Pathfinder – A Brand New Fibre Optic Link Between PTB and PSNC

2024-11-01

Pathfinder – A Brand New Fibre Optic Link Between PTB and PSNC
The installation of the Pathfinder link between the German National Metrology Institute (PTB) in Braunschweig and the Poznań Supercomputing and Networking Center (PSNC) was successfully completed. It is likely the first link of the entire network of European connections dedicated to time and frequency transfer (promoted by GÉANT as part of the C-TFN). The installation itself went very smoothly and was completed just a week after the fiber was delivered on the German side.

The link between the PTB and PSNC was installed on a pair of optical fibers provided by PIONIER/PSNC in Poland (~270 km) and leased by GÉANT in Germany (~420 km). In total, the link is 690 km long and has 10 ILAs – signal amplification points (2 x 10 amplifiers). In the line, one regeneration point of the ELSTAB system was used (for time and 10 MHz frequency transfer). In contrast, the link for Optical Carrier transfer was successfully implemented without extra signal regeneration points. Both types of transmission are carried out by the same optical fiber. Transmission equipment provided by PSNC (developed and manufactured in Poland by AGH + PSNC) was used to implement this link.

The realization of this project was possible thanks to the active support of the GÉANT network and a large group of people associated with various European projects concerning fiber-optic T/F transfer. Their combined efforts and dedication created the critical mass needed to initiate the construction of a pan-European network.

Here are the results of a brief evaluation of the PCSS->PTB->PCSS link (2×690 km), presented in the form of a graph.