Design, realization and application of a satellite simulator in a TWSTFT station

The national metrology institute of France for time and frequency LNE-SYRTE has developed a new microwave satellite simulator to be used for the determination and monitoring of the delay difference in the Ku-band two-way satellite time and frequency transfer (TWSTFT) earth station [1]. Such a device is more and more recommended by the CCTF working group on TWSTFT in order to better evaluate the time transfer uncertainty component related to the variation of the earth station delay difference between two consecutive calibration campaigns. We have realized a new calibration device with at least two different concepts from those currently in use [2]: a faster delay calibration process and a characterization of its internal delays using a microwave vector network analyzer (MVNA). The measurements and related uncertainties done with the MVNA are described in this paper. They are completed with those giving by the SATRE modem [3] during calibration sessions in order to perform the instability in noise of the whole system.