Tag: test bed

Korea institute awards UrsaNav an eLoran test bed contract

The Korea Research Institute of Ships and Oceans Engineering (KRISO) has awarded UrsaNav a contract to supply an eLoran Transmitter Test Bed System in the Republic of Korea.

UrsaNav, the exclusive, worldwide distributor of Nautel’s NL Series transmitters, will provide eLoran transmitter technology, as well as timing and control equipment.

A meeting to kick off the eLoran work. (Photo: UrsaNav)

The contract, awarded through UrsaNav’s agent Dong Kang M-Tech, represents the first phase in a broader program to upgrade Korea’s Loran-C stations to be the foundation of a sovereign Enhanced Loran (eLoran) positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) service.

The Republic of Korea recognizes the challenges associated with relying solely on space-based signals, the relative ease with which those signals can be jammed or spoofed, and the necessity to provide trusted time and position to its citizens and critical national infrastructure, UrsaNav said in a press release.

The press release also included the following description of the importance of eLoran.

Accurate time and position are necessary components upon which many critical infrastructure sectors rely, including maritime, aviation, electrical distribution, telecommunications, finance/banking, and digital broadcast. A complementary PNT (CPNT) service provides continuity of operations through alternative and diverse timing and positioning information. CPNT is a vital element in ensuring national security and assuring Trusted Time and Trusted Position.

eLoran is the latest in the longstanding series of low-frequency (LF), LOng-RAnge Navigation (LORAN) systems. It meets the accuracy, availability, integrity, and continuity performance requirements for maritime harbor entrance and approach maneuvers, aviation En Route and Non-Precision Approaches, land-mobile vehicle navigation, and location-based services. It provides bearing (azimuth) information, even when the user is not moving, and has built-in integrity. Users within the coverage area can simultaneously synchronize their timing to absolute (not relative) UTC. Of equal importance is that the eLoran signal includes one or more Loran Data Channels that are available to provide one-way, low data rate, “Short Message Service” information.

eLoran is completely independent of GPS/GNSS, operates in the internationally protected 90 to 110 kHz spectrum, is built on internationally standardized Loran-C, and provides a high-power PNT service for use by all timing and navigation users. SAE International expects to release eLoran standards this year. The RTCM also has maritime-related eLoran standards underway.

eLoran is a key vertex of a Resilience Triad that would typically include space-based, terrestrial, and at least one other PNT source. It is a very-wide area (i.e., country-wide or “continental”) source of PNT that continues providing a resilient solution even when GNSS may be unavailable or untrustworthy. eLoran delivers information comparable to that of GNSS, but with completely different phenomenology. It is a very high-power, LF, pulsed transmission, whereas GNSS are low-power, UHF, multiple modulation scheme transmissions. eLoran is literally at the other end of the spectrum from GNSS, and has completely dissimilar failure modes. That is, an issue that disrupts GNSS is unlikely to disrupt eLoran. The unique characteristics of eLoran enable its use in environments where GNSS does not work very well, or at all (e.g., indoors, underwater, underground, and in mountain or urban canyons).

eLoran is exceptionally difficult to spoof or jam, and it is nearly impossible to do so at a distance. Just as equipment required to spoof and jam GNSS must mimic relatively low powered GNSS transmissions, spoofing and jamming eLoran requires very high powered transmissions. Equipment needs alone to disrupt eLoran over a significant area would be almost prohibitive for any actor other than a nation state engaged in open conflict. This is the reason that an independent assessment by researchers at Stanford University described eLoran as “for all practical purposes, unjammable” across any significant area. A MITRE paper concluded: “The analysis shows a very low probability of successfully producing operationally significant interference.”

August 28, 2018
New testbed for verifying location technologies

Horizontal indoor accuracy now, elusive z-axis by end of year

At their advent, mobile phones were conceived to be useful for when people were, well, mobile. And in 1996 when the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) first required that a handset’s location be sent to 911 dispatchers and meet accuracy performance standards, the FCC was understandably solely interested in calls made outdoors.

Indoor FCC rules

(rmnoa357 / Shutterstock.com)

In recognizing the pervasive use of mobile phones indoors and gains in location-determining technology, last year the FCC adopted new rules that establish accuracy requirements for indoor 911 calls.

The FCC didn’t stop there and tackled vertical positioning, ordering that within six years, the elusive z-axis, or altitude, be added to requirements and meet accuracy standards in cases when there is no dispatchable location. The z-axis is critical in finding a person in a building of more than one story, whether a high-rise apartment building in Brooklyn or a three-story dormitory at a university.

This spring, a testbed for verifying location technologies began operations. The FCC required that nationwide wireless providers create an independently administered and openly transparent test bed to verify location technologies used in meeting the accuracy requirements. CTIA, the trade association for the U.S. wireless communications industry, established the 9-1-1 Location Technologies Test Bed as an independent company.

Testing is designed and administered by ATIS, an industry standards association. The testbed regions are located in metropolitan Atlanta and San Francisco and cover a wide range of building types and terrain.

Indoor testing will be performed in 20 buildings within each test region, spanning four morphology types (dense-urban, urban, suburban and rural). Test bed administrators will not divulge the technologies being tested.

No Silver Bullet. The FCC acknowledges that there won’t be one silver bullet location technology, one size fits all that will be the best location solution in all situations.

In the order released on Feb. 3, 2015, the FCC writes, “To be sure, no single technological approach will solve the challenge of indoor location, and no solution can be implemented overnight. The requirements we adopt are technically feasible and technologically neutral, so that providers can choose the most effective solutions from a range of options.

“In addition, our requirements allow sufficient time for development of applicable standards, establishment of testing mechanisms, and deployment of new location technology in both handsets and networks… Clear and measurable timelines and benchmarks for all stakeholders are essential to drive the improvements that the public reasonably expects to see in 911 location performance.”

The 9-1-1 Location Technologies Test Bed has begun indoor testing of currently deployed horizontal location technologies, and its results will be used as part of location accuracy compliance reporting to meet FCC benchmarks.

Toward the end of this year, location technology vendors will use the Test Bed to test near-term emerging horizontal and vertical location technologies, such as z-axis, that are not currently deployed by the nationwide wireless carriers.

JANICE PARTYKA is GPS World’s contributing editor for wireless. She is principal at JGP Services and provides strategy and marketing consulting to the mobile industry. She reported on a previous round of tests, the 2013 FCC-chartered Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council (CSRIC) trials of NextNav, Qualcomm and Polaris technologies. See gpsworld.com/indoor-trial-results-next-fcc-chief/.

July 11, 2016
Demonstration tests positioning in the far north

News from the European Space Agency

A sea-based test is demonstrating the potential of extending satnav augmentation coverage into north polar regions, offering a safety-of-life standard of navigation performance to users including shipping or aircraft in flight.

Norwegian research vessel Gunnerus, owned by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, is equipped to pick up satnav signals from GPS and GLONASS as well as augmentation signals specially generated for the test, modeled on Europe’s existing European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS).

Norwegian research vessel Gunnerus, owned by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. (Photo: ESA)

Gunnerus is making use of the signals during five days of sailing off Trondheim. The demonstration is part of the Arctic Test Bed project, conducted within the European Global Navigations Satellite System Evolutions Programme (EGEP) of ESA.

The ESA-designed EGNOS improves the precision of US GPS signals over most European territory, while also providing continuous and reliable updates on their integrity.

A 40-strong network of ground monitoring stations perform an independent measurement of GPS signals, so that corrections can be calculated and then passed to users immediately via a trio of geostationary satellites. The result is a several-fold increase in precision.

“Simply due to Earth’s curvature, EGNOS signals are not visible above about 70 degrees north, but they are needed to support polar routing,” explains Marco Porretta, overseeing the Arctic Test Bed project.

To investigate possible methods for improving Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) performance in this Arctic region, the test campaign will assess the benefits of augmentation for various types of satnav signals: single-frequency GPS; dual-frequency GPS; and dual-constellation dual-frequency, where GPS signals are combined with those of its Russian counterpart, thus increasing the number of observations.

“The planned next-decade upgrade of EGNOS, along with other augmentation systems operated over other continents (such as the U.S. equivalent Wide Area Augmentation System, WAAS), will perform multi-constellation augmentation as standard,” adds Marco. “That means data from this test case should be especially valuable to support interoperability between future augmentation systems.”

The Arctic Test Bed makes use of some EGNOS reference stations along the north of Europe, along with additional stations in locations including Greenland, Jan Mayen Island, Spitsbergen and Norway.

Model of the well-known Oct. 30, 2003, Halloween solar storm produced by the MIDAS tomographic ionospheric model from the University of Bath. (Image; ESA)

Marco explains, “These stations will allow specific monitoring of the ionosphere — the electrically active segment of Earth’s atmosphere — in the Arctic region. The ionosphere is significant because it is an important source of satnav signal delay, or in some cases can cause receivers to lose signal lock due to ionospheric scintillations.”

With geostationary satellites out of sight, navigation corrections for the Arctic Test Bed will be transmitted via terrestrial radio. In future, an operational version of the system could either stick with this solution or rely on other satellite-based means of dissemination from non-geostationary orbit.

The all-important generation of the augmentation correction message will take place at a processing center in Hønefoss, Norway, using adapted EGNOS algorithms.

An operational version of the Arctic Test Bed could potentially extend augmentation coverage to as high as 85 degrees north, as high as Greenland, extending to the edge of WAAS coverage.

The Arctic Test Bed project was initiated by ESA, with Kongsberg Seatex serving as prime contractor, GMV Aerospace and Defence, Thales Alenia Space France, Logica, Terma, the Norwegian Mapping Authority, Technical University of Denmark, Septentrio and the University of Calgary.

June 23, 2016
Expert Advice: Common Standards for GPS Workflows
Mike Botts

By Mike Botts, Botts Innovative Research, Inc.

In the mass market, individuals around the world are creating vast quantities of location data and GPS traces using not only GPS, but also Russia’s GLONASS, Europe’s Galileo, China’s Compass, and India’s Regional Navigational Satellite System. The value of this data and the value chains that produce it will increase significantly with an increase in interoperability of these satnav systems. Currently, non-interoperability represents a serious obstacle to the growth of the GPS market.

The overall system-of-system’s diversity of data formats, data models, processing models and associated custom- built one-to-one communication interfaces significantly inhibits introduction of new subsystems and also new GPS-dependent systems that would support development of future classes of stakeholders. “Many-to-many” networks based on open standards can create interoperability as well as opportunities for the introduction of new technologies, value-added data products, and new users.

To address this problem, sponsors of the 2012 Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) OWS-9 Interoperability Testbed, including the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), documented a set of use cases and associated interoperability requirements, selected strategically to address problems whose solutions would be applicable in a wide variety of GPS value chains.

Technology providers participating in the testbed then implemented standards-based solutions that addressed the requirements. These were documented in a draft Engineering Report, “Use of SWE Common and SensorML for GPS Messaging.” The document focuses on the use of the OGC Sensor Web Enablement (SWE) Common Data 2.0 encodings to support an interoperable messaging description and encoding for the next-generation GPS message streams into and out of processing services that provide improved GPS navigation accuracy.

Standards. The OGC Sensor Web Enablement (SWE) suite of standards specifies models and XML encodings that provide a framework within which the geometric, dynamic, and observational characteristics of all types of sensors and sensor systems can be defined.

Furthermore, through standard web-service interfaces, one can task sensor and actuator systems and have immediate access to observations and alerts. SWE standards, now widely implemented around the world, enable developers to make all types of networked sensors, transducers, and sensor data repositories discoverable, accessible, and usable via the Web or other networks. OGC standards are downloadable at no charge, for use by anyone.

OGC Testbed

The OGC OWS-9 testbed’s OWS Innovations thread included a hands-on prototyping activity that addressed a particular set of interoperability requirements related to GPS accuracy.

GPS relies on accurate knowledge regarding the position, measured time, and state of the satellites, provided to GPS devices and processing centers in the form of satellite ephemeris data and status reports. The accuracy of the system relies on communication between the satellites themselves, the data collection systems, the data processing centers, and the GPS devices that ultimately determine their own location. This communication is through various data streams that consist of predefined message structures and encodings.

The accuracy of the positions derived from GPS can be negatively affected by several well-known factors. Improvements to the derived positions within the current operational system can occur (1) through occasional (once a day or once every few hours) updates to the satellites’ clock and ephemeris on-board information, or (2) through post- processing for applications such as geodetic surveying or image processing and georectification. Efforts are underway to provide more timely updates to satellites or positioning devices to improve the accuracy of positioning in real-time.

The GPS Correction Process

One view of the current system for correcting GPS positioning is provided in Figure 1. A GPS positioning unit (shown as a device with red thumb tack) receives signals from four or more GPS satellites derives its position. In addition, the information being sent by all satellites in the GPS system is also received at various receiving stations, stored as raw navigation data, and used to correct the clock and position information for all of the satellites. The correction process can utilize one or more operational processing systems for correcting satellite clock and ephemeris information. Each of these systems tends to utilize particular data sources and often output their results in different message structures and encodings.

FIGURE 1. Typical flow of data within the GPS correction system.

One such system for correcting the timing and positioning of GPS satellites is Estimation and Prediction of Orbits and Clocks to High Accuracy (EPOCHA). Currently, navigation and timing improvements are only uploaded to the satellites and GPS devices once a day. To improve the EPOCHA system, the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) is researching the logistics and benefits of updating the navigation and timing information at much shorter time frames (for example, every 2–15 minutes).

The corrected satellite clock and state data can then be sent to the satellites, to the processing centers to improve geolocation of real-time or archived positions or remotely sensed observations, and to devices in the field to improve real-time position measurements.

A processing system in widespread use for applying these corrections to positional measurements is the open-source GPS Toolkit (GPSTk). This software was used in OWS-9 to demonstrate the processing of SWE Common encoded GPS data within a Web-enabled environment.

As shown in Figure 1, the data flowing between archiving and processing components exist in a wide variety of formats. Currently, these message streams consist of message structures defined through various documents, some of which have restricted access. Additionally, these streams and the messages they contain are being encoded in various formats, including, for example, a binary exchange format (BINEX), a system-specific XML schema, an HDF5 file format, several text-based formats, and others.

The message components within each of these formats are inconsistent, even though two messages may describe similar information. Often a processing system is required to read data and output results in multiple formats and to understand the inconsistencies between them.

By forcing different software and processing systems to support multiple message structures and data formats, the current system inhibits the effective use of these data by:
- requiring several format-specific readers and writers to be developed in the appropriate software language (C, C++, Java, Python) as required by each application system;
- providing inconsistent message structures between the data used or produced by different processing systems;
- requiring meticulous and thus error-prone human interpretation of the data components based on the limited documentation provided for each;
- creating lack of interoperability with regard to using data designed for or produced by a different particular processing system; and
- discouraging development of new and innovative software and processing solutions.
The Engineering Report addresses the feasibility of using the OGC SWE Common Data v2.0 standard to support all message and data streams within future generations of the GPS operational network. In particular, the effort focuses on message streams that provide input to and output from the processing systems responsible for providing improved position and time accuracy within the GPS network.

Here are the benefits of the SWE Common Data standard:
- The data can be fully described in a machine- and human- readable XML document providing: data type, units, constraints, semantics, quality, labels, and so on; and an unambiguous definition of both the data structure and encoding of messages/records.
- The data values themselves can be encoded in highly efficient binary or ASCII text blocks or streams.
- A single software application is able to read any data described in SWE Common data.
- Any process can be described in SensorML using SWE Common as inputs, outputs, and parameters.
- Any SensorML-defined process can participate in easily-defined executable workflows.
The Engineering Report describes the formats and how they were encoded, and the Web services created to move data between various GPS processing systems (FIGURE 2).

FIGURE 2. Collection of SWE services providing on-demand access to all GPS-related data in the project.

Conclusions

A common standards framework for all data files and streams within the GPS system would significantly improve interoperability between data centers, processing centers, and user tools.

In addition to a common encoding, common models for equivalent message or data records would also be important for interoperability among data, processing centers, and the tools. Common models and a common data framework enable rapid reconfiguration of workflows using different GPS processing products. Likewise, the availability of a common Web service interface enables one to rapidly and flexibly request specific data products and feed them into an executable workflow.

Here are further benefits:
- SWE Common Data framework is fully self-described and machine readable.
- Common models for all data would support “mix-and-match” capabilities within the processing workflows.
- SWE Web services enable on-demand access to various GPS data products using a common framework.
- SWE Common Data enables use of SensorML for readily defining and executing various workflows on demand.
Future Directions

Further research and development should move closer to a highly interoperable GNSS system that meets the needs of a broader community of users and enables the development of new supporting software by outside communities. Thus the following are recommended:
- Design and reach consensus on consistent data models for all message types in navigation, observation, and state data streams.
- Incorporate SWE Common Data readers/writers in the GPSTk toolkit.
- Create SensorML descriptions for GPSTk apps.
- Demonstrate on-demand design and execution of SensorML-defined workflows for GPS correction.
- Demonstrate on-demand geolocation of UAV, ground-vehicle, and hand- held sensors using SWE services and encodings.
Some of these needs will be addressed in the OWS-10 Testbed that is currently ramping up in the OGC.

MIKE BOTTS is president and CTO of Botts Innovative Research, Inc, specializing in the design and application of open standards for sensor systems. He is the creator and chief architect of Sensor Model Language (SensorML), an OGC technical standard for describing the measurement and processing of observations from virtually any sensor system.
April 2, 2014
Galileo Product Showcase

System Design & Test

Galileo Test Bed

Over the past few years, GATE has become well known for being a top-level Galileo test and development range worldwide. It is operated by IFEN GmbH under contract of the owner DLR (German Aerospace Center). The GATE test bed offers a wide range of possibilities for navigation test scenarios with realistic Galileo signals on three frequencies simultaneously in an outdoor environment. Although the test range is, of course, a ground-based infrastructure in the Berchtesgaden Alps, the certified GATE system is able to transmit the original navigation signals from eight “virtual” Galileo satellites. This also includes the simulation of natural influences such as ionosphere or troposphere delays, the adaptation of other signal characteristics, as well as effects of signal strength. Furthermore, GATE includes the capability to induce dedicated “Feared Events” and alerts for one or several satellites of the simulated Galileo constellations.

IFEN

Machine Control

Machine Receiver

The Leica iCON gps 80 GNSS machine receiver offers features and benefits for system integrators looking for powerful, reliable, and future-proof GNSS machine receivers. It increases the overall performance of the iCON machine control system, allowing users to work more productively. Besides Galileo, signals tracked include GPS, GLONASS, and BeiDou. The iCON gps 80 increases the overall performance of the system, so that the uptime of dozers, excavators, drilling and dredging machines, wheel loaders, graders, and pavers is maximized with fast, reliable 3D positioning and productive operation by a perfectly tuned machine control system.

xRTK allows machine guidance in difficult environments, increasing machine productivity. Leica iCON telematics provides remote access to the machine computer for fast data transfer and support.

Leica Geosysems

Simulation

GNSS Signal Generator

The GSG-51 GNSS signal generator provides a fast and cost-effective solution for production testing for Galileo and other GNSS. It emulates a single GNSS signal and can be upgraded for Galileo, as well as to increase the channel count, add receiver trajectory control, and add advanced features such as SBAS (WAAS, EGNOS,MSAS, or GAGAN), white noise generation, or multipath simulation. Its main application is a simple but very fast manufacturing test, to assure that the assembly is correct, that the antenna is properly connected, and that the receiver can receive and identify a satellite signal, for instance, in mobile phones with integrated GNSS receivers.

With a wide RF level range from –65 to –160 dBm, the sensitivity of all types of GNSS receivers can be verified with a minimum of delay. The 60-dB of extra power from normal test scenarios allows for splitting the signal many times.

Spectracom

Space Weather Monitoring

Multi-Constellation Receiver

The PolaRxS is a multi-frequency, multi-constellation receiver dedicated to ionospheric monitoring and space weather applications. It features simultaneous high-quality tracking of all visible signals (L1, L2, L5, E5ab/AltBOC GPS/GLONASS/Galileo/Beidou/SBAS) at low noise levels. The receiver outputs an extensive set of GNSS measurements, including signal phase and intensity at up to 100 Hz, with a phase noise standard deviation (phi60) as low as 0.03 rad.

The A Posteriori Multipath Estimator (APME+) tackles short-delay multipath to enhance the measurement quality, while LOCK+ tracking guarantees robust tracking of rapid signal dynamics during scintillation events. Included tools provide continuous total electron content (TEC) and scintillation indices logging for space weather and ionosphere monitoring.

Septentrio

Personal Tracking

Multi-GNSS Antenna Module for Wireless

The M2M Radionova M10478-A3 antenna module combines a full receiver and antenna on the same ultra-compact module. The highly integrated multi-GNSS RF antenna module is based on the Mediatek MT3333 architecture combined with Antenova’s antenna technology, receiving Galileo as well as GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, QZSS, and SBAS signals. Using patented external matching means this module is suitable to applications from small watches to smartphones and asset trackers. All front-end and receiver components are contained in a single package laminate base module, providing a complete GNSS receiver for optimum performance.

Antenova

Location-Based Services / Wireless

Software Receiver

A software-based GNSS receiver from Galileo Satellite Navigation (GSN) is available on Tensilica ConnX digital signal processor (DSP) cores, for wireless mobile applications. The GSN GNSS receiver running on a Cadence ConnX BBE16 DSP consumes as little as 10 mW of power on a 40-nm process and has the ability to work in lower rates, or snapshots, for ultra-low-power mobile scenarios. It delivers high-sensitivity tracking, offering a seamless GNSS experience in challenging environments. This provides customers with the ability to upgrade their designs to include future satellite systems, including Galileo. With no additional silicon costs and a low cost of deployment, this software-based solution offers a way to implement satellite navigation functionality in many products where it otherwise might be impractical.

Cadence; Galileo Satellite Navigation

Asset Tracking

Hazardous Goods Surveillance

The Ulys-Ex2 beacon is a standalone tracking unit providing worldwide location-based alerts for up to seven years, for monitoring of unpowered mobile assets in potentially explosive atmospheres.

With a Galileo-ready u-blox receiver, it provides monitoring data for tank containers and tank-trailer transport operations, increasing the level of security and safety of explosion-sensitive shipments. The beacon is part of a turnkey, real-time dangerous goods monitoring solution adapted to risk environments, guaranteeing global visibility on routing from the production site to the customer delivery point. It is ATEX Zone 1 certified for Europe — Zone 1 is an atmosphere where a mixture of air and flammable substances in the form of gas, vapor, or mist is likely to occur in normal operating circumstances.

Saphymo

Consumer OEM

Galileo-Ready Module

The Galileo-ready NEO-M8 series of standalone concurrent GNSS modules is built on the u-blox M8 GNSS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS, and SBAS) engine in the NEO form factor. The NEO-M8 series provides high sensitivity and minimal acquisition times while maintaining low system power. It is optimized for cost-sensitive applications, with the NEO-M8N and NEO-M8Q providing high performance and easier RF integration. Sophisticated RF-architecture and interference suppression ensure maximum performance even in GNSS-hostile environments. The NEO-M8 combines a high level of robustness and integration capability with flexible connectivity options. The future-proof NEO-M8N includes an internal Flash that allows simple firmware upgrades for supporting additional GNSS systems, making the NEO-M8 suitable for industrial and automotive applications.

u-blox

Professional OEM

High-Precision Receiver Card

The OEM638 high-precision receiver card tracks all existing and planned constellations including Galileo, GPS, BeiDou, GLONASS, and QZSS. By providing flexible positioning options, from standalone meter-level to AdVanceRTK centimeter-level accuracy, the OEM638 offers the flexibility to meet a wide range of positioning requirements. A powerful API, 4-GB on-board data storage, wide input voltage, and a host of interface options simplifies integration, decreasing time to market and overall system costs. With 240 channels and comprehensive tracking and positioning with all current and planned GNSS signals, the OEM638 is field upgradeable. It offers user configurability for reference station, timing, and other precision positioning applications.

NovAtel

Consumer OEM

Low-Noise Amplifier

The BGA825L6S is a cost-effective low noise amplifier (LNA) for Galileo and other GNSS. It features an ultra-low noise figure, high linearity, high gain, and low current consumption over a wide range of supply voltages from 3.6V to 1.5V. It is designed for GNSS LNA, as it improves sensitivity, provides greater immunity against out-of-band jammer signals, and reduces filtering requirements, which lowers the overall cost of the receiver. The low noise figure of 0.6 dB is a key parameter for GNSS systems as it directly influences the sensitivity of the system, as well as the time-to-first-fix and time-to-subsequent-fix. LNAs with a lower noise figure enable mobile phones with faster GNSS signal fix and higher end-user satisfaction.

Infineon Technologies AG

Simulation

RF Constellation Simulator

The newly released Spirent GSS9000 Multi-Frequency, Multi-GNSS RF Constellation Simulator can simulate signals from all GNSS and regional navigation systems, including Galileo. The GSS9000 offers a four-fold increase in RF signal iteration rate (SIR) over Spirent’s GSS8000 simulator. The GSS9000 SIR is 1000 Hz (1ms), enabling higher dynamic simulations with more accuracy and fidelity. It includes support for restricted and classified signals from the Galileo and GPS systems, as well as advanced capabilities for ultra-high dynamics. It can evaluate resilience of navigation systems to interference and spoofing attacks, and has the flexibility to reconfigure constellations, channels, and frequencies between test runs or test cases.

Hardware changes can be done in the field, supported by the new on-board calibrator module. The GSS9000 is extensible and can support the widest range of carriers, ranging codes, and data streams for the Galileo, GPS, GLONASS, and BeiDou systems, as well as regional/augmentation systems. Multi-antenna/multi-vehicle simulation, for differential-GNSS and attitude determination, and interference/jamming and spoofing testing are also supported.

Spirent

Transportation

eCall-Ready Positioning Chip

The Teseo II (STA8088 series) is a single-chip positioning device capable of receiving signals from multiple satellite navigation systems, including Galileo, GPS, GLONASS, and QZSS. The Teseo II combines high-positioning accuracy and indoor sensitivity performance with powerful processing capabilities and design flexibility, making Teseo II suitable for eCall, ERA-GLONASS, telematics, handheld, consumer, portable navigation devices, marine, and in-car navigation systems. The Teseo II is being tested by the European Space Agency and the European Commission Joint Research Center for eCall approval. The testing campaign is coordinated by the European GNSS Agency as part of its effort to accelerate Galileo adoption.

While the Teseo II Ihas always had the capability to be Galileo-ready, ST is enabling a firmware update from Galileo that benefits consumers and doesn’t require a hardware modification. The Teseo II chips can simultaneously use signals from multiple satellite navigation systems, including the currently available Galileo satellites, and progressively, as future satellites are launched, the full satellite constellation.

STMicroelectronics

Professional OEM

High-Precision Receiver

The 864-channel TRE-3 receiver can simultaneously access all current GNSS signals, with room to spare for multiple-channel tracking of select signals. The new product offers three ultra wide-band (100 MHz) fast sampling and processing, programmable digital filters, and superior dynamic range. After 12-bit digital conversion, nine separate digital filters are shaped for each of the nine bands: GPS L1/Galileo E1, GPS L2, GPS L5/Galileo E5A, GLONASS L1, GLONASS L2, Galileo E5B/BeiDou B2/GLONASS L3, Galileo altBoc, Galilee E6/BeiDouB3/QZSS LEX, and BeiDou B1.

JAVAD GNSS

Interference Monitoring

Modular RF Front-End

The GTEC-RFFE is a flexible, portable, and affordable ultra-wideband recording solution that can be adapted to the reception of all GNSS bands available, including Galileo, supporting up to 80 MHz of RF bandwidth. Because of its modular concept, the GTEC-RFFE not only supports a set of pre-selected configurations, it can be set up for multi-antenna inputs, user selectable bandwidth, intermediate frequencies, and customized ADC sampling rates and resolutions. It is designed for development of software-defined radios and receivers, GNSS multi-system signal analysis and comparison, analysis of atmospheric effects such as ionospheric and tropospheric irregularities and scintillation, and interference monitoring for protecting critical operations and infrastructures.

TeleOrbit

Timing

GNSS Timing Reference Antenna

The GNSS1-TMG-26N is a fixed-mount network timing antenna covering Galileo L1, as well as GPS, GLONASS, and Beidou frequencies. It is designed for long-lasting, trouble-free deployments in congested cell-site applications. The low-noise, high-gain amplifier is suited to address attenuation issues associated with applications requiring longer cable runs. The proprietary quadrifiliar helix design, coupled with multistage filtering, provides superior out-of-band rejection and lower elevation pattern performance than traditional patch antennas.

PCTEL

Professional OEM

Positioning and Heading System

The Trimble BD930 supports both triple frequency from the GPS and GLONASS constellations, plus dual frequency from Galileo and BeiDou. As the number of satellites in the constellations grows, the BD930 is ready to take advantage of the additional signals to deliver fast and reliable RTK initializations for 1–2 centimeter positioning. Different receiver configurations are available, including autonomous GPS L1 to four-constellation triple-frequency RTK.

Trimble

Simulation

Vector Signal Generator

The R&S SMBV100A vector signal generator can generate Galileo, GPS, and GLONASS signals for up to 24 satellites in realtime. With the SMBV-K107 option, the simulator covers the BeiDou standard as well.

The R&S SMBV-K101 option allows developers in the automotive and wireless communications industries to test GNSS receivers for specific effects such as obscuration and multipath propagation. If the GNSS receiver of a navigation instrument or smartphone is located inside a vehicle, testing must also take into account the obscuring effect of the vehicle’s metal body. The R&S SMBV-K102 option can simulate this obscuration and, if required, the additional antenna pattern.

In addition to test scenarios for A-GPS, smartphone developers have the Assisted Galileo (R&S SMBV-K67) and Assisted GLONASS (R&S SMBV-K95) options at their disposal.

Rohde & Schwarz

Signal Amplification

Antenna Amplifier

The GPS35-BNC is an inline antenna amplifier for both the L1 and L2 frequencies of the Galileo, GPS, and GLONASS satellite systems. When connected between the GPS receiver and the GPS antenna, power from the GPS receiver that normally powers the active antenna powers both the active antenna and the GPS-BNC, so no extra power supply is needed. The GPS35-BNC can be used with either active or passive GPS antennas by selecting internal jumpers. The GPS35-BNC provides a gain of 35 dB between 1200 and 1607 MHz. With the GPS35-BNC installed, extra lengths of cable can be used between the antenna and the GPS receiver itself. If low-loss cable is used, cable lengths over 350 meters (1,150 feet) can be used without any degradation to the GPS signal.
The noise figure of the GPS35-BNC is less than 3 dB, and signals in the cellular or mobile frequency bands are rejected by more than 35 dB.

Precision Test Systems

March 26, 2014
ESA Awards Contract to IFEN to Develop Advanced GNSS Signal Test Bed
A contract to design and to deliver an advanced multi-GNSS constellation signal simulator and interface environment testbed was awarded by the European Space Agency (ESA) to IFEN GmbH on October 28, 2013. This contract is concluded in the context of the Signal Test Bed (SIGTB) activities of the European GNSS Evolution Programme (EGEP).

In addition to addressing the second generation of Galileo, which is planned to provide higher accuracy and signal robustness, the GNSS Signal Test Bed will include the following capabilities:
- Flexible adaptability to all signal and message standards, whatever the future may bring.
- Extensive investigation of intentional signal interferences.
- Testing of GNSS signal performance in newly evolving standards.
- Generation of even more realistic test scenarios that include background and intentional interference.
- Refined scenarios of various distortions of GNSS signals.
February 18, 2014
ESA Telecom and Navigation Vehicle Ready for Test Driving

The radio spectrum is about to get even busier, as Europe’s Galileo satnav system starts services, at the same time the European Space Agency (ESA) tests novel satellite-based telecommunication services. Supporting these developments from the ground, ESA’s new custom-built Telecommunications and Navigation Testbed Vehicle will measure the resulting signals from all over Europe.

Adapted from a Mercedes Benz Sprinter van, this unique measurement vehicle has been delivered to ESTEC by Austria’s Joanneum Research institute. “This is a dual-purpose vehicle, suitable for both telecommunications and navigation system testing,” explained Simon Johns of ESA’s Radionavigation Systems and Techniques Section.

“For navigation, we have the Galileo constellation coming on stream, as well as the stepping up of ESA’s GNSS Evolution programme — designing what comes next after Galileo’s first generation.”

The four wheel-drive vehicle can host a three-person team, and is crammed with dedicated navigation and telecommunication monitoring equipment.

Testbed vehicle screen.

“One of the main goals driving the design was to have an ‘easy to adapt’ test platform suitable to set up test campaigns for different mobile satellite systems and standards that would require different types of antennas and specific receiver/transmit equipment,” explained Olivier Smeyers of ESA’s Communication-TT&C Systems and Techniques Section.

“On the telecommunications side, there is a continuous effort to enhance current and create new mobile satellite-based broadcast and interactive services via the evolution of current systems or developing new standards,” Smeyers said. “Testing in the field is an essential element for validating and eventually establishing evolved or new standards. The vehicle has built-in multimedia equipment, including storage and control computers, multimedia gateway, passenger LCD screens, cameras and microphones, to serve this purpose.”

The vehicle features include two removable roof plates to mount specialized antennas (one currently hosts the antenna of a Broadband Global Area Network satellite terminal for Internet connectivity and multimedia and data streaming), an 8-meter-high telescopic mast capable of carrying 25 kilograms, a rubidium atomic clock synchronized to GPS time with nanosecond accuracy, a high-end spectrum analyzer and oscilloscope for signal measurements, and mobile temperature sensors to monitor the rack equipment.

A fish-eye video camera incorporating onscreen GPS timing and positioning performs continuous recording of its surroundings — to throw light on high buildings, trees, or other factors that might affect results.

Internal and external generators yield up to 5 kilowatts to keep everything running — sufficient power to supply two typical European households.

“The challenge was to fit in all the equipment and provide the necessary power and air conditioning, while still weighing less than 3.5 tonnes,” said Thomas Prechtl of Joanneum Research. “Exceeding this weight would have meant drivers would have needed a special license, and potentially limited its operations in some European nations.”

April 11, 2013