As broadcast systems become increasingly reliant on satellite-based synchronisation, a new operational risk is emerging: GPS jamming. In a recent article for TVBEurope, Kevin Salvidge, Sales Engineering & Technical Marketing Manager at Leader Electronics Europe, addresses this growing concern.
At TEVIOS, as a partner and distributor of Leader Electronics, we felt it important to highlight the key takeaways and practical solutions discussed in this article.
Most broadcasters are well-prepared for cybersecurity risks, but far fewer have considered what happens when GPS signals are deliberately jammed. Unfortunately, that scenario is becoming more common, whether due to geopolitical tensions, accidental interference, or security protocols during high-profile events.
GPS jamming can disrupt:
- Timing in remote production
- Transmission synchronisation in Single Frequency Networks (SFNs)
- PTP-based timing in ST 2110 workflows
- Satellite uplink coordination
Even in controlled environments, such as presidential visits, GPS may be intentionally blocked for security reasons. If broadcast teams aren’t ready for that, critical timing issues may emerge just when reliability matters most.
What can be done?
Kevin Salvidge outlines an important mitigation strategy: implementing multi-GNSS synchronisation hardware.
The Leader LT4670, for example, is a hybrid SDI and IP SPG that supports not only GPS (US), but also Galileo (EU), GLONASS (RU), BeiDou (CN), and QZSS (JP) ; making it significantly harder to jam all signals at once.
Its internal OCXO oscillator ensures that, even if GNSS is lost, the system remains in “Stay-in-Sync” mode, maintaining stable timing. And when GNSS becomes available again, the “Slow Sync” function gently re-aligns timing to avoid any sudden shifts ; keeping video, audio and PTP references fully coherent.
If you’d like to learn more about the LT4670, don’t hesitate to reach out. Our team is here to assist with system design, demonstration units, or technical consultation.
📖 Read the full article by Kevin Salvidge on TVBEurope:
“Countering the GPS Jammers”