ETL Systems has launched Genus Digital that is able to fully or partially digitize satellite ground segment analog signals.
The new technology will enable customers to improve operational flexibility, resilience and redundancy by making it possible to sample analog signals then transport them as IP packets for reconstruction at another location. This is a key requirement for interfacing to a virtual environment as the virtualization movement within the ground segment gains pace.
At launch, Genus Digital is able to digitize 4 channels of 500MHz bandwidth (providing a total 2GHz of instantaneous bandwidth). These 4 channels form the core of the Genus Digital modular product.
One of the many benefits of Digital IF is the flexibility the technology will allow, enabling the physical decoupling of antennas from modems. Being able to geographically separate system elements — with no impact on signal quality — enables ‘behind the wire’ encryption, reducing the risk of exposure, a key requirement for defence organizations.
Working as part of the Digital Intermediate Frequency Interoperability (DIFI) Consortium, ETL Systems has ensured that the technology aligns with an open, interoperable Digital IF/RF standard.
Genus Digital can work alongside existing analogue ground station infrastructure, enabling operators to gradually move to Digital IF, or to use it for selected signals alongside traditional analogue signal processing. Sold as an individual component rather than a turnkey solution, it facilitates easier re-routing of signals via IP addressing, as well as removing the need for specific fiber types required for RF over Fiber (RFoF).
Simon Swift, Engineering Director – Digital Technologies at ETL Systems, and Vice Chair of the DIFI working group, said, “As the virtualization of the ground station continues at pace, Genus Digital will provide operators with the flexibility to deploy new waveforms and, in conjunction with the implementation of virtual instruments, to monitor any signal from anywhere. As the product evolves, it will grow in capability, scope and scale. There’s going to be more channels so that we’ll be able to add greater bandwidth capability into a single unit of our product – for example, running multiple quad band antennas through a single modular box.”
