Testing SNG and outside broadcast equipment off-satellite

The base control unit is a convenient, portable bench instrument with the capability of both local and remote, ethernet control and this is connected to a wall or mast mounted weatherproofed transponder via a power and data cable.

The transponder communicates with the SNG system under test (SUT) via appropriately polarised gain horns, receiving at the SUT transmit (Tx) frequency and transmitting at the SUT receive (Rx) frequency, thereby completing the loop-back without satellite involvement.

The local oscillator in the transponder is synthesised over its 1.75-3.3GHz range by either front panel controls on the base unit or via ethernet with a GUI and input signal level is similarly controlled over a 60dB range in 0.5dB steps thus accommodating varying range distances from the SUT as well as a variety of Tx power levels.

In addition to the transmission of the Rx frequency direct to the SUT antenna, a sample of this is fed back via coaxial low loss cable to the base unit and is then made available at the front panel for connection to a spectrum analyser or other test equipment.

At today’s product launch at Satellite 2017 in Washington DC, AtlanTecRF’s C.E.O., Geoff Burling, said “We at AtlanTecRF are incredibly proud of this new satellite simulation system as it provides a very convenient and cost effective alternative to on-satellite alignment and set up of vehicle-bourne SNG systems and avoids the time-consuming and risky process of testing live on the satellite. Speed and certainty of operation are scarcely as critical as in delivering breaking news to TV audiences and news gathering system reliability is paramount. The AtlanTecRF SNG range of simulators provides the test solution that the news gathering industry has long been waiting for”.