Satnews Daily
February 23rd, 2015

RF Ramp Up For U.S. Government Agency By ETL Systems


[SatNews] A large U.S. Government Agency has selected ETL Systems, a global designer and manufacturer of RF signal distribution equipment for satellite communications, to provide RF equipment.

In this case, the customer required a 256 x 128 matrix system—two Vulcan matrices were used in conjunction with combiners to design the overall system which will be operated in Australia. ETL's Alto amplifier platform will also be used to provide signal management flexibility within the system. Both technologies were selected due to their compact design and performance attributes.
 
There are currently 30 Vulcan matrices in service around the world, providing 128 inputs x 128 outputs distributive routing in a single 16U chassis, with dual redundant power supplies and hot-swappable RF components. The Vulcan features remote control and monitoring facilities that give the user the ability to set alarms if any levels drop below pre-determined thresholds. It can be expanded whilst in service, either by inserting more input/output cards or by using extra matrix modules for larger systems.
 
The Alto product line is an amplifier system that provides resilience whilst providing compensation for cable and other system losses. A variety of amplifier modules are available which can be configured in a variety of chassis ranging from 1U to 3U, and with redundant configurations. Hot swap amplifier modules and hot-swap dual redundant power supplies offer resilience in service.