ariss meeting estec 2014 ham video emanuele d’andria - iØele

ARISS meeting ESTEC 2014HAM Video

Emanuele D’Andria - IØELE


ARISS International Delegates Meeting, April 3 - 5, 2014 – ESA ESTEC

Summary

Commissioning Blank Transmissions Ground Segment Chaining Groundstations Ham TV school contacts Discussion



Commissioning

Commissioning objectives ASI Radio Telescope Geodesy Center in Matera TLE & First Checkup diagram installation operations at Matera commissioning #1 commissioning #2 B. USOC report Small ground station role



CommissioningCommissioning objectives

check the correct operation of the HAMTV transmitter: by measuring the RF power level received (C/No, MER) by measuring the bit-error rate (BER) of the QPSK signal

check the four transmitting frequencies (2 nominal, 2 backup) check the two modulation bitrates (1.3 and 2.0 MS/s) verify the performance of ARISS antennas (#41 and #43) check the ground stations performance

To be sure to receive even a weak signal in the case of reduced output power of the HAMTV transmitter, due for example to excessive loss in the antenna cables or in the ARISS antennas, it was decided to focus on a very high-gain receiving antenna: the ASI VLBI radiotelescope in Matera: a 20 meter reflector with a gain of 50 dB in S-band with near full tracking capabilities.



CommissioningASI VLBI Radio Telescope Antenna Geodesy Center in Matera



CommissioningTLE & First Checkup

Our first check before starting the commissioning was to verify the following items:

a) how accurate are the TLE data in tracking with such high-precision equipment.

b) the capability of the VLBI antenna, designed to point fixed stars in the sky to track fast moving objects such a satellites in low earth orbits (LEO).

a) how to interface our receiving system (S-band downconverter, DVB-S receivers) with the VLBI RF equipment.




To check the accuracy of the TLE data, we tracked the ISS with an optical telescope, which is part of the Matera center for Geodesy. Next, we checked the ability of the antenna tracking systems to follow fast moving objects such as satellites in LEO. The results have been very good (less than 0.05 deg of pointing biases applied to the telescope to center the image in the FOV).




To install the S-band downconverter (Kuhne KU 25 LNC), we have taken the signal between the S-LNA (inside the Dewar) and the D/C2 (see block diagram in the next slide) with a 10 dB directional coupler. We used the X-band cable exiting from D/C1 (IF1) to send the IF signal to the receivers in the control room. IF2 remained in place for monitoring purposes. Work was done in the core of the VLBI antenna, in a chamber just below the feed assembly.



CommissioningVLBI RF chain block diagram



CommissioningMatera VLBI Control Room

All signals were routed in the control room. In this panoramic image, all the workstations are clearly seen. From left to right: antenna control, signal monitoring, remote ground station monitoring, set-top box (interfaced to a portable computer for streaming), one receiving computer equipped with Tutioune (the DVB-S software developed by Jean Pierre F6DZP) and the TT-3200 card, another computer equipped with the TT-1600 card.



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Our model prediction: commissioning step 2, 12:44:20 UTC, Matera station. C/N =44.5 dB at 2.0 MSymb/s, Off-Nadir 9°, range 625 km, G/T=25.7 dB(1/K).

Measured RF performances during commissioning

G/T of Matera RX was measured the day before using Cassiopeia A as a calibrated noise source



Commissioning #1Live TV reception with the TT-3200 (Matera #1)

Frequency: 2369 MHz, symbol rate: 1.3 MS/s, MER: 25 dB



Commissioning #1Signal monitoring with the FSV Spectrum Analyzer

Frequency: 2369 MHz (M1), symbol rate: 1.3 MS/s, C/N> 30 dB



Commissioning #2Live TV reception with the TT-3200 (Matera #1)

Frequency: 2395 MHz, symbol rate: 2 MS/s, MER: 31 dB



Commissioning #2Signal monitoring with the FSV Spectrum Analyzer

Frequency: 2395 MHz (M2), symbol rate: 2 MS/s, C/N> 42 dB

ARISS meeting ESTEC 2014ARISS Europe - Regional Scheduling Procedures


CommissioningAll 3 receivers worked as expected in Matera (Italy), plus two ground stations at

Casale Monferrato (Italy), and Poitiers (France)



B.USOC report



Blank Transmissions

Objectives and Plan Confirmation reports ARISS Report F6DZP Forum



Blank TransmissionsObjectives and plan as of March 28, 2014

Date Configuration Frequency Duration

March 6 1 2422 MHz 1 week

March 16 3 2395 MHz 2 weeks

March 30 7 2437 MHz 1 week

April 6 5 2369 MHz 1 week

April 13 4 2395 MHz 2.0MS/s

+/- 2 weeks

+/- April 25 nihil nihil nihil

All Blank Transmissions performed with antenna 43



Blank TransmissionsConfirmation from

• ARISS website reception reports (FSTV)• HAMTV Facebook page• VIVADATV forum



Ground SegmentHAM TV standard

The typical Ground Station (GS) is depicted in figure 1; it mainly consists of an offset dish antenna with 1 meter diameter size, a Left Hand Circular Polarization (LHCP) feed with downconverter/preamplifier (LNB) and a Set-Top Box Receiver. All equipments are Components Off The Shelf.




Each Ground Station will operate as a receive-only (R/O) terminal i.e. the station can receive, demodulate and record data transmitted in the S-band (2360 - 2450 MHz). The antenna used for data reception consists of an offset focus system with azimuth and elevation mount; it is capable of program controlled operation, however manual

capability as backup solution is foreseen as well.

Antenna 1.2 m Offset Dish

Feed LHCP Helix

Preamplifier/Down Converter Kuhne KU LNC-25

RF Coax Cable LMR-400

Set Top Box / PC Card Megasat HD 800




KU LNC 25 TM (HAMTV baseline configuration)Frequency range : 2350 – 2550 MHz, IF : 1433.5 – 1633.5 MHz

Amplification : 40 dBhttp://www.kuhne-electronic.de



Ground SegmentSun noise measurement software



Chaining Groundstations

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Time starting from 1 SEP 2010 00:00:00 [days]



Video contact duration for a 90 days period starting September 1st, 2010.

Chained stations (and antenna diameters):

Blue: (case A) Lisboa (1 m), Milano (1 m), Bucaresti (1 m), Moskva (1 m)

Green: (case B) Tenerife (1m), Lisboa (1m), Milano (1m), Bucaresti (1m), Moskva (1m)

Red: (case C) Lisboa (2.5m), Milano (1m), Bucaresti (1m), Moskva (2.5m)

Cyan: (case D) Tenerife (2.5m), Lisboa (1m), Milano (1m), Bucaresti (1m), Moskva (2.5m)



Chaining GroundstationsHand-over example (case A, C)



Chaining GroundstationsHand-over example (case B, D)



Chaining GroundstationsChaining Groundstationslocation of present ground stations in Europe (range 700 Km)location of present ground stations in Europe (range 700 Km)



Chaining GroundstationsChaining Groundstations



TelebridgeTelebridge GroundstationsGroundstations0° elevation mask - ISS range = 2400Km (only voice link)



TelebridgeTelebridge GroundstationsGroundstations21° elevation mask - ISS range = 1000Km (HAMTV link)



TelebridgeTelebridge Groundstations + ESA/ESACGroundstations + ESA/ESAC+ Warsaw + IZ7RTN (pending application)+ Warsaw + IZ7RTN (pending application)

21° elevation mask - ISS range = 1000Km (HAMTV link)



Ham TV school contacts

Traditional, voice-only, bidirectional, half-duplex school contact

VHF band audio

School

Webcast

HAM Radio station aboard




VHF band audio

School

Webcast

HAM Radio station aboard

NOTE:1) VHF audio down-link acts as a backup for the school and allows ham stations within the ISS visibility footprint to receive ISS voice with a simple hardware. Hams will receive ISS voice during the whole pass.

S band audio & video

NOTE:2) Lip synchronization is guaranteed when the school listen to the “S band voice”3) Any ham station, equipped with a DVB-S receiver similar to the one used in the school and within the ISS visibility circle, can catch the video down-link

approx. 10 minutes audio in VHF bandapprox. 5 minutes video in S band




Internet Network

School

Webcast

HAM TV +Telebridge

Ground station

School Ground station

PhoneTeleconference

HAM TVGround station

approx. 10 minutes audio in VHF bandapprox. 10 minutes video in S band using chained ground stations linked per phone teleconference and per

video teleconference (webcast)



Discussion

ariss meeting estec 2014 ham video emanuele d’andria - iØele

Documents

materaariss meeting

esa estec commissioningtle

vlbi antenna

matera commissioning

matera center

matera tle

antenna cables

performance of ariss