Hiltron Begins Transatlantic Satellite Link

Hiltron has begun a satellite link that will be used to carry broadcast television content from South America, to viewers in Europe. The system, which will be located in one of the Baltic states, should be live by the end of June, ahead of the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The new system includes a 3.6 metre diameter satellite dish on a Hiltron HMAM motorised antenna mount. HMAM is a high-precision motorised satellite antenna mount designed for two-way VSAT communication or receive-only downlink applications. The combined head and drives form a three-axis motorised mount with 180 degrees of azimuth adjustment, 90 degrees of elevation adjustment range and fully adjustable polarisation.

Client-supplied solid state power amplifiers and upconverters will be integrated with a Hiltron HACU antenna control unit. This, as well as its associated motor-control electronics are contained in a weatherproof outdoor housing. The HACU can be operated from a PC running a graphic user interface compatible with standard web browsers. The control GUI displays all the information required to set and maintain azimuth, elevation and polarisation, including current and target positions plus a database of potential accessible satellites.

Also key to the system will be a Hiltron HDCU-E combined ice-sensing and dish heating controller. The HDCU-E's modular control design permits easy configuration of parameters such as antenna size, number of heater pads and the power requirement of each pad. Snow detection is via a reflective sensor with a polarising filter. Each heater circuit is individually supervised and controlled via user-adjustable minimum and maximum thresholds. Sequential switch-on is performed within the controller to prevent rapid changes in current load when the antenna heating process is activated or deactivated. Sequence timing is user-configurable.

Jan Molter, Managind Director, Hiltron, said: "The new link will be a complete turnkey solution with five active channels and is designed to operate as a complete backup system which can be switched into action if the primary feed fails. We have completed the initial planning in partnership with one of the world's largest satellite fleet operators. A site survey will be conducted in the third week of February. Assembly will then take place at our headquarters in Backnang prior to factory acceptance tests, followed in turn by on-site integration, commissioning and acceptance."

Image: A Hiltron HMAM motorised satellite antenna mount.

www.hiltron.de

(JP/MH)