HD-TC8 from HORIZON New Feature-Packed Signal Analyzer Specially Designed for the New Ka-Band Internet-Via-Satellite Services
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TEST REPORT Ka-Band Satellite Signal Analyzer HD-TC8 from HORIZON New feature-packed signal analyzer specially designed for the new Ka-band Internet-via-Satellite services While it is possible with a little effort to find Ku-band satellites using a normal satellite receiver and using it to adjust the antenna, this method has its limits when dealing with Internet- via-Satellite services in the Ka-band. Even if you were to use a Ka-band LNB you would not be successfull: an Internet-via- Satellite service such as Tooway, available from the HOTBIRD 6 satellite, uses a different transmission mode. Enter the new Horizon meter HD-TC8 which has the ability to directly lock on to those Turbo Coded services. 10-11/2009 Horizon HD-TC8 Ideal multirange signal analyzer for the Ka and Ku-bands, optimized for Turbo Coded Data Transmissions 20 TELE-satellite — Broadband & Fiber-Optic — 10-11/2009 — www.TELE-satellite.com ■Ka-band specialist Ron Eberson adjusting the Tooway dish using the HORIZON HD-TC8. Have no fear; the Tooway dish is standing properly. Polarization is set manually on Tooway systems. The LNB has a fixed position within the antenna assembly which requires the whole antenna to be rotated for correct polarization adjustment. The Tooway hardware is supplied with the correct feed (Tria) assembly for the required receive and transmit paths. TELE-satellite World www.TELE-satellite.com/... Download this report in other languages from the Internet: www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/ara/horizon.pdf العربية Arabic Indonesian Indonesia www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/bid/horizon.pdf Bulgarian Български www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/bul/horizon.pdf Czech Česky www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/ces/horizon.pdf German Deutsch www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/deu/horizon.pdf English English www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/eng/horizon.pdf Spanish Español www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/esp/horizon.pdf www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/far/horizon.pdf فارسي Farsi French Français www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/fra/horizon.pdf www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/heb/horizon.pdf עברית Hebrew Greek Ελληνικά www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/hel/horizon.pdf Croatian Hrvatski www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/hrv/horizon.pdf Italian Italiano www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/ita/horizon.pdf Hungarian Magyar www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/mag/horizon.pdf Mandarin 中文 www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/man/horizon.pdf Dutch Nederlands www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/ned/horizon.pdf Polish Polski www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/pol/horizon.pdf Portuguese Português www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/por/horizon.pdf Romanian Românesc www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/rom/horizon.pdf Russian Русский www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/rus/horizon.pdf Swedish Svenska www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/sve/horizon.pdf Turkish Türkçe www.TELE-satellite.com/TELE-satellite-0911/tur/horizon.pdf Available online starting from 2 October 2009 22 TELE-satellite — Broadband & Fiber-Optic — 10-11/2009 — www.TELE-satellite.com www.TELE-satellite.com — 10-11/2009 — TELE-satellite — Broadband & Fiber-Optic 23 ■Everything’s fine! The HD-TC8 shows that the Tooway transponder ■Much better! After fine tuning the signal level rises to 6.3 dB. is being received and that the system is properly aligned. This is where the HD-TC8 proves itself: the fast response time of Fine-tuning can now begin; with a signal level of 5.5 dB, reception is the analyzer permits finding the optimum antenna position. just barely over the threshold - in other words, there’s very Only in this way can the best possible reception be little reserve. realized. ■Are the horizontal transponders really not receivable? Since the LNB can only receive horizontally polarized signals, the entire antenna assembly must be rotated 90°. Now with the antenna positioned properly we used the HD-TC8 to try and find one of the two horizontal transponders. But, no luck, Amsterdam is simply not in range of the horizontal beams. These beams are for France and Italy and are too far away for Amsterdam and thus too weak. ■ The transmitter power line is not connected, because here the satellite modem is used to provide the 30 Volts required to power the Tooway assembly. Below the HD-TC8 is suppling the 30 Volts directly to Tooway ODU which makes installations easier as there is no need to run cables before fitting the antenna. ■HD-TC8’s highlight is the spectrum analyzer: within 1-2 seconds ■Different spectrum spans can be selected from within the it shows the full spectrum, depending on chosen bandwidth. In our spectrum display mode. 1200, 960, 480, 240 and 120 MHz steps picture the signal on 19,630 GHz is clearly seen. are available. 24 TELE-satellite — Broadband & Fiber-Optic — 10-11/2009 — www.TELE-satellite.com This is where specialty sat- ellite signal analyzer maker HORIZON’s new model HD- TC8 comes in. The Tooway LNB/Amplifier assembly requires 30 Volts to operate correctly and the HD-TC8 sat- ellite meter’s onboard power supply can provide this power directly without the need for connection to the satellite modem, making installation much easier. Actually, HORI- ZON’s HD-TC8 is a satellite meter which can lock directly on to the turbo coded Tooway receive path carrier. ■Ka-band uplink footprint for the Tooway system on HOTBIRD at 13° east. ■Ka-band downlink footprint Tooway systems need to be installed within one of these four footprints in for the Tooway system on that satellite and transponder order to be able to uplink to the HOTBIRD satellite. HOTBIRD at 13° east. Internet-via-Satellite ser- data can be edited. The latest vices primarily use the Ka- satellite and transponder the Internet Service Provider, about 1 dB over the recep- exists while the narrower band frequency range from data can be downloaded from after which the Internet-via- tion threshold. Turning the settings will identify exactly 18.2 to 20.05 GHz. This range HORIZON’s web site www. satellite service is autho- antenna revealed that at 5 dB where the transmission can provides plenty of bandwidth. horizonghe.com. This data rized by the provider (in this reception was no longer pos- be found. Unfortunately rain tends to would of course include addi- instance Tooway) and the end sible. We were only able to interfere more at this higher tional Internet-via-Satellite user then has access to Inter- adjust the antenna to a maxi- The four control buttons frequency range. For this services that work using other net and Email services. mum of 6.3 dB. The HD-TC8 on the HORIZON HD-TC8 reason, these types of ser- transponder frequencies. vices are typically installed is able to indicate what the provide logical and simple reception reserve is. menu access. To determine in temperate climate zones In our case it is the vertically Conclusion such as in North America (e.g. polarized 19.630 GHz tran- the upper and lower Ka-band limits of the HORIZON, a For a satellite installer look- Wildblue) or in Europe (e.g. sponder. This entry is made We were also impressed simple push of a button is all ing to upgrade to equipment Tooway). in the HD-TC8 as the local by the long life of the built- that’s necessary to find out that won’t become obsolete oscillator frequency (LOF) in rechargeable battery: we that the lower limit is 18.850 too quickly, the HD-TC8 from The HD-TC8 test sample which for us is 1378. The were able to operate the HD- GHz with 20.050 GHz being HORIZON would be a good that TELE- satellite received remaining three frequencies TC8 for six hours straight and the upper limit. It’s a beautiful choice since Ka-band Inter- was set up for Tooway. While are 1471, 1178 and 1271; pre- it never showed any signs of thing: finally transmissions in net-via-Satellite services are the downlink portion of the programmed by HORIZON for fatigue. the Ka-band can be found - all becoming increasingly popu- Tooway system covers all the alignment of Tooway sys- in just a few minutes. lar. of Europe, the uplink side is tems in other locations. The Once the primary job of limited to four very narrow four footprints overlap each aligning the Tooway system’s antenna was taken care of, But what about the stan- To be able to properly set up beams. Each uplink beam has other only in a few locations; we wanted to know what else dard Ku-band? Can the HD- a receive/transmit system, a its own transponder, two with in most cases only one tran- we could find under the HD- TC8 handle that? But of proper signal analyzer is nec- vertical polarization and two sponder can be activated. with horizontal polarization. TC8’s hood. First we wanted course! The HD-TC8 is really essary. The HD-TC8 lets you an upgrade of HORIZON’s suc- do both: you can use it to align Everyday Use to know if it could receive all The HD-TC8 acquires a lock of the Ka-band frequencies cessful HDSM USB Plus model. a normal Ku-band system and Once the proper transpon- on the downlink beam avail- and how does that work? It even looks the same. Just at the same time perfectly der has been entered into the able in your region.