In Broadcast - May 2020 - 19

19

www.inbroadcast.com | Vol: 10 - Issue 5 | May 2020

InSAT

ETL Expands Falcon Block Up
and Downconverter Range
E

TL Systems has announced
the addition of new frequency
converter modules and extension of
conversion frequencies covered by its
Falcon range.
The introduction of modules
covering K, C, 7.25 to 8.4GHz, L and
IF-band conversions has expanded
upon ETL's existing very high
frequencies (VHF) Ka and Ku band
conversion offering.
Why use an up or downconverter?
Adding to the developing collection of
RF distribution products available from
ETL, the Frequency Converter takes a
raw frequency down from the satellite
and converts them to be handled
by the modem and distributed to
customers. The Falcon is also able to
convert signals to Ka, Ku, and C-band
on the uplink for transmission feeds.
What types of converters are
available? The super compact
Falcon is housed in a 1U chassis
with capacity for up to five agile or
block, hot-swappable upconverter

ETL Falcon Series

or downconverter modules, for high
reliability applications.
What redundancy options are
available with the upconverter and
downconverters? With over 30 years'
experience in the satellite industry,
ETL's RF engineering expertise has
also delivered integrated redundancy
options. Redundancy configurations
include dual 1:1 redundancy in a
single chassis, or 2:1 redundancy,
with the use of replaceable hot-swap
switch modules. Providing seamless
transmission and eliminates the need
for a second conversion chassis.
Designed with customer flexibility
in mind, the Falcon can handle both
up and down conversion in the same

chassis. Reducing both rack space and
power required.
What benefits do the Falcon
Frequency converter range offer?
ETL's new smart frequency converter
chassis and modules are produced for
optimum cost and RF performance.
By allowing the user to replace all the
major components, including field
replaceable and serviceable PSU and
CPU. ETL has presented teleports
and earth stations with a resilient,
maximum
reliability
in-service
converter. The user-friendly chassis
removes the need to return the unit
for servicing, providing the customer
with management of downtime and

cost-savings.
Andrew Bond, Sales & Marketing
Director, ETL Systems, commented:
"Frequency converters are
an important and necessary
part of the RF distribution
chain. With the Falcon, we
took a fresh new look at what
our customers needed. The result
is converters with fully integrated
redundancy options and a modular
design allowing all active components
to be user-replaced, helping to keep
transmissions running and minimise
downtime."
With a 7-year frequency converter
heritage, the new Falcon RF frequency
converter solution has been designed
in a compact 1U Genus chassis which
can house up to five hot-swappable
frequency converter modules and 1+1
or 2+1 redundancy configurations.
The system can be easily expanded
with additional modules which can
be plugged into the rear panel of the
chassis.
ETL Systems is also able to customise
its RF products to meet unique
requirements.

Hiltron Completes Integrated TVRO
Platform Control System for Nilesat
H

iltron
Communications
has
completed a custom-designed
turnkey TVRO satellite platform for
Nilesat, one of the largest Middle East
telecommunication networks.
The new installation is a fully
L-band-over-fibre integrated downlink
which covers all mediator satellites
in the range from 30° west to 100°
east, operating in C and Ku bands
simultaneously.
"Located at our ground station in
Giza, the new downlink gives us the
reliability and flexibility we needed
for backing up our existing fixed
TVRO antennas," says Nilesat Head
of Ground Segment Engineer Osama Hiltron antenna farm & MCR racks for Nilesat
Tantawy. "Incoming signals from onsite installation, commissioning and
all antennas on the new platform, training. The project was completed
32 feeds in total, are connected to successfully and on time thanks to the
the master control room via fibre- experience and teamwork of everyone
optic links. Hiltron has produced involved."
and integrated a complete solution
"We are very pleased to have been
including its HMCS monitoring and chosen to work with Nilesat on this
control software. The company worked project," adds Hiltron Managing
closely with us from initial design right Director Antonio Monteverde. "The
through to factory acceptance test, infrastructure we have provided

includes a 3.7 metre motorised
antenna with a Hiltron HMAM
motorised mount and Hiltron HACU
antenna control unit, RF-over-fibre
links from RF Design, plus an LNB
power supply and L band switch from
ETL."
Hiltron's HMCS monitoring and
control application is designed to
control all relevant satellite equipment
in a master control room. It allows
operators to control equipment from
multiple vendors within a unified
graphic display. HMCS also provides an
SNMP interface to a high-level system.
Advanced alarm message handling
is included plus the ability to select
stored profiles, transponders and slots
from a database.
Hiltron's HMAM is a motorised
satellite antenna mount designed for
two-way satellite communication or
receive-only downlink applications.
It can be used in a wide range
of roles including broadcast and
telecommunication downlinks.
An optional motorised feed changer

Hiltron HMAM
motorised antenna at
Nilesat ground station in Giza

allows the head to be moved quickly to
a new position for switching between
frequency bands.
HMAM comes complete with
professional-grade drives for azimuth
and elevation plus a high-precision
polarisation drive.
The combined head and drive form
a three-axis motorised mount with
more than 270 degrees of azimuth
adjustment, 90 degrees of elevation
adjustment range and fully adjustable
polarisation.
Nilesat was established in 1996 to
operate Egyptian satellites, associated
ground control stations and uplink
facilities.
It broadcasts over 700 TV channels
and over 140 digital radio channels
uplinked from Cairo, Dubai, Amman,
Doha, Riyadh or Beirut, covering North
Africa, Middle East and the Gulf.
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