Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) is a digital trunked mobile radio standard developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). The purpose of the TETRA standard was to meet the needs of traditional Professional Mobile Radio (PMR) user organisations such as those listed below. The air interfaces, network interfaces as well as the services and facilities are specified in sufficient detail to enable independent manufacturers develop infrastructure and radio terminal products that would fully inter-operate with each other. For example, radio terminals from different manufacturers can operate on infrastructures from other manufacturers. The ability for full interoperability between different manufacturer’s products is a distinct advantage of open standards developed by ETSI. As the TETRA standard is supported by several independent manufacturers this increases competition, provides second source security and allows a greater choice of terminal products for specific user applications.

PMR Organizations Include:

• Public Safety
• Transportation
• Utilities
• Government
• Military
• PAMR
• Commercial & Industry
• Oil & Gas

Because the TETRA standard has been specifically developed to meet the needs of a wide variety of traditional PMR user organisations it has a scaleable architecture allowing economic network deployments ranging from single site local area coverage to multiple site wide area national coverage.   Besides meeting the needs of traditional PMR user organisations, the TETRA standard has also been developed to meet the needs of Public Access Mobile Radio (PAMR) operators. The TETRA standard is in practice, a suite of standards covering different technology aspects, for example, air interfaces, network interfaces and its services and facilities. Because TETRA is an evolving standard it has been developed in Releases (phases) known as TETRA Release 1 and TETRA Release 2. Even though both TETRA Releases have been completed, work continues within ETSI Technical Committee (TC) TETRA to further enhance the standard thus satisfying new user requirements as well as gleaning the benefits of new technology innovations. Outside of Europe the ETSI TETRA Standard has been formerly adopted in China and South Korea.

Since the first generation of networks were deployed in 1997, hundreds of TETRA networks have been deployed across the world.  Even though a considerable number of these networks are deployed in Europe, a rapid uptake is occurring in the regions of Asia, Middle East and South America.  Although all PMR market segments are already being served by TETRA, the largest market is that of public safety, where the trend is for the deployment of nationwide networks shared by all public safety organisations for reasons of economics (sharing), autonomy of operation for routine communications and the ability to fully inter-operate with other services during emergency situations and disasters.

The transportation market is the next fastest growing market, especially for Mass Rapid Transport systems and major Airports.  Interestingly, TETRA is also used by the military for non-tactical operations, a market application not originally anticipated for TETRA. The success and market uptake of TETRA has attracted many independent manufacturers and suppliers of TETRA products and services, thereby providing users with healthy competition, second source security and wide choice of radio terminal equipment for specific applications. The success of TETRA has also created a strong base of application developers who are able to provide a wide variety of applications for use with TETRA.

The TETRA Association
Recognizing that important market requirements outside the responsibility of ETSI needed to be addressed to ensure the success of TETRA, a number of organisations formed the TETRA MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) Association in December 1994.  Since it has been established, the TETRA Association has grown significantly and now provides a forum which acts on behalf of its members, being user organisations, manufacturers, application providers, integrators, operators, test houses, regulators, consultants, etc. The main objectives of the TETRA Association are to promote the TETRA standard and to ensure multi-vendor equipment interoperability. (source www.tetra-association.com)

“The versatility of the WaveRunner 64Xi-A-N and its advanced waveshape analysis capabilities enabled us to win this important contract,” says LeCroy president and CEO Tom Reslewic. “The WaveRunner covers a broad range of applications, making it ideal for use for the U.S. Navy. The Navy plans to use the WaveRunner to support in-field Naval applications, such as radar, communications, and navigation, as well as for the calibration and repair of electronic equipment.”

The LeCroy WaveRunner 64Xi-A-N is well suited for everyday characterization, validation, and debugging advanced problems. The software architecture improvements also incorporate key elements of the X-Stream II architecture, which permit preview and abort capability, allowing the customer to have control of the oscilloscope without any delay.

The WaveRunner 6000A Series is the best oscilloscope for everyday signal testing. Its remarkable functionality includes the following capabilities:

– acquisition technology that delivers measurements you can trust
– an efficient interface that feels just right to the busy engineer
– uncommon capabilities—right out of the box
– a platform for building on even more functionality

Check out the LeCroy WaveRunner 64XI HERE

LeCroy WaveStream Video Signal Demo

CASS Test System

The Navy recently awarded an $83 million contract for e-CASS development, production and testing. The AN/USM-636(V) Consolidated Automated Support System (CASS) is the US Navy’s standard automatic test equipment family. It provides intermediate, depot and factory level support, both ashore and afloat, for testing all Navy electronics, from aircraft to ships and submarines.

CASS has been around since 1990, and it’s time for an upgrade. The Navy is planning to replace the existing 5 CASS mainframe systems with the next-generation electronic CASS (e-CASS) system. US Naval aviation currently uses 713 CASS stations for testing of aircraft electronics. CASS is also used at the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and in 9 foreign countries.

The new e-CASS system will replace the following 5 CASS mainframe systems:

• Hybrid – The CASS Hybrid station provides the core test capability for general purpose electronics, computers, instruments, and flight controls.

• Radio Frequency (RF) – The CASS RF station provides Hybrid station test capability plus electronic countermeasure, electronic counter-countermeasures, and electronic warfare support measures; and fire control, navigation, tracking, and surveillance radar, and radar altimeter support capability.

• High Power – The CASS High Power station provides RF station capability plus the capability to test high power radar systems, such as the APG-65 and APG-73.

• Communications/Navigation/Interrogation (CNI) – The CASS CNI station provides RF station capability plus communication, navigation, interrogation, and spread spectrum system support capability.

• Electro-Optic (EO) – The CASS EO station provides Hybrid station test capability plus support capability for forward looking infrared, lasers/ designators, laser range finders, and visual systems.

In addition to these systems, the Navy uses a mobile CASS variety called the Reconfigurable Transportable CASS (RTCASS), supplied by Boeing. RTCASS provides a man-portable CASS configuration using COTS hardware and software to meet USMC V-22 and H-1 support requirements as well as to replace mainframe CASS stations at USMC fixed wing aircraft (EA-6B, F/A-18 and AV-8B) support sites.

Lockheed Martin, Boeing,  and Northrop Grumman supplies CASS electro-optic subsystem and DRS Technologies provides CASS high-power subsystems. (source www.defenseindustrydaily.com)