Self-Sufficient Guide to ECE by JASON AMPOLOQUIO 5-91

Parameter Value
19,322 nmi,
Altitude 22, 300 smi,
36,000 km
Period 23 hr, 56 min, 4.091 s

Orbit Inclination 0°

Velocity 6879 mi/h

Coverage 42.5% of earth’s surface

3 for global coverage
Number of satellites
(120° apart)
Subsatellite point On the equator
Above 81° north and
Area of no coverage
south latitude

F. .EARTH STATION DESIGN PARAMETERS.

1. Antenna Look Angles

ª Angle of Elevation (AOE)

The angle subtended by the direction of travel of an
electromagnetic wave radiated from an earth station antenna
pointing directly toward a satellite and the horizontal plane.

⎡ 1 R ⎤
β = tan−1 ⎢ − ⎥
⎣⎢ tan φ ( R + h ) sin φ ⎦⎥

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ª Azimuth Angle
The horizontal pointing angle of an earth station antenna generally
referred to true north.

⎛ tan ϕ ⎞ β
Az = cos −1 ⎜ − ⎟
⎝ tan φ ⎠

2. Slant Distance
The Line-of-Sight (LOS) distance between an earth station antenna
and the satellite

( R + h)
2
d = −R sin β + − R 2 cos2 β

Where:
β = Angle of elevation in degrees
φ = cos −1 ⎣⎡cos ϕ cos λ ⎦⎤
ϕ = Latitude of Earth station antenna
λ = Difference in longitude between an Earth station antenna
and the sub-satellite point
h = Satellite HEIGHT in km
R = Earth's radius = 6378km
Az = Azimuth angle in degrees
Self-Sufficient Guide to ECE by JASON AMPOLOQUIO 5-93

Sample Problem:
Calculate the elevation angle, azimuth and slant range between the TVRO
site (38.8°N latitude, 77°W longitude) and Hughes Galaxy satellite that is in
a geo-stationary orbit at 134°W longitude above the equator.

Solution:
Elevation Angle
⎡ 1 R ⎤
β = tan−1 ⎢ − ⎥
⎣ tan φ (R + h ) sin φ ⎦
φ = cos −1 [cos(ϕ ) cos(λ )]
= cos −1 [cos(38.8° ) cos(134 ° − 77° )]
= 64.9°
⎡ 1 6400 km ⎤
β = tan−1 ⎢ − ⎥
⎣ tan(64 .9 ° ) (6400 + 36,000 ) sin(64 . 9 ° ) ⎦
= 16.8°
Azimuth Angle
⎡ − tan ϕ ⎤ −1 ⎡ − tan(38.8° ) ⎤
Az = cos −1 ⎢ ⎥ = cos ⎢ ⎥
⎣ tan φ ⎦ ⎣ tan(64.9° ) ⎦
= 247 .9°
Slant Distance

d = −R sin β + (R + h)2 − R 2 cos2 β

= −6400 sin(16.8° ) + (6400 + 36,000 )2 − 64002 cos2 (16.8°)
= 40, 105 .2 km

Answer : β = 16.8°, Az = 247 .9°, d = 40, 105 .2 km

3. Orbital Height (Vertical Height)

The average distance of a satellite above the surface of the earth.

General Solution Alternate Solution

gR 2 T 2 (4 x 105 ) T 2 2
h= 3 −R h= 3 −R h = 21.64 T 3 − R
4 π2 4 π2

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4. Orbital Period
The period of time that it takes a satellite to rotate around the earth.

General Solution Alternate Solution

3
(h + R) (h + R)3
T = 2π T = 2π
gR 2 4 x 105

5. Orbital Velocity
The apparent velocity of a satellite as it rotates around the earth.

Alternate Solution
General Solution
km/s m/s
2 π(h + R) 4 x 105 4 x 1011
ν= ν= ν=
T (h + R) (h + R)

T = orbital period in sec ν = orbital velocity

g = acceleration due to gravity h = satellite Height in km
R = earth's radius
= 9.81 m = 0.00981 km 2
s2 s = 6378 km
gR2 = gravitational constant
3
= 4 x 105 km
s2

Sample Problem:
Determine the orbital period and orbital velocity of a satellite located 15,000
km above the surface of the earth.

Solution:
Orbital Period

T = 2π
(R + h)3 = 2π
(6400 + 15,000 )3
gR 2 4 x 105
1 hr
= 31, 100 .72 sec x
3600 s
= 8 .64 hrs
Orbital Velocity

4 x 1011
ν =
(6400 + 15,000 )
= 4,323 .38 m
s
Self-Sufficient Guide to ECE by JASON AMPOLOQUIO 5-95

6. Propagation Time (One-way)

The amount of time it takes a signal to reach the satellite after it
leaves the earth station antenna or vice-versa.

Slant distance d
Ptime = =
Speed of light c

7. Propagation Delay (Two-way)

The amount of time that elapsed after the signal reaches the receiving
earth stations after it was transmitted by an earth station.

Ptime = Propagation time in sec

Pdelay = 2xPtime d = Slant distance in m
c = Speed of light
= 3 x 108 m
s

Reminder…
In some books propagation delay is the same as round-trip propagation time.

8. Free Space Loss

FSL = Free Space Loss in dB

FSL = 92 .4 + 20 log( f x d) f = Frequency in GHz
d = Distance in km

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Sample Problem:
Calculate the propagation time, propagation delay, and FSL for a geo-
stationary satellite located directly above an earth station antenna with an
operating frequency of 12 GHz.

Solution:
Propaga tion time Propagation delay
d 36 ,000 km Pdelay = 2 x Ptime
Ptime = =
c 3 x 105 km = 2(120 ms )
s
= 120 ms = 240 ms

Free Space Loss

FSL = 92.4 + 20 log(f x d)
= 92.4 + 20 log(12 x 36,000)
= 205.1 dB

For Your Information…

ª The average distance of an earth station from a geostationary satellite is between
36,000 to 42,000 km
ª The average propagation time for a geostationary satellite is between
120 ms to 140 ms
ª The average round-trip propagation delay for a geostationary satellite is between
240 ms to 280 ms
ª The approximate free space loss (at 6 GHz) for a geostationary satellite is between
199.1 dB to 200.4 dB

This means that your solution must be between these specified limits!

G. .SATELLITE FOOTPRINTS.

Footprint or footprint map is the geographical representation of a satellite antenna’s

radiation pattern.
Self-Sufficient Guide to ECE by JASON AMPOLOQUIO 5-97

Footprint Summary

Beam Coverage Area

Spot Beam
10% of earth’s surface Domestic coverage
Zonal Beam
Hemispheric
20% of earth’s surface Regional coverage
Beam
42% of earth’s surface
Global Beam Earth coverage
(using 17° beamwidth)

H. .EARTH STATION SYSTEM PARAMETERS.

1. Bit Energy
The amount of energy carried by a single bit of information.

Expressed in General Solution Alternate Solution

Pt
Joule/bps Eb = P t xTb Eb =
fb

dBJ or Eb = P t(dBW) +10 log Tb Eb = P t(dBW) −10 log fb

dBW/bps

ECE Board Exam: NOV 2002

In satellite communications system, for a total transmit power of 500 watts,
determine the energy per bit for a transmission rate of 50 Mbps expressed in
dBW.

Solution:
dBW
Eb =Pt(dBW)−10logfb = 10log(500) − 10log(50x106 ) = −40
bps

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2. Noise Density
Noise density is the noise power normalized or present in a 1-Hz
bandwidth.

Expressed in General Solution Alternate Solution

N
Watts/Hz No = No = kTe
BW

dBW/Hz No = NdBW − 10 logBW No = −228.6 + 10 log Te

dBm/Hz No = NdBm − 10 logBW No = −198.6 + 10 log Te

ECE Board Exam: NOV 2002

For an equivalent noise bandwidth of 10 MHz in a satellite system and noise
power of 0.0280 pW, determine the noise density in dBW.

Solution:
No = NdB − 10logBW = 10log(0.02 80x10-12 ) - 10log(10x1 06 )
dBW
= -205.53
Hz

3. Carrier-to-Noise Density Ratio

The ratio between the average wideband carrier power to noise
density.

Expressed in General Solution

C C
unitless =
No kTe
C
dB = C dBW − No(dBW)
No
Self-Sufficient Guide to ECE by JASON AMPOLOQUIO 5-99

System Carrier-to-Noise Density Ratio

1 1 1
= +
⎛ C ⎞ ⎛ C ⎞ ⎛ C ⎞
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎝ No ⎠S ⎝ No ⎠ UL ⎝ No ⎠DL

Sample Problem:
For a satellite communication channel, the uplink C/No ratio is 80 dB/Hz. And
the downlink value is 90 dB/Hz. Calculate the overall C/No ratio in dB/Hz

Solution:
⎛ C ⎞ 1 1
⎜ ⎟
⎜N ⎟ = = = 90.9x106
⎝ o ⎠S 1 1 1 1
+ +
⎛ C ⎞ ⎛ C ⎞ (108 )UL (109 )DL
⎜ ⎟ ⎜ ⎟
⎜N ⎟ ⎜N ⎟
⎝ o ⎠UL ⎝ o ⎠DL
= 10log(90.9 x106 ) = 79.586 dB/Hz

4. Energy Per Bit-to-Noise Density Ratio

Expressed In General Solution

C
Eb fb Eb C BW
Unitless = = x
No N No N fb
BW
⎛ Eb ⎞ ⎛C⎞ ⎛ BW ⎞
dB ⎜ ⎟ =⎜ ⎟ +⎜ ⎟
⎝ No ⎠ dB ⎝ N ⎠ dB ⎝ fb ⎠ dB

ECE Board Exam: NOV 1997

A coherent binary phase shift keyed BPSK transmitter operates at a bit rate
of 20 Mbps with a carrier-to-noise ratio C/N of 8.8 dB. Find the Eb/No.

Solution:
For BPSK system fb = BWNyquist
⎛ Eb ⎞ ⎛C⎞ ⎛ BW ⎞ 20 MHz
⎜ ⎟ = ⎜ ⎟ + ⎜⎜ ⎟ = 8.8 dB + 10log = 8.8 dB
⎜N ⎟ ⎟
⎝ o ⎠dB ⎝ N ⎠dB ⎝ fb ⎠dB 20 Mbps

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5. Gain-to-Equivalent Noise Temperature Ratio

A figure of merit used to represent the quality of a satellite or an earth
station receiver.

i. Usual Approach

Expressed
General Solution
in
G A r + ALNA
unitless =
Te Te
G
dB = A r(dB) + ALNA(dB) − Te(dBK )
Te

ii. Considering the antenna noise temperature

Expressed
General Solution
in
G A r + ALNA
unitless =
T Ta + Te
G
dB = A r(dB) + ALNA(dB) − 10 log(Ta + Te )
Te

A LNA = Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) gain

A r = receiving antenna gain
A = loss in feedline & antenna
Ta = effective noise temperature of antenna & feedline
= 290(A − 1) + Tsky
A

Sample Problem:
A receiving antenna with a G/T of 25 dB is used to receive signals from a satellite
38,000 km away. The satellite has a 100-watt transmitter and an antenna with a
gain of 30 dBi. The signal has a bandwidth of 1 MHz at a frequency of 12 GHz.
Calculate the C/N at the receiver.

Solution:
EIRP = 10logPtx + Gtx(dB) = 50 dBi ∴ FSLdB = 92.4 + 20 log{12 x 38,000} = 205.6 dB
C G
= RSLdB − NdB = EIRPdBW − FSLdB + + 228.6 dB − 10 log BW
N dB T dB
= 50 − 205.6 + 25 + 228.6 − 10 log(1 x 106 ) = 38 dB
Self-Sufficient Guide to ECE by JASON AMPOLOQUIO 5-101

Sample Problem:
Calculate the G/T of a receiving antenna with a gain of 38 dB and looks at
the sky with a noise temperature of 15 K if the loss between the antenna
and the LNA input, due to feedhorn, is 0.5 dB, and the LNA has a noise
temperature of 38 K.

Solution:
290(A − 1) + Tsky ⎛ 0.5 ⎞
G = 38 dBi - 0.5 dB = 37.5 dBi Ta = ⇒ A = log−1 ⎜ ⎟
A ⎝ 10 ⎠
290(1.12 − 1) + 15
= = 50 °K
1.12

G
= Ar(dB) + ALNA(dB) − 10log(Ta + Te )
Te
= 37.5 + 0 - 10log(50 + 38) = 18.16 dB

I. .SATELLITE ACCESSING TECHNIQUES.

1. Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA)

A method of multiple earth stations accessing technique where a given
RF bandwidth (typically 500 MHz) is divided into smaller frequency
bands (36 MHz) called subdivisions.

i. Single Channel Per Carrier (SCPC)

Each subdivision carries only one 4-kHz voice band channel.

ii. Multiple Channel Per Carrier (MCPC)

Several voice band channels are frequency-division multiplexed
together to form a wider subdivision.

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