Draft:Fuchsstadt earth station
 | Draft article not currently submitted for review.
This is a draft Articles for creation (AfC) submission. It is not currently pending review. While there are no deadlines, abandoned drafts may be deleted after six months. To edit the draft click on the "Edit" tab at the top of the window. To be accepted, a draft should:
It is strongly discouraged to write about yourself, your business or employer. If you do so, you must declare it. Where to get help
How to improve a draft
You can also browse Wikipedia:Featured articles and Wikipedia:Good articles to find examples of Wikipedia's best writing on topics similar to your proposed article. Improving your odds of a speedy review To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags. Editor resources
Last edited by Bearcat (talk | contribs) 0 seconds ago. (Update) |
The Fuchsstadt earth station is an earth station in the Lower Franconian district of Bad Kissingen in the municipality of Fuchsstadt. It was built by the German Federal Post Office and is now operated by the Luxembourg company Intelsat. The Fuchsstadt earth station serves as a ground station for communication with news satellites and enables satellite-based telephone calls, Internet connections and television broadcasts, among other things. Until the 1990s, Fuchsstadt was an important hub of the global communications network; this importance has been lost because the vast majority of continental and intercontinental communications are now handled via fiber optic cable.
There are 50 parabolic antennas at the earth station, including two type A antennas with a diameter of 32 meters and around 25 others with a diameter of more than 9.3 meters each. This makes the earth station one of the largest satellite communication systems in the world. It is Intelsat's first earth station in Europe and also the largest of the six that the company operates. With its large parabolic antennas, it is visible from afar in the Saale valley.
Lage
[edit]
The earth station is located between the federal highway 7 and Hammelburg in the valley of the Franconian Saale on a flat plateau 192 meters above sea level. The plateau is surrounded on three sides by the Fränkische Saale, which is 15 meters lower. Fuchsstadt is 1.5 kilometers to the southeast and Hammelburg is two kilometers to the west. The area of the earth station is around 105,000 square meters[1] and is surrounded by agricultural land as far as the Fränkische Saale and Fuchsstadt. To the north and south are mountain ranges that extend in a west-east direction, corresponding to the main direction of the Franconian Saale. The surrounding mountains tower up to 150 meters above the plateau of the earth station. These mountain ranges provide very good natural shielding without interfering with the main directions of radiation to the satellites.
History
[edit]Planning
[edit]
Towards the end of the 1970s, Deutsche Bundespost began planning to expand its two earth stations in Raisting and Usingen. Due to the rapidly increasing demand for satellite radio equipment, with an annual increase of 20 to 25 percent, a further earth station became necessary. When searching for a suitable location, it was important to ensure that there were no industrial buildings in the vicinity that could interfere with radio communications, that the site was naturally shielded by surrounding hills and that there was no interference from the terrestrial radio relay network. The connection to the transport network had to be as cost-effective as possible, the site had to be located in a largely earthquake-proof region and environmental protection requirements also had to be taken into account. The intensive preliminary investigations took place until spring 1981[1].
The engineers found an agricultural area in the Saale valley near Fuchsstadt within a loop of the Saale that offered ideal conditions. Deutsche Bundespost began preparations for the construction of the facility there.
Construction
[edit]
The access road and the cable ducts between the operations building and the antenna sites were completed as early as the summer of 1983, after the planning approval and licensing procedure had been concluded. In October 1983, construction began on the operations building, the size of which was designed for the planned final expansion of the earth station with five antennas. Siemens was the general contractor for the construction. MAN was the subcontractor for the steel construction, ANT was the subcontractor for the receiving equipment and the construction of the antenna systems.[1] The concrete base for antenna one was built in April 1984 and the topping-out ceremony was celebrated on May 24, 1984. A telecommunications tower was built two kilometers northeast of the earth station. By the end of October 1984, the reflector of antenna one, with a diameter of 32 meters and a weight of around 100 tons, was mounted on the turnstile. It was assembled on site on the ground and lifted onto the antenna base using a special crane. The total height is 42 meters. Construction of antenna two also began in the same year. On July 1, 1985, antenna one was put into operation after the telecommunications equipment had been calibrated. Antenna two followed in the fall of 1985. Both antennas are largely identical to the two antennas erected in Raisting in 1981, both in terms of their external appearance and their main technical features.
The costs for the first two antennas and the communications equipment amounted to 78 million German marks. A further 30 million marks were spent on the construction of the operations building. The total costs at this time amounted to around 120 million marks[1].
Initially, five class A parabolic antennas with a diameter of 32 meters each were planned, which were to be erected gradually. Due to advancing technical developments, antennas three and four were built smaller, but with better signal quality. Due to the closure by Deutsche Telekom in the 1990s, the fifth antenna was never built.
Operation
[edit]
On July 26, 1985, the first traffic recording was made by antenna one via satellite with the Ceduna earth station in Australia. Antenna two was put into operation on November 11, 1985. On January 19, 1991, Deutsche Telekom decided to close the Fuchsstadt earth station due to alleged overcapacity in the satellite radio sector. Despite this decision, antenna three was put into operation on 18 June 1991 and antenna four on 7 June 1994, each with a mirror diameter of 18 meters. Other smaller antennas followed.
In addition to daily operations, there were several events in which the facility played an important role. The USA used it for its communications during the Gulf War in 1991/1992. This was followed by the satellite transmission of the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, the Australian Open tennis tournament and the 1998 Nagano Olympic Games.
Decommissioning
[edit]In 2000, the Fuchsstadt earth station, which employed more than 40 people, was closed by Telekom. This was preceded by Telekom's cooperation with France Télécom, with both companies agreeing to close one of their earth stations each.[1] France Telecom decided to close the station in Pleumeur-Bodou and keep Bercenay-en-Othe. [2] Telekom's decision as to whether to close Raisting or Fuchsstadt was ultimately made in favor of Fuchsstadt, as the then branch manager Walter Ral had campaigned for Raisting. [3] After the formal closure, Fuchsstadt was still used for transmissions from the Summer Olympics in Sydney in 2000. The earth station was then shut down for good. Antenna four was dismantled and reused in the Raisting earth station.
Acquisition by Intelsat
[edit]
The second active phase of the earth station began on April 1, 2002 with the takeover by the Intelsat Group, the second largest commercial satellite operator, which operates more than 50 satellites.[1] The facility was ceremoniously handed over to its new purpose on June 3, 2002 in the presence of Intelsat's CEO. In the beginning, Intelsat employed around ten people at the earth station. There are now more than 30 employees and the number is increasing, around half of whom had previously worked for Telekom at the earth station. On March 20, 2002, the Bad Kissingen District Office approved the construction of two new antennas on antenna field four.
In the first few weeks, Intelsat installed new technical components. In addition, access to the terrestrial cable network was improved. Construction of two 13-meter antennas began in the spring of 2002 and they were put into operation in June. From the outset, Intelsat's plans were aimed at expanding the earth station in order to provide more capacity for its customers. Initially, Intelsat received approval to expand the earth station to 15 antennas. Further antennas were approved in the following years. As a result, the earth station was expanded to over 40 antennas by 2009, influenced by the increasing demand for satellite communication. The new antennas have a diameter of 4.3 to 16.4 meters, but smaller ones with a diameter of up to four meters were also built. Planning permission has already been granted for a further three antennas, which can be erected if required. In July 2009, the construction of seven further antennas, four with a diameter of 16.4 meters and three with a diameter of 9.3 meters, was approved, meaning that the number of antennas will increase from over nine meters to over 30 after the expansion.
Operation of the earth station continued even after the takeover of Intelsat by four private equity companies in August 2004. In November 2004, a monitoring and control system for Intelsat satellites previously installed in Raisting was installed. Antenna arrays one, two and four were fenced in and video-monitored. The air conditioning systems to dissipate the heat generated were increased from 14 to 150 and three additional diesel generators were installed for emergency power supply. Under Intelsat and its successor, there were and still are sporting highlights such as broadcasts of the NBA, NASCAR car races and Formula 1. In total, Intelsat invested tens of millions in the earth station.
Structure of the system
[edit]
The entire facility is divided into several areas. It consists of the operations building, four antenna arrays with more than 40 fully movable parabolic antennas and the transmission mast. At present, 23 large parabolic antennas are used to transmit and receive signals into and from space. Intelsat has erected 20 of these in recent years, most of which are uniform in size (9.3, 13 and 16.4 meters in diameter). Two of the three older antennas have a diameter of 32 meters and the third has a diameter of 18 meters. Other antennas with a diameter of 4.2 to 6.3 meters are also used to transmit and receive signals. Other smaller parabolic antennas, with sizes up to four meters, can only be used to receive signals, with most of them coming from Intelsat.
The antennas over ten meters in diameter are mainly used in the C-band frequency range and the smaller ones, including the 9.3-meter antennas, in the Ku-band range in order to communicate with Intelsat's geostationary satellites. These satellites are located at an altitude of around 36,000 kilometers and serve Europe, North and South America, Africa and large parts of Asia.
Operating building
[edit]
The operations building consists of several interconnected building complexes, in which over 30 people are employed. The operations building consists of six structures divided according to function and covers an operating area of around 7,000 square meters.[1] Below this is the central control room, from where all important functions are monitored and operated remotely. The monitoring and control system for Intelsat satellites is housed in a specially secured part of the building.
The façade of the building is made of natural stone and has tiled pitched roofs. The operations building is connected to the antenna fields by cable ducts.
Power supply
[edit]
The earth station is supplied with power by two 20 kV lines from the Fuchsstadt substation. In order to maintain the power supply to the entire earth station in the event of a power failure, there are four stationary diesel engines in the operations building, which can be switched separately into emergency power and uninterruptible power. Three of the four diesel generators with connected generators were installed under Intelsat. The generator from the time the earth station was built has a slightly lower output.
In order to prevent the effects of voltage fluctuations from the public electricity grid - for example during switchovers or thunderstorms - on sensitive parts of the electrical systems, these are protected by a protective mechanism: the energy is buffered by a 2900 kilogram flywheel that rotates at 3300 revolutions per minute. This flywheel is used to generate electrical current, which is available to the sensitive electronic components of the earth station.
Antenna arrays
[edit]The earth station contains five antenna fields, four of which are equipped with antennas and are about 500 meters apart. The operations building, which is connected to antenna field one, is located within the four antenna fields. The four antenna fields are fenced in and under video surveillance.
| Antennas with a diameter of more than ten meters (as of 2008) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Designation of the antenna | Diameter | Antenna array |
| FUS-01A | 32 meters | one |
| FUS-02A | 32 meters | two |
| FUS-03A | 18 meters | three |
| FUS-04A | 13 meters | four |
| FUS-05A | 13 meters | four |
| FUS-07A | 16.4 meters | two |
| FUS-10A | 16.4 meters | four |
| FUS-11A | 16.4 meters | two |
| FUS-12A | 16.4 meters | two |
| FUS-14A | 16.4 meters | two |
| FUS-15A | 16.4 meters | four |
| — | 11 meters | one |
- Antenna array 1
Antenna field 1 is the main area of the earth station. The first antenna of the earth station from 1984 with a diameter of 32 meters is located here. The antenna consists of a main reflector and an interceptor reflector, which are aligned with the satellite using an automatic tracking system. The antenna can withstand wind speeds of up to 180 kilometers per hour. In contrast to the somewhat older antennas in Raisting, the antenna is equipped with a new type of hyperbolically curved support for the auxiliary reflector, and the rear reflector cladding is also missing. The antenna base has three storeys. The central air conditioning system is located on the lowest service floor. The other two storeys house the equipment for controlling the antenna and the transmission technology. A further operating room in the steel structure of the antenna is equipped with its own air conditioning system.
Two antennas have a diameter of 16.4 meters, two others 13 meters. There are also nine antennas with a diameter of 9.3 meters, one each with 11, 8.1, 4.6 and two with 4.2 meters. Two of these antennas are controlled by shelter boxes - containers with technology installed in them. There are also more than ten other antennas with diameters of up to four meters without shelter boxes.
- Antenna array 2
There is a 32-meter antenna from 1985, four other antennas, each with a diameter of 16.4 meters, as well as an 8-meter antenna and several smaller antennas. The 32-meter antenna is identical in construction to the antenna on field one. Like its counterpart on field one, the antenna was repainted in 2005. The four 16.4-meter antennas are controlled by two shelter boxes located inside the field.
- Antenna array 3
This antenna field contains an antenna from 1991 with a diameter of 18 meters. A further antenna with a diameter of 13 meters is planned.
- Antenna array 4
There was an antenna with a diameter of 18.3 meters and a total weight of 23 tons. This was dismantled after decommissioning and brought to Raisting. There are currently three antennas with a diameter of 16.4 meters, two with a diameter of 13 meters, two with a diameter of 9.3 meters, one with a diameter of 8 meters and other smaller antennas. There are several shelter boxes within the antenna field, which are necessary for the operation of the antennas.
- Antenna array 5
Originally, five antenna arrays were planned, each with a 32-meter antenna. Due to the decision to close the earth station in 1991, a fifth antenna was not built by Telekom. This antenna field was also taken over by Intelsat in 2002. No antennas are to be erected on this field in the future either.
- Telecommunication tower
The tower is located two kilometers north-east of the earth station on the Längberg (310 meters above sea level). The tower is used to broadcast radio and television, but also to transmit radio relay-based telecommunications, such as the transmission of telephone calls, from and to the earth station in the surrounding area. The height of the tower and the antenna located on it is determined by the need to be able to transmit and receive signals without interference over a large radius.
The tower is a modified telecommunications tower (FMT) 16 with four platforms, but without an operating floor. The tower shaft itself is 111 meters high; with the mast on top, the transmission mast has a total height of 137.5 meters. The platforms are located at heights of 79, 85, 92.5 and 100 meters. The lowest platform has a smaller diameter than the other three. There were several mirrors on the individual platforms, most of which were dismantled by Telekom after decommissioning.
Current situation
[edit]
Despite the insolvency-related takeover of Intelsat, the earth station is constantly being expanded. In 2007, three further antennas with diameters of 4.5 to 9.3 meters were erected in antenna field one. A further antenna is currently undergoing foundation construction. The foundation for this has been completed and contains the cables and fastenings for the future antenna. The local population has often criticized the expansion of the facility, which has now significantly exceeded the originally planned final expansion of 17 antennas from 2002.
Radiation
[edit]
The Federal Network Agency issues a certificate required for the use of each antenna. In addition, separate site certificates are issued, which specify the limits of the individual antennas for the height distance to residential buildings and terrain. Within these limits, prolonged exposure to radiation can lead to health problems. Very high energies occur in the center of each antenna reflector
Every antenna in Fuchsstadt has an elevation angle of at least eight degrees. This is to ensure sufficient elevation above the surrounding terrain and buildings. The specified safety distance in the main beam direction is 140 meters for antenna one, 245 meters for the second antenna and 236 meters for the third antenna. For antennas four and five, which were the first to be erected under Intelsat - two 13-meter antennas on antenna field four - the safety distance is 1,425 meters. The large differences in the safety distances depend on the different sizes of the antennas and the transmission powers used.
Criticism
[edit]
In the municipal council meetings of the municipality of Fuchsstadt, compliance with the radiation values of the individual antennas, some of whose main radiation directions point over built-up areas, was raised. Some members of the local council and citizens therefore demanded that the operator of the earth station provide proof that the antennas are harmless. Günter Zorbach, head of the earth station and former Telekom manager, referred to the site certificates issued by the Federal Network Agency, according to which the installation complies with all safety standards and assures that the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the antennas does not pose a risk to humans outside the limit ranges specified for each antenna[1].
However, critics see the fact that the antennas are set up at a minimum distance of twice the mirror diameter from each other due to interference as an indication that the antennas also expose their immediate surroundings to radiation. Zorbach argues that this lateral distance is only necessary so that two antennas do not interfere with each other if they transmit on the same frequency. The municipality has so far failed to have the radiation exposure in the vicinity of the installation investigated by neutral experts. However, it was also unable to fully interpret the radiation diagrams presented by Zorbach[1].
Also see
[edit]Weblinks
[edit]- Offizielle Internetpräsenz von Intelsat
- Pressebericht von Intelsat – Oktober 2006 (PDF; 1,12 MB)
- Telcom Report von Siemens (PDF; 2,30 MB)
- Erdfunkstelle Fuchsstadt bei YouTube
- Erdfunkstelle Fuchsstadt