Satellite Communications is full of people wanting more for less. More bandwidth, smaller dish, and cheaper too! If only life was that simple, well sometimes it is but unfortuneatley the laws of physics have a defining role in satcoms.

Antenna Size versus Data Rate

The maximum data rate an antenna can transmit and/or receive is proportional to the size of the antenna. A small antenna is always desirable because no body wants a huge antenna that is not easily transportable when travelling the world.

Specifying a data rate will define the required size of the antenna, therefore, specifying the required size of the antenna will define the data rate. This is a sliding scale which is known as a trade off.

Other trade offs also exist such as:

Transmitter power versus Data rate

In order to transmit a signal at a specific data rate, a link budget will require a specific transmit power level. This level is defined by the data rate, and visa versa.

Cost versus Size of the Terminal

A small terminal is often cheaper than a large terminal, a terminal being the antenna and all of the necessary RF equipment. The trade off is therefore between the size of the terminal required to provide the link at the data rate, and the cost of that terminal. This is also reversable, as the cost will inevitably determine the size aswell.

All of these many trade offs, there are many many more that could be listed, are used to help define and design new satcom terminals. Emerging technologies are often expensive but the benefit of using the latest in small and efficient devices sometimes outway the cost.

Award Winning Engineering Designs

The best satcom systems are designed by engineers and scientists working at the forefront of technology not by accountants. For companies to build an award winning design it just has to be simple to use, reasonably affordable and above all an engineering masterpiece.

One such product would be a calculator sized satcom terminal with keyboard, screen, video phone and a flip up lid containing the camera and antenna.

Maybe one day....