Air-Ground Voice Communication in ATM

Prof. Ivan Markežić, Ph.D.

Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences
ivan.markezic@fpz.hr
Štefica Mrvelj, M.Sc.
Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences
mrveljs@fpz.hr
Miro Cvitković, B.Eng.
Crocontrol Ltd.
miro.cvitkovic@crocontrol.hr

Abstract: The increase in air traffic imposes 3. Connecting VCS and communication
considerable demands on limited communication capacity equipment
and contributes significantly to the decrease of quality of
air-ground voice communication. The paper focuses on Remote Control Equipment (RCE) is an interface
defining the measures of quality of air-ground voice
communication that can be used to evaluate
in radio communication equipment that allows
telecommunication services. Voice delay is critical for air connecting of A/G communication infrastructure
traffic safety. In our research we will analyze the problems to VCS.
of air–ground voice communication in the current systems
and present the possibility of migrating current systems to
new communication and information technology

1. Introduction

Apart from a number of new technologies that are
currently being applied in air traffic control for A/G
(Air - Ground) message exchange, voice
communication is still very significant.
The foreseen increase in air traffic requires also the
implementation of new advanced concept of ATM
(Air Traffic Management) system that would be
based on modern information and telecommunication
technologies. This work will present the analysis of
the current A/G voice communication status with
special consideration of the delay-sensitive services.
2. A/G voice communication
A/G voice communication currently uses VHF (Very
High Frequency), AM (Amplitude Modulation) of
bandwidth 25kHz or 8.33kHz. For radio
communication the aeronautical VHF band of
118MHz to 137MHz is used. In order to ensure
normal communication with several aircraft, the
airspace is organized in sectors i.e. through three-
dimensional space which is defined by the bottom
and top altitude limit FL (Flight Level) and the
geographical points – sector borders.
The basic principle of A/G communication is based
on the direct access to the radio channel within the
area intended for aeronautical communication. Voice
is transmitted from the controller to the VHF
equipment by means of VCS (Voice Communication
System) and G/G (Ground/Ground)
telecommunication infrastructure.
Figure 1: Connecting RCE and VCS
Many manufacturers of VCS deliver RCE as an
integrated part of the radio interface since at the
moment there are no developed standards for this
area. The majority of VCS system manufacturers
use their own standards to connect the VCS and
the radio communication equipment, with
problems mainly coming to the fore in digital
communication systems. VCS is usually
connected to RCE by point-to-point connections
without the possibility of addressing the radio
network and radio stations via transit nodes. This
type of connection requires many point-to-point
connections between the VCS and the remote
radio stations.
At the moment, there is no international
organizational body that would define the radio
interface and the signalling standard to connect
VCS and the radio communication infrastructure,
i.e. to receiving and emitting equipment. Even in
case when analogue E&M (Earth and Mark)
signalization is used, that is adapted to the radio
interface, also several different types of E&M
signalling are applied.
In the process of migration to the digital radio
interface that would enable connecting of VCS
and RCE, the signalization methods are being
developed depending on the individual producers.
Usually, serial data interface RS232 or RS485 is
used for control and monitoring of the radio
equipment. Also, RCE may use the same path
which transmits the voice with the application of
FSK (Frequency Shift Keying) modulation.
4. Analysis of delay-sensitive A/G
communication services
4.1 Push to Talk (PTT)
Transmission on radio equipment is possible only
while the PTT button is activated, in order to
eliminate possible errors and occupancy of the radio
channel.
The PTT delay parameter defined by the majority of
VCS manufacturers is <50ms. This delay is the time
from the moment the user pushes the PTT button to
the moment the signal reaches the transmitter. The
PTT delay parameter in many VCS equipment
manufacturers using point-to-point 64kbps or E1
digital leased connection is <20ms.
This delay includes several components including the
activation of VCS interface, link transmission,
processing in RCE, activation of transmission, etc.
The time from the moment of detecting the activated
PTT and the selection of line and its activation has
been defined by Eurocontrol, and has to be <10ms
(2). Signalization currently used, i.e. E&M interface
can satisfy this requirement.
4.2 A/C Call (Squelch)
The term Aircraft call (A/C) or Squelch is used in
order to indicate that the receiver is receiving the
carrier frequency to which it is adjusted and that the
signal level is higher than the set threshold, i.e. the
reception is above the noise level. Many radio
receivers indicate this signal as squelch; if this is
enabled on the VCS, this signal can be used to
indicate the call made by an aircraft to CWP
(Controller Work Position) and to turn on the audio
component such as the headsets, loudspeakers, etc.
Squelch delay is the delay from the moment of
identifying squelch in RCE equipment until the
moment of activating the muting signal in VCS, i.e.
the moment when voice can be heard on CWB at the
selected frequency.
Activation of VCS radio interface, i.e. time from the
detection of the squelch signal and generating of
results to any Aircraft call and activation of any mute
signal at the frequency has been defined by
Eurocontrol guideline documents as the time <10ms
(2).
4.3 Voice Activity Detection
This parameter can be configured in the very VCS in
case when A/C (Squelch) signal cannot be provided
by the radio equipment. If the audio level is higher
than the nominally set threshold known as pseudo-
squelch the A/C (squelch) indication to CWP is
generated and the audio path to other units such as
the loudspeaker, headset, etc. is switched on. During
this process the time of voice detection and
comparison with the threshold can be greater than the
nominally set squelch level which is received by the
radio equipment.
5. Analysis of technological and traffic
characteristics of A/G communication
5.1 Frequency Cross-coupling
Cross-coupling function forwards the received audio
from any of the frequencies into the defined groups
(minimally two frequencies) in order to re-emit voice
from one to another frequency. By using this
function, the user who has one frequency set can hear
what is said on the other frequency. This function can
be often used in the very busy airspace with high
traffic volume. In this way it is possible to connect
several physical radio interfaces into one logical
frequency.
5.2 Best Signal Selection (BSS)
There is often need to cover by one frequency a large
geographic area or area where the relief
configuration causes shadows in radio coverage.
Then it is necessary to install several radio devices in
such a way as to satisfy the condition of radio
coverage by a higher quality signal in the entire
geographic area, for all aircraft regardless of their
position.
Figure 2: BSS function
Many VCS devices use the BSS (Best Signal
Selection) technique, also known as Receiver
Voting. This allows automatic selection of the
best signal at any moment.
5.3 Automatic Transmitter Selection
This option provides automatic transmission at
the frequency selected by the receiver by means
of Receiver Voting function. At any moment, if a
frequency is activated CWP will indicate which
transmitter has been currently selected for the
transmission.
5.4 Climax
This function allows parallel transmission, i.e.
combination or connection of several groups of
transmitters for a single radio channel. This
function can be used for radio coverage of large
geographic areas by setting the frequencies on the
transmitters into offset.
CLIMAX is also known as Multi-carrier
operation or Off-set carrier transmission and is
currently used only in Air-Ground Voice
Communication to increase the coverage due to
restrictions brought by VHF communication.
Today, the application of the Climax operation is
limited by the channel width of 25kHz, where
also the migration to channel width 8.33kHz will
result in a still bigger problem in using of this
function. Because of this the classic Climax work
method cannot be used in channel width 8.33kHz.
The progressive decline in the size of sectors and
increase in the availability of land lines reduces
the need for Climax systems.
The difference in delay should not be bigger than
10ms, for emissions at different radio locations;
if the delay is greater this can cause echo in the
aircraft. In some systems compensation is
performed in order to keep the delay difference
within the required frames.
6. Analysis of delay in A/G communication
Voice delay understands the time necessary to
transmit voice from end to end between the speaking
and the listening person.
Delay occurs already during A/D conversion and
depending on the applied voice compression method
e.g. for compression of PCM (Pulse Code
Modulation), A law (G.711) amounts to 0.75ms
whereas for compression ADPCM (Adaptive
Differential Pulse Code Modulation) (G.726) it
amounts to 1ms.
It is obvious that the voice coding technique with
lower compression has also shorter delay, i.e. delay is
increased by increasing the level of compression.
According to recommendation ITU-T G.114 it has
been defined that the acceptable end-to-end voice
delay during transmission through
telecommunication network amounts to up to 150ms
(4).
If voice is transmitted to geostationary satellites then
the delay is 260 ms including also the infrastructure
on ground it may be 350ms. Therefore, satellite
communication can be currently used only as a
backup system or in case there is no alternative for
voice communication.
Activation of PTT through VCS must not be delayed
more than 10ms from the moment of pushing the
PTT switch until the arrival of PTT signal to the
interface port for radio communication; the same
request is set also for the identification of the
Squelch signal (10ms) to identification within VCS
and indication on HMI i.e. activation of
loudspeakers.
Because of greater delay, collision may occur if
transmission is started at the same time by several
participants at the same frequency. Current radio
communication methods are based on the listen-then-
emit principle, if the delay is greater e.g. 180ms then
this may result in simultaneous emission of several
participants thus losing very important parts of
communication.
Apart from the problem in transmission there is also
the problem present in the reception. There is often
the need to cover huge geographic areas, so that the
usage of the currently only available BSS technique
performs the selection of the most favourable
receiver, the processing of this signal for the
selection of the receiver can cause delay of 6 to
400ms, which can create greater problems in
communication since the delay greater than 100ms
can lead to difficulties in communication between the
pilots and the controller.
In case of solving the problem of radio coverage two
main problems are currently present:
 in up-link direction different delay times of
PTT signal and voice,
 in down-link direction different delay times
between SQ signal and voice.
6.1 Delay in analogue voice transmission
PTT and SQ have to be synchronized with voice, if
in-band signal for PTT and SQ 2040Hz is used, in
this way the delay is kept at the minimum, it is never
0 but it is satisfactory.
The difference in the received signals from many
remote locations has to be processed in the VCS
radio interface which often increases the delay. The
systems for A/G communication currently have no
standardized method of controlling the audio path
nor the possibility of directing the voice by
alternative routes and the possibilities of automatic
measuring and adjustment of delay parameter.
the
6.2 Delay in Digital voice transmission
The ATS QSIG protocol solves the majority of the
problems according to the Gatwick Algorithm, which
makes it possible to code together the voice and
signalization in order to solve the voice delay
problem regarding signalization (PTT and SQ).
Figure 3: Delay in AG communication VCS - Radio
Figure 3 presents the components of delay in A/G
communication from VCS to radio equipment and
according to the technical specifications of
equipment manufacturers it amounts to about 21ms,
not including the measurement in the national
network.
Figure 4: Delay in AG communication in the
national network
Figure 4 presents the delay components in A/G
communication from VCS to radio equipment
including also the delay in GG national network
which amounts to about 98ms. In this case there is
already the difference in delay between the voice and
signalization which results from the need to code the
voice and conversion into one of the digital standards
for voice transmission; by increasing compression
the difference in delay is increased, which creates
additional problems in communication. Delay can be
substantially increased if there are several
multiplexers in the national GG network, which each
for itself causes delay necessary for processing the
signals, and it is additionally increased if the entire
equipment is not synchronized to the same clock
signal source.
Figure 5: Delay in AG communication in national
and international network
Figure 5 presents the delay from VCS to radio
equipment including also the delay which occurs in
the national and international GG network and
amounts to more than 125ms. It is obvious that the
delay reaches its maximally allowed values and also
by implementing the analogue transmission method
it is not possible any more to satisfy the requirements
for realizing the radio coverage in large international
sectors which creates additional problems in the
process of harmonization and integration within
Eurocontrol.
7. Measuring delay through G/G
communication systems
In order to have insight into the realized delays in the
national GG network the delay was measured
through digital and analogue network. The
measurement results show that digital transmission
with G.703 interface in relation to 4-wire E&M
interface features much smaller delay and is more
favourable for the application of new technologies in
A/G communication.
Figure 6: Measured delay in national digital network
By measuring in the digital network on the relation
radio site-TMA-ACC the delay amounts to 7.48ms
(Figure 6). The delay in analogue network on the
relation radio site-ACC amounts to 68.90ms and on
the alternative route the radio site-ACC it amounts to
86.60ms (Figure 7). The mentioned delays refer only
to one direction of transmission.
9. Literature
(1) Eurocontrol: ETAMP Communication Strategy –
Volume 2 –Technical description, Luxembourg, 2003
(2) Eurocontrol: Voice Communication System
Procurement Guidelines, 2003
(3) ICAO: Manual of Air Traffic Services (ATS)
Ground-Ground Voice Switching and Signaling,
2002
(4) http://www.itu.int/, 2007

Figure 7: Measured delay in national analogue

network on alternative route

It is obvious from the measurement results that

analogue transmission systems bring a very large
delay which additionally creates the problem while
performing the function of radio coverage such as
BSS, Climax, etc.

8. Conclusion

From the analysis of the current condition of the

system for A/G communication and the possibilities
for voice transmission through G/G and A/G
infrastructure it is obvious that delay can be present
in all the system segments.
The communication system has to transmit voice and
signalization within the delay limits that are defined
by the standards and recommendations of ICAO and
Eurocontrol (2,3). By meeting these requirements it
is very difficult to follow the future strategies for the
integration and harmonization of the systems in
ATM.
Apart from the present sensitivity of the system to
delay it is necessary to abandon the analogue systems
for the transmission of voice and signalization and to
convert to digital systems in order to increase the
reliability and efficiency of A/G communication
systems.
The introduction of digital communication systems
in A/G and G/G communication opens up the
possibilities of applying intelligent terminals for the
transmission of messages necessary for air traffic
control as well as for creating the preconditions for
finding and applying new technologies for high-
quality solving of problems of radio coverage
including opening of high-quality possibilities for
ATM system integration.