MSG...

MSG-1 Commissioning update

It is now very unlikely MSG-1 will be used for direct dissemination of HRIT/LRIT data. The results of the investigation into the failure of the SSPA is still not known and EUMETSAT have taken the decision to use the EUTELSAT Hot Bird-6 satellite at 13 deg. E for dissemination of HRIT/LRIT data. [Already in use by them for ATOVS/RSS] Trials of HRIT data dissemination via this link will begin late April and trials of LRIT by August. People who have registered for access to MSG data have been invited to take part in the trials. The full operational service is due to start January 2004.

The Hot Bird service is called EUMETCast and includes dissemination of ATOVS, RSS and MSG HRIT and LRIT data. Details of the services, reception equipment required and setting up procedures can be found in technical document EUM TD 15 Issue 2 on the EUMETSAT website.
EUMETSAT recommended requirement for these services are:

2.0 GHz Pentium IV computer. TechniSat SkyStar 2 PCI DVB card.
1 GByte RAM. 85 cm offset dish.
36 Gbyte HD. Universal digital V/H LNB
100/10 Base Ethernet card.
USB port.

EUMETSAT recommend that this computer is only used for EUMETCast reception and as an ftp server. During their tests of the system they found peaks in disk and buss usage running other applications on this computer could interrupt to DVB data reception which had been observed during automatic unpacking of compressed data files. They recommend that the unpacking of compressed files be performed by a different computer.

Also required is the Multicast software - tq®-TELLICAST which can be purchased from T-Systems in Germany having successfully registered with EUMETSAT for access to MSG HRIT/LRIT. You will be issued with a user name and user key - password, to install and operate this software.
Display software will also be required but this is not yet available [end of April 2003].
The trials of HRIT and LRIT dissemination via Hot Bird-6 will be unencrypted.
When both services are operational the data will be encrypted and a security device - the Aladdin eToken PRO decryption unit (dongle) will be required by users, to be supplied by EUMETSAT, in order to access the data under the EUMETSAT Data Access Policy.
More details to follow.

EUMETSAT are required under the EU PUMA Agreement to supply HRIT/LRIT data to African States. The Hot Bird foot-print is only receivable in Europe and as mentioned in January a C-band service was being investigated. A decision on this and details of service provider will be taken in June.

Around the end of 2003 MSG-1 then renamed Meteosat-8 will be moved from 10 deg. W to 3 deg. W. Meteosat-7 will remain at 0 deg. and continue WEFAX and PDUS guaranteed till the end of 2005.
MSG-2 is scheduled for launch in January 2005.

John Tellick : 28-04-03

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