News Release from: Multiple Access Communications
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 12 November 2002

Tetra tester breaks drive-by speed limit

Multiple Access Communications has doubled the maximum sample rate of its ground-breaking CatchAll measurement receiver.

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Multiple Access Communications (MAC) has doubled the maximum sample rate of its ground-breaking CatchAll measurement receiver. The CatchAll can now be used to measure the received signal strength on every Tetra channel within a 5MHz band 120 times every second. This gives an equivalent channel scan rate of 24,000 channels per second and it allows drive test speeds of up to 180km/h while still satisfying the Lee measurement criterion across all the channels measured.

The receiver is based around a state-of-the-art digital signal processing platform which means that it can capture an instantaneous radio bandwidth of up to 5MHz and this can be processed to measure the received signal strength on each 25kHz Tetra carrier.

This means that it will always outperform conventional 'synthesised' scanning receivers when it comes to channel scan rate.

The flexible nature of the platform also means that the user can download new features as they become available, thereby protecting their initial investment in the receiver.

The Lee criterion states that at operating frequencies below 850MHz, at least 36 samples must be collected within a distance of 20 wavelengths to ensure an accurate representation of the average power in the received signal in the face of multipath fading.

Whilst some scanning receivers on the market today can achieve this on a few Tetra channels (eg 15) at normal drive test speeds, the CatchAll is the only product that allows the Lee criterion to be satisfied on all 200 Tetra channels within a 5MHz band at drive test speeds of up to 180km/h.

This means that the network operator no longer needs to worry about setting up scan lists prior to drive testing - one of the main drawbacks of conventional scanning receivers.

"We are very excited about the CatchAll product and, in particular, the latest upgrade to the scanning rate", says Chris Angell, MAC's Business Development Manager.

"The receiver is creating a real splash within the Tetra industry because it breaks the mould of the traditional scanning receiver.

Using digital signal processing techniques is definitely the future of scanning technology and, as far as scan rate and the Lee criterion are concerned, the CatchAll receiver blows our competition out of the water".

MAC will be showcasing the CatchAll next week on Stand G16 at the Tetra World Congress in Nice.

The CatchAll can be configured to cover any of the Tetra frequency bands and the results can be displayed in MapInfo or processed within Microsoft Excel.

For customers that require bespoke solutions, MAC can also tailor the functionality of the CatchAll to meet their specific needs.

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