Satellite TV

Innovators of Low-Cost Dish Receivers Started at Stanford

San Jose, CA – March 22, 2006 – Talk about getting the world connected. Because of the pioneering efforts of two enterprising, young graduate students at Stanford University in the late 1960s, tens of millions of homes around the globe have satellite television dishes. In the United States alone, more than 25 million homes enjoy watching satellite TV from their dish receivers.

“The lasting global impact that satellite dish receivers have had on communications and connectivity is amazing,” said Bob Taggart, CEO of Chaparral Communications, a leading provider of products used in commercial and residential satellite reception systems worldwide. “For many people living in rural and remote areas their dish is their only connection to the world for information, education and entertainment.”

Taggart and James Janky designed the first ever low-cost dish receiver at the university with funding from NASA from 1968-70. The pair was hand-picked by NASA and Stanford to develop an innovative, low-cost earth station to receive television directly from satellites. The concept of using very high-powered satellites and millions of small, inexpensive dishes to receive television was developed at Stanford. Although it was revolutionary at the time, it has become the model for all home satellite TV systems in operation today. Thanks to Taggart and Janky the world has affordable satellite TV reception.

As many Silicon Valley success stories go, it all began in 1979 in Taggart’s garage. It was there he founded Chaparral Communications to produce satellite dishes and other receiver components for this emerging market. The following year Taylor Howard, a Stanford professor, joined the company. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Today, Taggart is CEO of his San Jose-based firm which is a leading innovator and producer of products for satellite television for the past 26 years. Chaparral recently produced a nine-minute flash video chronicling their history and development of the small satellite TV dish. Called “Satellite Industry Pioneers,” the award-winning documentary can be viewed on the Chaparral website, www.chaparral.com.

“Our products are used in virtually every country in the world that receives satellite television,” explained Taggart, whose satellite antenna design received an award from NASA in 1971 and later a U.S. Patent. “On a global scale, this technology has made a significant impact people who would otherwise have little or no access to information, education or entertainment. It has improved their lives.”

Chaparral Communications, Inc.

Headquartered in San Jose, CA, Chaparral Communications, Inc. is a leading provider of products used in commercial and residential satellite reception systems worldwide. Chaparral was founded in 1980 and is recognized for developing quality products, innovative designs, responsive customer service and leadership in the satellite reception system industry. Chaparral is privately held and products are manufactured in the United States, Mexico, China and Taiwan. For more information, visit www.chaparral.com or call 408.294.2900.