WATMC 2015: Rohde & Schwarz presents forward-looking solutions for secure and flexible air traffic control

At World ATM Congress (WATMC) in Madrid, the radiocommunications specialist will demonstrate its comprehensive product portfolio for increasing air traffic control safety. Visitors can look forward to groundbreaking innovations. The highlight is an innovation in stationary VHF/UHF radios for the detection of simultaneous transmissions (DSiT). Rohde & Schwarz will also show how the R&S VCS-4G IP-based voice communications system provides a solution for efficient and fail-safe operation of virtual control centers across country borders.

The R&S Series4200 radios now offer detection of simultaneous transmissions (DSiT) in air traffic control. Since the DSiT functionality is software-based, the radios can be easily upgraded. This option makes Rohde & Schwarz the first on the market with a solution for the problem of undetected simultaneous transmissions (USiT). The new DSiT feature uses an innovative algorithm to detect the presence of simultaneous radio calls in the transmission channel. The air traffic controller is then notified that two calls have been received. The problem of undetected simultaneous transmissions was evaluated extensively in cooperation with Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH (German air navigation services organization). Klauspeter Hauf, Head of Voice Communications Services at DFS, summarizes: "Simultaneous transmissions were regularly identified in all of the airspaces we examined. We found out that through audio monitoring the air traffic controller was unable to identify a significant number of these events." The DSiT functionality from Rohde & Schwarz makes it possible to minimize such risks in realtime.

With the R&S VCS-4G IP-based voice communications system, Rohde & Schwarz is the first on the market to offer virtual control centers that enable load-based reallocation of resources and failsafe air traffic control in an increasingly crowded airspace. Multiple control centers can be interconnected across geographic and organizational boarders. This is becoming particularly significant in light of the EU's Single European Sky (SES) initiative to consolidate European airspace. The fully voice over IP (VoIP) system is in line with the EUROCAE ED-137 B standard and features a distributed, redundant architecture. In addition to traditional voice communications, a wide range of data applications are also integrated, including video surveillance of previously out-of-view airport areas, weather data and alarm functions. This additional information helps air traffic controllers assess the overall situation and quickly respond to changes.

The Rohde & Schwarz RCMS II remote control and monitoring system provides users with an overview of the status of the different system components at all times so that they can intervene when necessary. This system solution is a comprehensive umbrella monitoring system for Rohde & Schwarz products along the entire communications chain, from the controller working position to the radio. The system expertise of Rohde & Schwarz in the field of air traffic management is complemented by its traffic control and interference hunting solutions and its T&M equipment for air navigation. Products on display in Madrid include the R&S DDF04E and R&S DDF007 digital direction finders, the R&S EDS300 DME/pulse analyzer for measuring pulsed terrestrial signals and the portable R&S EVS300 ILS/VOR analyzer for checking landing systems.

Rohde & Schwarz will present its solutions for air traffic control and management from March 10 to 12, 2015, at World ATM Congress 2015 in Madrid. On Tuesday, March 10, 2015, Alexandru Negulescu, Head of Sales at the Rohde & Schwarz Topex subsidiary, will give a presentation as part of a lecture series at the congress. Negulescu will discuss the challenges that must be tackled if various technical systems used for air traffic control are to be integrated into a common IP platform. On March 11, 2015, Mathias Erhard, Head of Development at Rohde & Schwarz, and Klauspeter Hauf from DFS will present the results of the field study on undetected simultaneous transmissions (USiT). Visit us in hall 9 (north entrance), booth 586. For more information, go to www.rohde-schwarz.com/ad/Press/WATMC