MSG...

MSG/Hot Bird dissemination overview

EUMETSAT have now confirmed that MSG-1 will not be used for direct dissemination of HRIT and LRIT data to users following the failure of one of its SSPA's. [See other information on website]

Following successful testing of the ground and satellite links, trials are now taking place of MSG data dissemination via EUTELSAT's Hot Bird-6 satellite stationed at 13 deg. E. in preparation for the start of a full operational service in January 2004.
Currently HRIT trials are taking place with LRIT trials to follow shortly.

The Hot Bird dissemination service is called EUMETCast [Multicast Distribution System] and currently consists of data streams for ATOVS, RSS and MSG trial data. [Full HRIT and LRIT data streams later in the year]

Brief guide to system requirements The heart of the system is the TechniSat SkyStar 2 PCI DVB receiver card. This is a digital satellite TV 'free to air' satellite receiver that is installed inside your computer. As well as receiving satellite TV programmes and displaying them on your computer it will also receive data transmissions including satellite Internet services. The SkyStar card is supplied with a CD-ROM of software drivers required to operate the card. Also included is a very comprehensive Users Guide - please read this.

The receiving antenna is the familiar offset satellite TV type dish. An 85 cm is recommended by EUMETSAT for most of Europe with a Universal digital satellite TV LNB. Good quality satellite TV cable between the dish and the receiver is required, such as CT100. Care should be taken when stapling and routing this cable as digital signals can suffer losses due to sharp bends or cable constriction.

Setting up the dish to Hot Bird-6 is very easy if you have a satellite TV level meter at the dish. It won't tell you which satellite you are pointed at though. Alternatively using an analogue receiver and a TV at the dish speeds things up - you always 'see' a 'picture' as you adjust your dish - unlike digital TV where you have to wait for the picture to lock-up before it is displayed.

For those used to prime focus dishes remember offset dishes do not point at the satellite in the elevation sense. They are much flatter towards the horizon owing to the offset feed configuration.

One of the SkyStar installation set up screens contains a signal strength meter which will allow you to set up the dish - at a distance. If you are receiving a lot of German TV programmes your dish is pointing at the Astra location of 19.2 deg. E. If you are receiving a lot of Italian channels then you are pointed at the Hot Bird location of 13 deg. E. This, assuming you have roughly aligned your dish to around 13 - 19 deg. E.

It is hoped to be able to supply all the above equipment from the RIG Shop shortly.

Software requirements for reception and display of MSG data

To receive the EUMETCast service from Hot Bird-6 you will require software called tq®-TELLICAST. This handles the DVB data stream where information is sent in packets and is converted into files.
This software is available from T-Systems in Germany for 60 Euro + handling charges and can be purchased having first successfully registered with EUMETSAT for MSG dissemination using the form EUM/OPS-MSG/REG/01 available on the EUMETSAT website at: http://www.eumetsat.de/en/dps/helpdesk/registration.html

Having been successfully registered you will be issued with a username and password, required for installation of the tq®-TELLICAST software and will be contacted by T-Systems in order to place an order for their software.

You will need to request admission to the current MSG EUMETCast trials.

Then you will require some display software, David Taylor's MSG Data Manager software will assemble, save and display the files generated by the T-Systems tq®-TELLICAST software. This can be obtained from David Taylor for £44 at http://www.satsignal.net . There is also very comprehensive information and advice about setting up and operating an MSG/Hot Bird EUMETCast system on David's website

Please also download document EUM TD 15 Issue 2.1 from the EUMETSAT website http://www.eumetsat.de which gives details and information on the EUMETCast service.

EUMETSAT recommended computer requirements

2.0 GHz Pentium IV. 100/10 Ethernet card.
1 GByte RAM. USB port.
36 Gbyte hard disk.

EUMETSAT recommends setting up the EUMETCast PC as a receiving station and ftp server only and not to install and run other application software. Peaks in disk and bus usage could interrupt DVB data reception. This has been observed during the automatic unpacking of compressed files on the DVB PC. It is therefore recommended that unpacking of compressed files is performed on a different computer.

Several users both RIG and non RIG members are currently taking part in the trials and using only one computer. It is very early days yet and a lot of user information is being gathered as to how the system is performing and on users experiences.
EUMETSAT are very keen to have feed back on users experiences in order to correct any anomalies and/or make the service more user friendly.
Please feed back your experiences to the User Service at ops@eumetsat.de

Fully operational service

This will begin in January 2004 and will contain full HRIT data - 12 channel SEVIRI data every ¼ hour.
Full LRIT data - 5 channel reduced SEVIRI data ½ hourly + foreign satellite relays - GOES-E, GOES-W, [GOMS]/Meteosat-5 Indian Ocean and GMS/MT-SAT/GOES temporary replacement.

The data will then be encrypted except for the WMO requirement of 6 hourly HRIT and LRIT sets 'in the clear'. To receive the full encrypted data sets an Aladdin eToken PRO decryption unit [USB dongle] will be required together with some associated software. This will control access to the data in accordance with the EUMETSAT Data Access Policy. Current price is around £20 for the dongle and about £20 for the software and details of how to apply for this when available later in the year.

Above is the Ku-band signal power level foot-print for Hot Bird-6 and it will be seen that most of central Europe and S and SE England lie within the 53 dBW contour. The power level across Europe varies between 53 dBW and 46 dBW at the 'edges' of Europe, here a larger dish will be required for satisfactory reception of around 1.8 m.

John Tellick : 12-05-03

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