1. EUMETCast EUMETSAT’s Broadcast System for Environmental Data

2. Concept & Overview
Generic, multi-mission dissemination system based on the standard DVB multicast technology
Use of commercial telecommunication satellites
Allowing use of off-the shelf, commercial, inexpensive equipment
DVB/MPEG-2 based transport for carrying IP datagrams
Use of a set of broadcast satellite forward channels (no return channel)
Components:
Data providers
Service management provider (EUMETSAT)
Uplink service provider
Turn around service provider(s)
Satellites
(Reference) Reception stations

3. Components Figure

4. Components Data Providers Service Management Provider (EUMETSAT)
Provide, via FTP over a number of communication lines (Internet, VPN, leased lines, …), the files to be disseminated, currently:
EUMETSAT
DWD (Germany)
OSI SAF (Norway & France)
VITO (Belgium, Vegetation Products)
Service Management Provider (EUMETSAT)
Performs all service configuration (bandwidth, users, encryption parameters, dissemination parameters, …) to the DVB uplink provider via FTP over a secure communication line

5. Data Providers & Service Management Provider
DVB BROADCAST
Service Management
Other Sources
DWD
EUMETSAT
DVB UPLINK
USERS
SAFs

6. Components Turn around Service Provider(s)
Receives the DVB signal provided by the uplink service provider
Retransmits the data (on DVB packet level) to another S/C
Receives retransmitted data by a local reference reception station for service monitoring and service level agreement tracking
One turn around service implemented for African Users (not covered by the uplink service)
Current contract with Telespazio
Turn around station in Fucino/Italy

8. Components Satellites
Commercial digital TV geostationary satellites for data reception and transmission
Uplink service S/C:
Hotbird-6
Located at 13 degree East
Ku-Band transponder used
Turn around service S/C:
Atlantic Bird-3
Located at 5 degree West
C-Band transponder used

9. EUMETCast Ku-Band Coverage

10. EUMETCast C-Band Coverage

11. Components (Reference) Reception Stations
Same equipment for different purpose
Reference reception stations for monitoring of the health of the system and for service level agreement tracking
Reception stations for the end users
Consisting of antenna/feed/LNB, DVB receiver card, Workstation & S/W
Antenna:
Size (diameter) depending on EIRP figure at location (=> table)
LNB:
For Ku-band: standard digital TV LNB
For C-band: different brands, proposed by service provider and used at EUMETSAT: California Amplifier

12. Components DVB Receiver Cards used at EUMETSAT TechniSat SkyStar2
BroadLogic 2030
Pentamedia
Workstations
Standard / state-of-the-art PC (with USB port)
Software
Operating Systems: Windows suite & LINUX
EUMETCast Client Software: tq®-TELLICAST
Supporting processing, monitoring & logging of incoming data
Configuration constraints:
Recommended/tested combinations:
Ku/C-band <=> DVB receiver card <=> Operating System

13. EIRP to Dish Size Conversion Table (indicative)
Components
EIRP to Dish Size Conversion Table (indicative)
EIRP, dBW
Dish, cm
51  
60  
50  
67  
49  
75  
48  
85  
47  
95  
45  
120  
42  
160  
40  
200  
39  
240  
37  
300  

14. Components: Parts and Costs of a Reception Station
DVB Standard Hardware
LNB Ku-/C-band & Satellite Dish
200/1000 EUR
DVB PCI Card
100 EUR
DVB Multicast Client software
60 EUR
EUMETCast key unit (EKU)
40 EUR
PC, Hard disk, Ethernet
800 EUR
1.200/2000 EUR

15. C-band Reception Issues
2.4 m antenna dish recommended for Africa & Europe (3.0 to 3.7 m for some African/Indian Ocean islands)
1.8 m dish in many cases sufficient (depending also on the quality (noise temperature) of the LNB
C-band significantly less susceptible than Ku-band to rain attenuation, but suffering frequently from electromagnetic interference (mainly radar)
Implementation of bandpass filters has shown good results => elimination of (nearly) all interferences

16. Current Services High Rate SEVIRI Image Data - data from Meteosat-8
Low Rate SEVIRI Image Data - data from Meteosat-8
Rapid Scanning Service (RSS) - data from Meteosat-6
High Resolution Image (HRI) - data from Meteosat-7
Indian Ocean Data Coverage (IODC) - data from Meteosat-5
Data Collection and Retransmission (DCP)
Meteorological Data Dissemination (MDD)
Meteorological Products (including Satellite Application Facility products)
EUMETSAT ATOVS Retransmission Service (EARS)
Foreign Satellite Data (FSD)
DWDSAT

17. Service Monitoring
Each data provider is responsible for the monitoring of its own data
EUMETSAT monitors the end to end service for the data provided by EUMETSAT
Each service provider (uplink service and turnaround services) is responsible for monitoring its complete service (penalties in case of failing to accomplish the service level agreement)

18. Encryption
Enables independent targeting of files towards a single user or group of users
Enables secure control of access at individual file & user level
Encryption in accordance with EUMETSAT’s data policy
Using the tq-tellicast server S/W
Based on the Blowfish algorithm (symmetric 128 bit data keys)
Performed in the EUMETCast uplink server
Data keys valid for just one transmission
Data keys encrypted with private key of target user
On the fly encryption, can be switched off on a per channel basis

19. Decryption
Decryption by the tq-tellicast client S/W in combination with a decryption device (EUMETCast Key Unit: EKU) and the EKU S/W package
EKU is an USB device
EKU in conjunction with corresponding username and user_key/password enables decryption of licensed services
Only data described as “essential” are decrypted without EKU
EKUs are distributed by EUMETSAT to registered users

20. EUMETCast Licensed & Essential Services
Licensed Services
Subject to a Licensing Procedure
Involving Secretariat and National Met Services
Comprising forms, tellicast S/W and EKUs
Essential Services
No licensing, but registration by the Secretariat
Provision of tellicast S/W & generic username/password
EKU not required

21. User Registration Steps for Access to the EUMETCast Services:
Complete the EUMETCast Registration Form, indicating the requested services
If access to licensed service(s) requested, EUMETSAT’s User Service Helpdesk will forward your Registration Form to the relevant Licensing Agent (generally the National Met Service)
Once licensing procedure completed (and bill paid for EUMETCast Client S/W & EKU):
Access granted (by encryption configuration)
Reception of EUMETCast Client S/W
Reception of username and user_key/password
Reception of EKU (if required)

22. EUMETCast Delivered Services (Registration Figures)

23. EUMETCast Service Availability
EURD figure (complete & timely Repeat Cycles): 95%
MOSS figure (complete & timely Repeat Cycles): 99%
Service Level Agreement (SLA) with both service providers (T-Systems and TELESPAZIO): %
Ku-band Performance (following graph):
T-Systems HRIT segment figures only, comprising performance of uplink system, Hotbird-6 and reference reception station
C-band Performance (following graph):
TELESPAZIO HRIT segments figures only, comprising perf. of turn-around system, Atlantic Bird-3 and ref. reception station
Total Performance (following graph):
Percentage of complete and timely received Repeat Cycles, covering all non-availabilities (Ground Segment & Service Prov.)

24. EUMETCast Service Availability
Apr 03 - add MSG data, plenty of testing campaigns
Jun-Jul 03 - The low performance in June and July was mainly caused by the introduction of the service directories and the addition of new channels and users. Between 24th June and 15th July the overflow in the announcement channel caused file losses. On 18th July there was a multiplexer error.

25. EUMETCast Service Extensions Envisaged
Evolution of Meteosat-8 meteorological products
New products based on prototyping by MET (Clear sky Reflectance Map product (CRM) being the next one)
Updates of existing products based on operational experience
VEGETATION derived products for Africa
VEGETATION products from the VEGETATION instrument on SPOT
Operational trial phase has started, dissemination of 10 day Vegetation Index product (S10NDVI) to Users in Africa
EUMETCast/EPS Convergence
EPS global products to be disseminated using EUMETCast;
Initially, this focuses on level 1 and 2 global products generated in the CGS at EUM;
Global level 1 and 2 PDUs per instrument will be available as a EUMETCast service;
Will be extended to SAF products as appropriate.

26. EUMETCast Service Extensions Envisaged
EUMETCast coverage extension to South America
implementation of a turn-around system – similar to that provided by TELESPAZIO for Africa => under discussion with member states
Basic meteorological Data from WMO regional Association VI
RA VI is Europe and Middle East
Use of EUMETCast for basic provision of observations and forecasts
Working Group under RA VI is establishing user requirements
Formal proposal to EUMETSAT delegate bodies presented
Extension of DWDSAT service planned by DWD (Spring 2005)