[SatNews] GVF has launched online training courses that are designed to fully prepare students to complete the EUI Basic Technical Operator (BTO) certification exam.
The BTO certifies operators of manually-controlled uplinks, such as SNG truck/van operators and teleport uplink operators, in the skills and knowledge that are important for interference prevention. GVF has already implemented the EUI certification exams as online knowledge assessments and interactive simulator-based skills tests. Now the full suite of interactive online training courses for BTO exam preparation is available in the GVF catalog of VSAT, marine, and other satcom training and certifications.
The preparation courses include the online, interactive, self-paced courses GVF 530 (Core skills for Mobile Satellite Terminal Operators), GVF 531 (Access Procedure Skills), and GVF 532 (Core Uplinking Skills). The courses cover all learning objectives required for the BTO certification exam. Those requirements include uplink site selection, accurate antenna pointing, using a spectrum analyzer to identify the correct satellite, cross-pol alignment, and bringing up carriers with a Satellite Access Center, all in accordance with the General Access Procedure and ITU-R S.2049.
A fully-functional spectrum analyzer, connected to a typical antenna pointing controller and RF uplink equipment and simulating the full satellite arc of signals, is used for instruction and testing. Students practice and demonstrate their line-of-sight skills with an interactive 3-D simulator and show their carrier activation and cross-pol alignment skills in a real-time dialog with a simulated Satellite Access Center.
The Radio Frequency Interference-End Users Initiative (EUI, now part of the Satellite Interference Reduction Group) is a voluntary group composed of media companies, equipment manufacturers, industry groups, satellite system operators and satellite service providers from around the world collaborating to identify, mitigate, prevent, and ultimately stop satellite inference. EUI has established the knowledge and skills criteria for a series of equipment operator certifications. These certifications, which are supported by WBU-ISOG, are now available through the GVF learning system as a series of online exams, each containing knowledge tests and interactive simulator-based skills tests.
For complete information on the GVF certification training program and to enroll in these training courses and the EUI exams, please visit http://www.gvf.org/training.