Pluto rescues beacon makers from
expensive OCXOs
Cospas-Sarsat
is a satellite system designed to provide distress alert and location
data to assist search-and-rescue (SAR) operations. It uses low-earth
and geostationary satellites to detect and locate the signals of
distress beacons operating on 406.028 MHz. The distress signal is
relayed to a network of ground stations and ultimately to a mission
control center, which alerts the appropriate rescue authority.
In the past,
Cospas-Sarsat beacons have required an OCXO (oven controlled crystal
oscillator) as the high-precision frequency source, and this has been
the beacon's most expensive component. However, TCXOs (temperature
compensated crystal oscillators) using key features of our Pluto temperature
compensation technology can meet Cospas-Sarsat requirements
in full at around half the price of the current OCXO solution.
Another key
benefit for beacon manufacturers is the comparatively low power
consumption of a Pluto-based TCXO — a factor of 50 better
than the OCXO. This reduces the size and weight of a battery with a
given lifetime, allowing smaller, lighter, lower-cost beacons to be
developed. The Pluto TCXO is also 32 times smaller than the OCXO, at
just 7 x 5 mm.
Related links:
E3279 beacon
TCXO specifications
E4150 (extended temp. range) beacon TCXO
specifications
Telecommunications applications
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