R&S®Series4100

HF RADIO SYSTEM
Shortwave ATC communications solution

Product Brochure
Version 01.00
AT A GLANCE
Shortwave communications are essential for radio coverage on beyond-line-of-sight links over oceans
and inhabited areas. The R&S®Series4100 adds long-range coverage to the CERTIUM® ecosystem for
a high-quality integrated solution.

IP-ready, future-proof Flexible platform

Modern air traffic control (ATC) systems are ­evolving The R&S®Series4100 is a powerful and flexible radio
toward flexible and scalable IP architectures based on platform that can be extended at any time. The modu-
EUROCAE ED-137 standardized network elements. lar design at both a device and system level allows
CERTIUM® components utilize all the advantages of the Rohde & Schwarz to present an objective-tailored solution,
IP technology, such as high flexibility and network resil- addressing the specific application and use case. In line
ience. The R&S®Series4100 employs highly reliable tech- with the platform's flexible nature, the R&S®Series4100
nology to give an IP ATC network shortwave capabilities, radios can be scaled for remote operation. Different radio
which improve the network's availability and versatility. sites can thus be centrally managed from a remote loca-
The R&S®Series4100 can be seamlessly integrated into a tion via IP. Together with minimal maintenance, this makes
range of IP based infrastructures, but its functions achieve for an optimized process.
their full potential when combined with other CERTIUM®
products. Meeting the standards
The R&S®Series4100 complies with the established
Going the distance EUROCAE ED-137B industry standard. The platform is a
In areas where VHF coverage is insufficient to sup- dependable tool with which the user can, in turn, offer
port a radio communications link over an air route's full a safe and standardized service. The R&S®Series4100
length due to range limitations, the use of HF frequencies also conforms to the ICAO Annex 10 (Aeronautical
becomes necessary. These frequencies provide long-range Telecommunications), which further ensures worldwide
radio link coverage for air-ground voice communications compatibility.
over major world air route areas (MWARAs) and regional
and domestic air route areas (RDARAs) above oceans, Universal globally, modular locally
deserts and other unpopulated territories. Since shortwave One of the greatest advantages of the R&S®Series4100
radio can sustain a radio channel beyond line of sight is that it is fully flexible and modularly customizable, but
(BLOS), it enables safe monitoring of air traffic through an also offers a broad range of features as standard. Built-in
uninterrupted radio link. features of the R&S®Series4100 would otherwise need to
be provided externally by third parties. This tried-and-true
Software defined radio approach from Rohde & Schwarz makes for a strong basic
The R&S®Series4100 HF radios are innovative and ver- configuration. Thanks to its native IP support, for exam-
satile software defined radios (SDR) that belong to the ple, the R&S®Series4100 does not require an additional
popular Rohde & Schwarz radio family. As such, the gateway. The broad Rohde & Schwarz peripheral portfolio,
R&S®Series4100 is variably configurable in terms of though, offers an end-to-end solution at the system level,
­auxiliary features. for example the range of HF antennas and accompanying
antenna tuning units (ATU) that harmonize optimally with
Cost-effective solution the radio.
The R&S®Series4100 enables the user to reduce ­logistical
and operating costs. As a software defined radio, costs
for spare parts and maintenance are lower. Having fewer
internal hardware components further helps boost reliabil-
ity compared to conventional radios.

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Place in the CERTIUM® ecosystem The individual elements of the CERTIUM® suite har-
CERTIUM® is an advanced ATC communications suite monize with each other to provide integrated func-
from a single source that increases safety and efficiency tionality. CERTIUM® VCS is particularly well suited to
beyond existing standards. the R&S®Series4100, since it provides access to its
extended features such as selective calling (SELCAL). The
All CERTIUM® products are seamlessly integrated into CERTIUM® MANAGEMENT centralized control unit turns
a single portfolio. Using the R&S®Series4100 in combi- an already capable radio into a comprehensive ATC solu-
nation with other CERTIUM® system components pro- tion. The CERTIUM® NETWORK, CERTIUM® ANALYSIS
motes deeper system integration, greater interoperabil- and CERTIUM® SERVICE units round off the platform by
ity and easier centralized monitoring and management. maximizing operating safety and efficiency and providing
Cross-integration between the individual subsystems has easy and intuitive operation.
been thoroughly tested to ensure flawless and reliable
operation.

CERTIUM®
RADIOS
CERTIUM® Reliable software defined radios for air
ANALYSIS traffic control, including the brand-new
R&S®Series5200 featuring an innovative
Ensure regulatory compliance
security-by-design architecture.
with market-leading test and
measurement solutions for
VoIP networks, radios,
navigation, radar and
satellites.

CERTIUM®
VCS
CERTIUM®
The quad-redundant, IP based
voice communications system
NETWORK
CERTIUM® VCS-4G integrates Delay-free network encryption,
perfectly with the entire ATC session border controller and
portfolio to ensure safe, secure high availability network components
and efficient operation. ensure the reliability and security
of ATC networks.

CERTIUM® CERTIUM®
MANAGEMENT LOCATE
Easy-to-use centralized Increases situational awareness
management of VCS and radios by highlighting the communicating
provides real-time view of aircraft on the radar screen.
system and enables smooth
network operation.
CERTIUM®
SERVICE
70 service centers worldwide
CERTIUM®
provide customers with support GATEWAYS
close by, 24 hours a day,
Seamless integration of legacy
7 days a week, ensuring smooth
applications into IP infrastructure
operations for many years.
enabling phased migration scenarios.

Rohde & Schwarz R&S®Series4100 HF Radio System 3

 BENEFITS AND
KEY FEATURES
Rohde & Schwarz has developed a state-of-the-art
generation of communications systems designed
to take HF radio to the next level.

Superior HF radio for ATC

► Frequency range for long-distance coverage:
1.5 MHz to 30 MHz (transmission),
10 kHz to 30 MHz (reception)
► Transmission power of up to 4 kW
► Voice compressor
► Noise blanker
► SELCAL
► page 5

Safe around the globe

► Well-established in service worldwide
► High availability and georedundancy
► Beyond line of sight (BLOS)
► MWARAs and RDARAs support
► page 8

Full system integration

► Remote and split-site operation
► EUROCAE ED-137B and ICAO Annex 10
► Full integration within CERTIUM®
► Matching range of HF equipment
► IP connectivity and VoIP support
► page 10

Prime quality pays off

► Turnkey solution
► Rugged and environment-resistant design
► Minimal maintenance
► Modular design
► page 14

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SUPERIOR HF RADIO FOR ATC
The excellent HF performance of the R&S®Series4100 extends CERTIUM® quality to the HF band.

Skywave or "skip" propagation Shortwave propagation

Due to the physical nature of shortwave (i.e. HF) propa-
Iono gation, it is possible to transmit or receive messages well
s
(latit phere
ude beyond line of sight, which is otherwise the limiting fac-
200
to 300
km) tor of VHF/UHF. This is shortwave radio's key application
ave

ht
sig advantage, making it an ideal choice for monitoring or
Skyw

e of m) 33 000 ft
in k HF beyond line
F l 00 coverage of vast areas where dense ground infrastructure
VH ax. 4 of sight (2 000 km)
(m is impossible or infeasible to deploy, e.g. over deserts and
oceans. ATC benefits greatly from this in terms of safety,
Earth since the radio link between the aircraft and controller can
be maintained throughout the flight, regardless of dis-
tance, duration and terrain.

Enhancing reach
Higher equivalent mean transmission power The voice compressor is a vastly practical solution imple-
mented as a standard feature on the R&S®Series4100
1 kW peak radio that improves speech comprehension and transmis-
sion range. Loudness equalization creates signals that are
louder in terms of audio and stronger in terms of equiva-
lent transmission power. The increased mean level of the
compressed signal means that the system's transmitting
500 W power is better utilized, effectively achieving the transmis-
mean power
compressed sion range of a system with up to double the equivalent
power.
250 W
mean power Noise blanker
uncompressed
Another useful feature, available as standard, is the noise
blanker, which blocks various undesired reception signals
including noise, electromagnetic interference and emis-
sion pollution from long power lines or electric fences.
Given the large coverage area of shortwave radio, the
negative impact of such interference sources could easily
Increased transmission range compromise the radio link's integrity.
With voice compression
Power classes
Various application scenarios call for various output power
levels. Thanks to its modular architecture, the HF radio
system can be set up in different output power configu-
rations ranging from 150 W to 4 kW. The modular struc-
ture – a design philosophy of the CERTIUM® ecosystem
– ensures maximal flexibility at all levels of the communi-
cations system and gives the user the freedom to choose
what fits best.
Without voice compression

Rohde & Schwarz R&S®Series4100 HF Radio System 5

SELCAL Efficient antennas and matching ATUs
The selective-calling radio system (SELCAL) is used to Rohde & Schwarz offers a range of HF antennas to cover
alert pilots that a controller wants to communicate, even the particular frequency range and power level require-
when the aircraft's radio has been muted. With SELCAL, ments. Moreover, Rohde & Schwarz provides correspond-
the transmission of four specifically coded audio tones to ing planning and installation services to create a cus-
the aircraft informs the pilots of an incoming call over HF. tomized solution based on specific terrain and radiation
The R&S®Series4100 fully supports the transmission of the pattern requirements. To complement the antennas and
characteristic SELCAL tones. The CERTIUM® VCS system ensure harmonic system integration, Rohde & Schwarz
generates the tones and both SELCAL and SELCAL32 are additionally offers a wide range of antenna tuning units
supported. (ATU) that dynamically match the transmitter to the
antenna.

SELCAL signaling

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R&S®Series4100 POWER CLASSES
150 W transceiver 500 W / 1 kW system 2 kW system 4 kW system

R&S®XK4115 transceiver R&S®GX4100 receiver/exciter R&S®GX4100 receiver/exciter R&S®GX4100 receiver/exciter

R&S®VK4150/VK4190 R&S®VK4190 R&S®VK4190

500 W/1 kW power amplifier 1 kW power amplifier 1 kW power amplifier

R&S®VK4190 R&S®VK4190
1 kW power amplifier 1 kW power amplifier

R&S®FK4192 R&S®VK4190
2 kW combiner 1 kW power amplifier

R&S®VK4190
1 kW power amplifier

R&S®FK4192
2 kW combiner

R&S®FK4192
2 kW combiner

R&S®FK2920
4 kW combiner

Rohde & Schwarz R&S®Series4100 HF Radio System 7

SAFE AROUND THE GLOBE
Your recent transatlantic flight probably relied on the R&S®Series4100. The CERTIUM® range
has established Rohde & Schwarz as a leading global ATC infrastructure provider.

Highways in the sky Experience counts

The airspace of the North Atlantic (NAT) is easily the busi- Rohde & Schwarz has made a name for itself with its
est oceanic airspace in the world. Rohde & Schwarz is HF expertise and tradition of quality service. ATC is no
glad to have provided the HF radio infrastructure used exception – a point proven by the deployment of the
for ATC coverage of the Shanwick, Gander, Reykjavík and R&S®Series4100 on MWARAs and RDARAs around
Bodø OACCs. Together with the CERTIUM® VCS in vir- the world.
tual center mode between Shanwick and Reykjavík, the
R&S®Series4100 radio is responsible for supporting the
HF link on all­tracks of the North Atlantic Organized Track
System from end to end, thereby playing a key role in
enabling safe ATC.

Coast-to-coast coverage

Bodø OACC
Reykjavík OACC

Gander OACC

Shanwick OACC

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Where oceans meet Long-haul support
At the border between the Indian and the Pacific Oceans, In the world of ATC, safety is of critical importance.
the Philippines oversees the air traffic in a large airspace Rohde & Schwarz therefore offers a responsible and
over parts of the South China Sea, the Philippine Sea, forward thinking s­ ervice. For ATC and business alike,
the Sulu Sea and the Celebes Sea using R&S®Series4100 Rohde & Schwarz is there for the long haul, providing com-
radios. With further applications in India, Indonesia and munications solutions to ensure you get where you want
New Zealand, Rohde & Schwarz plays an elemental role in to go safely.
supporting safe air travel and enabling international ATC
through HF coverage over all the Earth's oceans.

Competent guidance every step of the way

Rohde & Schwarz R&S®Series4100 HF Radio System 9

FULL SYSTEM INTEGRATION
Although perfectly capable as a standalone unit, the R&S®Series4100 achieves its full potential
within the CERTIUM® ecosystem.

IP connectivity EUROCAE ED-137B

The R&S®Series4100 radio family comes equipped with The R&S®Series4100 complies with the established
an IP interface as standard, which can be used for remote EUROCAE ED-137B standard, which makes it fully com-
control, configuration and transmission of digital voice to patible with any compliant IP based voice communications
and from the radio. Thanks to this IP interface, the radio system. Using the R&S®Series4100 together with other
can be easily integrated into systems using a single cable. systems of the CERTIUM® portfolio, however, gives the
Furthermore, local VoIP domains can be interconnected. user maximum functionality.

CERTIUM® VCS integration
Tried and tested integration between the R&S®Series4100
radio and CERTIUM® VCS provides the controller with
unique functionality. The CERTIUM® VCS acts as a central
control hub that simultaneously brings individual chan-
nels together – various band radios, phones and peripheral
Radio remote control via IP network accessories. The controller can see the status of the radio
and change the frequency and other parameters such as
R&S®Series4100 remote
control and audio equipment modulation. Furthermore, CERTIUM® VCS enables essen-
tial functions such as SELCAL and role management.

IP
Voice
Control network

R&S®Series4100 radio

Access the R&S®Series4100 HF radio with the

R&S®GB5400 controller working position.

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 CERTIUM® MANAGEMENT integration
Network connectivity within the CERTIUM® ecosystem
provides a flexible connection between the system's indi-
vidual components. The R&S®RCMS II platform enables
the CERTIUM® MANAGEMENT solution to offer additional
system monitoring and control methods, including from
a remote location. This makes it no longer necessary for
the operator to be at the same location as the radio itself,
therefore enabling remote or split-site operation.

Remote operation with

CERTIUM® MANAGEMENT.

Seamlessly harmonized
Any network is only as strong as its weakest link.
Rohde & Schwarz carefully assembles compatible system
modules with particular attention to the interfaces con-
necting the system's different portfolio elements. With
a range of HF antennas, corresponding antenna tuning
units (ATU) and application-specific radio site planning and
installation, Rohde & Schwarz ensures the safety of the air
route by making sure that the message gets across from
the controller working position through the antenna and
into the airspace.

Rohde & Schwarz offers a broad range of auxiliary

HF equipment such as the R&S®HX002 antenna.

Rohde & Schwarz R&S®Series4100 HF Radio System 11

Remote and split-site operation User-tailored
Thanks to VoIP connectivity, the user has the freedom to The R&S®CERTIUM® ecosystem is designed so that the
plan and lay out their network to maximize efficiency for user can flexibly and efficiently choose relevant system
their application. Through remote operation, control per- modules to best fit their requirements, including for single
sonnel do not need to be physically located at the radio components such as the R&S®Series4100. This increases
site. Rather, with the help of the CERTIUM® VCS platform, the customizability of an already comprehensive portfolio.
a remote control center can remotely manage one or more
separate radio sites, thus optimizing workforce resources
and improving service quality. Additionally, the split-site
functionality of the R&S®Series4100 enables spatial sepa-
ration between transmission and reception radio sites to
further improve crosstalk and intermodulation immunity.

Split-site
Transmit TX site

Control center

Operator
console no. 1

IP network
RX site

Operator
console no. 2

Receive

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Fully IP based CERTIUM® environment

IP VCS Monitoring IP PBX Analog phone TDM PBX Classic VCS

probe
PSTN

Session border controller Telephony gateway

Monitoring
Telephony server VCS gateway
probe

Radio server Radio gateway

Analog radio
Management server

NTP server

Secured IP network
Quality assurance manager

Network encryptor

Third-party Recorder
systems Monitoring VHF/UHF VoIP radio
probe

Management terminal (VCS and RCMS)

HF VoIP radio

Standard controller working position VoIP phone Compact controller working position

Rohde & Schwarz R&S®Series4100 HF Radio System 13

PRIME QUALITY PAYS OFF
The R&S®Series4100 helps you sustainably optimize your processes by
lowering maintenance and lifetime costs.

Built to last
The R&S®Series4100 has a rugged and durable design in a
19" rackmount form factor. Conforming to accepted stan-
dards for operating temperature, mechanical influences
and electromagnetic compatibility, the R&S®Series4100 is
proven to withstand a wide range of environmental condi-
tions. This design enhances the radio's reliability and oper-
ability. Illustrated on the left is the 2 kW transceiver config-
uration in a single 19" rack.

Minimal maintenance
A variety of control and monitoring functions have been
implemented to reduce the need for intervention. Built-in
test functions allow service and maintenance to be much
more targeted and efficient. Remote analysis eliminates
the need for on-site service, which further reduces mainte-
nance requirements.

A turnkey solution
With the CERTIUM® ecosystem design concept,
Rohde & Schwarz provides a complete end-to-end solution
throughout the entire system lifecycle from a user-specific
design to its integration and the long-term support service.

Increased availability
With mean times between failures in the tens of thou-
sands of hours for its individual components, the
R&S®Series4100 provides exceptional availability beyond
industry acknowledged standards. In practical terms, this
means expected uninterrupted operation for a few years
and a mean repair time of a few hours.

Self-regulation
In line with the measures taken to minimize maintenance,
the R&S®Series4100 radio employs a number of auto-
matic self-regulatory mechanisms to prevent operation
under unfavorable conditions in the first place. For exam-
ple, when the ambient temperature is not in the speci-
fied –20 °C to +55 °C range, the transmitter automatically
decreases its output power to maintain operation. When
the temperature returns to the specified range, it reverts
back to steady operation without any manual intervention.

The sturdy 19" rack provides a solid chassis

for the 2 kW setup shown here.

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Modular design
The Rohde & Schwarz CERTIUM® ecosystem prioritizes
scalability and configurability. On the one hand, this gives
the user more choice when setting up a particular con-
figuration. On the other, it leaves more scope for exten-
sion or customization down the line. The R&S®Series4100
follows this concept and continues the modular struc-
ture approach at the device level. All RF modules can be
exchanged without recalibrating the radio, which saves
time and effort.

Custom configuration and straightforward maintenance.

Rohde & Schwarz R&S®Series4100 HF Radio System 15

 Rohde & Schwarz
Service that adds value The Rohde & Schwarz electronics group offers innovative
► Worldwide solutions in the following business fields: test and mea-
► Local and personalized surement, broadcast and media, secure communications,
► Customized and flexible cybersecurity, monitoring and network testing. Founded
► Uncompromising quality
► Long-term dependability more than 80 years ago, the independent company which
is headquartered in Munich, Germany, has an extensive
sales and service network with locations in more than
70 countries.

www.rohde-schwarz.com

Sustainable product design

► Environmental compatibility and eco-footprint
► Energyefficiency and low emissions
► Longevity and optimized total cost of ownership

Certified Quality Management Certified Environmental Management

ISO 9001 ISO 14001

Rohde & Schwarz training
www.training.rohde-schwarz.com

Rohde & Schwarz customer support

www.rohde-schwarz.com/support

3608640212
3608.6402.12 01.00 PDP/PDW 1 en

R&S® is a registered trademark of Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG

Trade names are trademarks of the owners
PD 3608.6402.12 | Version 01.00 | February 2021 (ch)
R&S®Series4100 HF Radio System
Data without tolerance limits is not binding | Subject to change
©  2021 Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG | 81671 Munich, Germany