Hear No RF Evil – See No RF Evil

Given the amazing success of this year’s World Moon Bounce Day, we are about to announce the date for the 2010 event and wish to not step on any toes regarding other events scheduling. We are looking to precede the Apollo 13 mission and thus a date in late March or early April. We have our eyes on one particular weekend that gives us the best opportunity for the coverage that we are after, but now is the time to raise your hand to let us know of any conflicts.

Although this was a totally amateur radio event in 2009, we are looking at commercial operators who maybe willing to work with us to do commercial tweets via the moon this year. We are even looking at bouncing a TV signal off the moon.

Please get back to me. Feel free to circulate this message to other boards.

Here are a couple of videos from the 2009 event to get you appetite going:

University of Tasmania 26m dish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHGXp4Afr4g

Swiss TV report: http://www.youtube.com/v/BUVoiEJd86s

Did you know that the Uni or Tasmania (Australia) and Dwingeloo (Neterlands) dishes did EME on 3mWatts of power during the event

Regards, Robert Brand
Global Events Manager for Echoes of Apollo

robert.brand@echoesofapollo.com
Many of our blog readers are amateur radio operators. This post was repeated from the Linked In Satellite Group for your information and feedback to the author. For the latest Satellite TV test equipment, check out http://www.lbagroup.com/technology/testcablesat.php  – LB, K4JRZ

LBA Technology now offer fully authorized factory calibration for the Tomco TE-1000 RF Impedance Analyzer in Greenville, NC (USA). For more information, please contact Marcian Bouchard at mbouchard@lbagroup.com

If you haven’t discovered Linked In yet, click on over to it and sign up! You’ll find serious members from radio, TV, CATV, satellite and a host of connected industries. You are almost certain to find some of your colleagues already there and ready to network with you. This is way better than Facebook and “consumer” networking sites. You’ll find thousands of professional interest groups – SBE, SCTE, iNARTE and more. LBA sponsors Schomandl – Kathrein Test Users Group,  Radio-TV Broadcasting Transmission, and RF Environment Safety (RFES) groups. Get your Linked In membership (it’s totally free) and join our groups.

At the production test facilities of a major circuit fabricator, it was dance time – all the time!

This company fabricated garage door openers by the thousands, and put them through their paces on a neat row of test positions. The problem was, one tester would open his “door”, and his neighbor’s “door” would go down! A fun time, but terrible for production rates.

The problem was that the production test fixtures were hot with RF from the door opener transmitters on a common frequency, so were interacting with each other.

The frustrated quality control chief presented the problem to LBA Technology EMC engineers who were able to design a custom EMFaraCage™ that fit the existing test fixtures. Using an internal antenna probe, testing showed complete isolation of the test positions.

After LBA provided custom EMFaraCages™ for all the test fixtures, the dance of the garage door openers came to a stop!

EMFaraCages™ have solved problems of RF interference in some of the most unlikely places from lab animal cages to nuclear enrichment facilities to cell phone testers. LBA is anxious to tackle your RF shielding or isolation problem.

The MSK-200 TV Signal Analyzer combines the best of everything in measurement capabilities.  With the demands of the broadcast industry and new beginnings and unknowns with the DTV conversion, the MSK-200 is equipped to handle challenges today and tomorrow.  The MSK-200 comes out of the box with the ability to demodulate all DVB signals whether terrestrial, cable or satellite.  It analyzes both analog and digital signals and demodulates every standard.

I might add that the MSK-200 is a product of the renowned German technology firm Kathrein Werke, and is widely adopted in much of the world. LBA Technology is now exclusively bringing this Kathrein Schomandl excellence to DTV users in the Western Hemisphere.

Today, broadcasters demand functionality in a piece of test equipment across the board whether making spectrum, constellation, or transport stream analyses.  Traditionally, separate pieces of equipment were required to generate the desired results for each measurement type which is cumbersome, expensive and required professional operation driving up overhead costs on personnel and equipment.  Not anymore.  The MSK-200 is a full spectrum analyzer, constellation analyzer, transport stream monitor, picture quality analyzer, MER/BER analyzer, memory oscilloscope and desktop PC all in one at an affordable price.   Compared to its arch nemeses FSH3-TV and the ETL-TV by Rhode and Schwarz, the MSK-200 is ready to go out of the box, without the need of extra options to achieve needed measurements.  The FSH3-TV and ETL-TV would have to add on several expensive options to match the functionality of the MSK, and they cost more.  The MSK-200 comes included with a hard case which will run you about $1000.00 with Rhode and Schwarz.  Also the Rhode and Schwarz units do not have a full desktop computer with browser for office tasks.

For example, the FSH3-TV comes standard with DVB-T analysis.  If you need DVB-C, ATSC, 8VSB, you need to add an option.  If you need a preamp, you need another option, if you need QAM analysis, add an option.  Get my drift.  These are challenging times for broadcasters and now even more during this economic downtime, why limit their use and require costly additions.  Peace of mind can come in knowing everything is included in one and you are ready to go, and the MSK will not leave you wishing you had added that extra input or measurement option.

Another very unique feature of the MSK-200 the Rhode and Schwarz units do not have, is the DisEqC control of multiple antennas and LNB’s.   With 22KHz, Tone Burst, DiSEqC 2.0, and UFO Micro, the MSK-200 is separated in its own class.  The DiSEqC 2.0 allows for switching between 4 satellite sources and bi-directional communications.
The MSK-200 also has a 10.4” TFT Color Infrared touch screen and user friendly operation anyone can use right out of the box that will accommodate both left and right handed users.  In addition, in case users get stuck, a unique “HELP” function guides users easily.  It uses actual images of each button and a browser type layout with step by step instructions to give both verbiage and a visual representation shortening the learning curve and making it seem like surfing the web.  The neat thing about the “HELP” feature is that regardless what you are doing with the MSK, the “HELP” feature will display results for whatever operation the unit is conducting at that time which always determines the “stuck” point, or simply find what you want assistance with by scrolling through like your internet browser.  Ultimately, the MSK-200 will reduce overall equipment costs and precious personnel costs.

The MSK-200 also totes a Real Time Color Constellation Analyzer up to 400 mbps where the FSH-3TV is only at about 200.  The difference is the ability to spot every carrier, with color representation, where some may otherwise be missed.

While there are similarities with the MSK and Rhode units, there are differences as well.  It is these differences that set the MSK apart.

In addition to measurement option differences, the MSK-200 comes complete with every connection available.  It has 2 USB ports, Ethernet, PCMCIA, RF input, ASI in out (2BNC), Transport Current parallel ( 2 SUB-D ), PS2 input, RS-232 Mini Din 9-pin.

Use the PCMCIA slot to add your choice of WiFi, WiMAX, or cellular wireless data connectivity. With the on board browser, your MSK-200 integrates with your web or intranet based technical files anywhere, and troubleshooting collaboration with your other technical resources across the company or the world is instantaneous!

I’m Paulo Fernandes, your MSK-200 contact at LBA Technology Test Equipment Group. I would love to carry this conversation onward to your application! Please email me, or call me at 252-757-0279.

LBA now offers users the convenience of USB and Ethernet access to systems under test in its popular EMFaracage® electromagnetic shielded chambers. Fiber optic signal isolation requires no compromise to the faraday cage isolation, or to the data stream.

The picture shows an FC-10 lab top RF shielded chamber equipped with a wide bandwidth fiber appliance. Note the tubular waveguide which permits the egress of multiple fiberglass cables without isolation impact to above 6 GHz. A high isolation filtered AC power utility is also provided for operation of the internal fiber components, as well as to power the device under test and associated RF test equipment. The unit shown is convection cooled, but forced air cooling is an option, as is a glass viewport.

To learn more about LBA EMFaracages® and other RF electromagnetic shielding systems contact Paulo Fernandes at 252-757-0279 or via email.

In a breakthrough action, the Federal Communications Commission today authorized digital television stations to use DTS technology. Read more here.

The Schomandl/Kathrein MSK-200 Digital Transport Stream Analyzer has been generating lots of interest in the HDTV community. But there is another exciting capability of the MSK-200 – it also handles satellite applications!

The MSK-200 is an Analog and Digital analyzer covering 5 MHZ – 3GHz making satellite applications simple without compromising measurement capabilities.  The MSK-200 has a refresh rate of 5 sweeps per second and LNB Multimeter making dish alignment a breeze.   Also the MSK-200 features DiSEqC switching technology to handle multiple LNB’s.  The MSK provides functions such as signal to noise and Hum measurements, data logging and networking with its built in computer with browser, low resolution bandwidths for monitoring small carriers, channel selection in frequency entry, channel entry, and user lists, MER and much more.  The MSK-200 is a versatile device due to its size making portability possible even in the brightest conditions, allowing for remote control, and being loaded with bench-top measurement features.

As Account Executive for LBA’s Test Equipment Group, I’ll be glad to discuss your satellite system test needs. Just contact me, Paulo Fernandes, at email link or 252-757-0279.

Exciting things are happening for LBA Technology test equipment solutions customers!

German RF equipment manufacturer Kathrein and subsidiary Schomandl will exclusively distribute its radio frequency test equipment, including devices for digital TV, radio, wireless, CATV, satellite and laboratory use, through the RF systems expertise of LBA Technology, throughout the western hemisphere.

Read more here!

Radio frequency test equipment now offered by LBA includes instruments for digital TV, radio, wireless, CATV, satellite and laboratory use. The supply of this equipment in the Americas through LBA is fully supported by the entire Kathrein – Schomandl team!

Read more here!