23/05/2020

EEE 443: Radar and Satellite

Communication

Course Teacher: Dr. Md. Saifur Rahman

Professor
Department of EEE, BUET

Satellite Link Design Example

Fig. x: Illustration of video distribution system supplying cable TV signals via a GEO satellite.
Satellite distribution of TV programs to cable TV systems is widely employed because a single
uplink earth station and a GEO satellite can send hundreds of TV channels to every cable
TV system in an entire continent. 2

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Satellite Link Design

The link budgets developed in the examples use decibel
notation throughout.
The satellite and earth stations are specified in Table 4.6a
and the propagation conditions in Table 4.6b.

Table 4.6a: System and Satellite Specification

Ku-Band Satellite Parameters
Geostationary at 73⁰ W longitude, 28 Ku-band transponders
Total RF output power 2.24kW
Antenna gain, on axis, (transmit and receive) Gt, Gr 31 dB
Receive/Transponder system noise temperature Ts sat 500K
Transponder saturated output power: Ku band Pt sat 80W
Transponder bandwidth: Ku band Btransp 54MHz

Satellite Link Design

Table 4.6a: System and Satellite Specification (Continued)
Signal
Compressed digital video signals: symbol rate Rs 43.2Msps
Minimum permitted overall (C/N)O in receiver (C/N)O 9.5 dB

Transmitting/Uplink Ku-Band Earth Station

Antenna diameter D 5.0m
Aperture efficiency of Transmitting antenna ηA 68%
Uplink frequency f up 14.15 GHz
Required C/N in Ku-band transponder (C/N)up 30 dB
Transponder HPA output backoff Bo xp 1.0 dB
Miscellaneous uplink losses Lmisc up 0.3dB
Location: −2 dB contour of satellite uplink antenna.

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Satellite Link Design

Table 4.6a: System and Satellite Specification (Continued)
Receiving/Downlink Ku-Band Earth Station
Aperture efficiency of Receiving antenna ηA 65%
Downlink frequency fdown 11.45GHz
Receiver IF noise bandwidth Bn 43.2MHz
Antenna noise temperature Ta 30K
LNA noise temperature TLNA 110K
Required overall (C/N)O in clear air (C/N)O 17 dB
Miscellaneous downlink losses Lmisc dn 0.2 dB
Location: −3 dB contour of satellite transmitting antenna

Satellite Link Design

Ku- Band Uplink Design
Uplink Noise Power Budget
Boltzmann’s constant k −228.6 dBW/K/Hz
Transponder noise temperature 500K Ts 27.0 dBK (26.9897)
Receiver noise bandwidth 43.2MHz B=Bn 76.4 dBHz (76.35484)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Noise power in the transponder N=Pn −125.2 dBW

Uplink (Carrier) Power Budget

Earth station transmitter power Pt Pt dBW
Earth station antenna gain Gt 55.72 dB (Calculated)
Satellite receiving antenna gain Gr 31.0 dB (Given)
Free space path loss Lp − 207.17 dB (Calculated)
Earth station on −2dB contour Lant − 2.0 dB (Given)
Atmospheric path loss Lup − 0.7 dB (Given)
Miscellaneous losses Lmisc − 0.3 dB (Given)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Received power at transponder input Pr Pt – 123.45 dBW 6

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Satellite Link Equation

What is a Link Equation?

where
La = attenuation in the atmosphere
Lta = losses associated with the transmitting antenna
Lra = losses associated with the receiving antenna

EIRP = Pt Gt

Fig.x: Calculation of received power from an uplink earth station with EIRP=Pt Gt watts
including losses. 7

Satellite Link Design

Ku-Band Uplink Design
The required power at the transponder input to meet the
objective of (C/N)up = 30.0dB is calculated as
Pr = – 95.2 dBW. (?? = xxx mW).

Hence, the required uplink transmitter power, Pt is given by

28.3 dBW or 675 W.

Comments and Suggestions: This is a relatively high

transmit power so we could increase the transmitting
antenna diameter to increase its gain, allowing a
reduction in transmit power.

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Satellite Link Design

Ku-Band Downlink Design
Downlink Noise Power Budget
Boltzmann’s constant k −228.6 dBW/K/Hz
Receiving system noise temp = 30 +110K=140K Ts 21.5 dBK (21.4613)
Receiver noise bandwidth, 43.2MHz Bn 76.4 dBHz (76.35484)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Noise power in the transponder N −130.7 dBW
Downlink Carrier Power Budget
Satellite transponder output power Pt 18.0 dBW (calcultd)
Satellite antenna gain Gt 31.0 dB
Earth station antenna gain Gr Gr dB
Free space path loss Lp −205.4 dB
Earth station on −3 dB contour of satellite antenna Lra −3.0 dB
Clear sky atmospheric loss Ldn −0.5 dB (Given)
Miscellaneous losses Lmisc −0.2*dB (Given)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Received power at earth station, Pr Gr – 160.1 dBW
* The writer assumed – 0.3 dB Misc. losses and Pr now equals Gr – 160.2 dBW 9

Satellite Link Equation

What is a Link Equation?
where
La = attenuation in the atmosphere
Lta = losses associated with the transmitting antenna
Lra = losses associated with the receiving antenna

EIRP = Pt Gt

Fig.x: Calculation of received power from a satellite with EIRP = Pt Gt watts including losses.
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Satellite Link Design

Ku-Band Downlink Design
The satellite transponder output power, Pt =18.0 dBW*.
(?? = xxx W).
[* Usable Pt = (80W ⇒ 19.03 dBW) – 1 dB Back off = 18.0 dBW.]
The power level at the earth station receiver input,
Pr = – 113.5 dBW. (?? = xxx mW).
Hence the receiving antenna must have a gain
Gr = 46.7 dB or 46774 as a ratio.
Hence, the required receiving antenna diameter is D =
2.23716m ≈ 2.24 m and (C/N)dn = 17.2 dB.

Suggestion: A 2.24m antenna could be used in practice, or

a larger dia antenna could be used to increase the
downlink rain attenuation margin. 11

Satellite Link Design

Table 4.6b: Propagation Conditions
Rain attenuation and propagation factors
Ku-band clear air attenuation (worst case)
Uplink 14.15GHz 0.7 dB
Downlink 11.45GHz 0.5 dB
Rain attenuation (worst case)
Uplink 0.01% of year 6.0 dB
Downlink 0.01% of year 5.0 dB

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Rain Effects at Ku-Band

Rain Effects at Ku-Band: Uplink
Under conditions of heavy rain, the Ku-band path to the
satellite station suffers an attenuation of 6 dB for 0.01%
of the year.
We must find the uplink attenuation margin and decide
whether Uplink Power Control (UPC) would improve
system performance at Ku-band.
The uplink (C/N)up was 30dB in clear air. With 6dB uplink
path attenuation, the C/N in the transponder (input) falls to
24dB (30.0–6.0), and assuming a linear transponder
characteristic and no UPC, the transponder output power
falls from 18 to 12dBW (18 – 6).

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Rain Effects at Ku-Band

Rain Effects at Ku-Band: Uplink
Rain in uplink still affects downlink parameters, when there is no rain in downlink.

As a result, the downlink (C/N)dn also falls by 6 dB from

17.2 to 11.2 dB, and the overall (C/N)o in the downlink falls
by 6 dB from 17 (clear air) to 11dB (at rain).
The required minimum overall (C/N)o in the receiver side
is set at 9.5dB, the additional margin for uplink
attenuation is 1.5 dB (11dB – 9.5dB).
Hence, the link margin available on the uplink is 7.5 dB
(6dB + 1.5dB) without UPC.
This is an adequate uplink rain attenuation margin for
many parts of the United States, and would typically
lead to rain outages of less than one hour total time
per year. 14

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Rain Effects at Ku-Band

Rain Effects at Ku-Band: Uplink
UPC could be implemented so that the earth station
transmitter output power is increased when the uplink
attenuation is estimated to have reached 3 dB, as
illustrated in the next Figure. This would hold the value of
the overall (C/N)o in the receiver at 14 dB (17 dB – 3 dB).
If the UPC system has a dynamic range of 6 dB, the
uplink rain attenuation margin is increased from 6 dB to
12 dB and the maximum Ku-band transmitter power is
increased from 28.3 dBW (675 W) to 34.3 dBW (2690W).

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Rain Effects at Ku-Band

Compensating Rain Effects at Ku-Band: Uplink

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Rain Effects at Ku-Band

Compensating Rain Effects at Ku-Band: Uplink

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Rain Effects at Ku-Band

Rain Effects at Ku-Band: Uplink
Worst Case Scenario: Rain attenuation exceeds 12 dB at
14 GHz for only a few minutes at a time in very heavy
thunderstorms, but there would only be a handful of such
occurrences in an average year.
UPC definitely improves the ability of the uplink to resist
rain attenuation, but at the expense of a considerably
more powerful, and expensive, uplink transmitter.
The extra expense can be justified in a video distribution
system with many receiving stations.
There is also an increased risk that the additional power
radiated by the uplink station when UPC is active will
cause interference at an unacceptable level into other
satellite links using the same frequencies. 18

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Rain Effects at Ku-Band

Rain Effects at Ku-Band: Uplink
Suggestion: It would be advisable to increase the earth
station antenna diameter to increase its gain and narrow
its beamwidth, and thus reduce the maximum transmit
power required and also reduce interference with adjacent
satellites.
With an uplink earth station antenna dia of 7m, the maximum
transmitter power is reduced to 25.35667 dBW (343.3W).
Redundancy Requirement: More than one uplink earth
stations is required for an operational video distribution
system, to provide alternate capacity if one earth station
is down for maintenance, or fails, or suffers excessive
rain attenuation.
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Satellite Link Design

Rain Effects at Ku-Band: Uplink
The earth stations are typically located in different
geographical areas to reduce the risk that heavy rain
affects two stations at the same time.

Table 4.6b: Propagation Conditions

Rain attenuation and propagation factors
Ku-band clear air attenuation (worst case)
Uplink 14.15GHz 0.7 dB
Downlink 11.45GHz 0.5 dB
Rain attenuation (worst case)
Uplink 0.01% of year 6.0 dB
Downlink 0.01% of year 5.0 dB

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Satellite Link Design

Rain Effects at Ku-Band: Downlink
Downlink Attenuation and Sky Noise Increase
The 11.45 GHz path between the satellite and the receive
station suffers rain attenuation exceeding 5 dB for 0.01% of
the year. Assuming 100% coupling of sky noise into antenna
noise, and 0.5 dB clear air (gaseous) attenuation, calculate
the overall C/N under these conditions.
Assume that the uplink station is operating in clear air.
We must calculate the available downlink fade margin.
We need to find the sky noise temperature that results
from a total excess path attenuation of 5.5 dB (clear air
attenuation plus rain attenuation);

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Satellite Link Design

Rain Effects at Ku-Band: Downlink
This is the new antenna temperature in rain, because we
assumed 100% coupling between sky noise temperature
and antenna temperature.
Important Note: We must evaluate the change in received
power and increase in system noise temperature in order
to calculate the change in C/N for the downlink.
In clear air, the atmospheric attenuation on the downlink is
0.5dB. The corresponding sky noise temperature is:
Tsky noise = 270 (1−10− 0.5/10) = 270 (1−10− 0.05) = 29.36225K*,
which leads to the antenna temperature of 30 K given in the
Ku-band system specification. [ * Ref. to Eqn. (4.19) or (4.30):
The medium temperature is assumed to be 270 K for the rain ].
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Satellite Link Design

Rain Effects at Ku-Band: Downlink
When the rain causes 5 dB attenuation, the total path
attenuation from the atmosphere and the rain is 5.5 dB
(0.5 dB + 5.0 dB).
The corresponding sky noise temperature is given by
Tsky rain = To(1 − G) K ; [ * Ref. to Eqn. (4.19)]
where
G = 10− A/10 = 0.282; A is attenuation in dB = 5.5 dB.
Hence, Tsky rain = 270 (1− 0.282) = 194 K
[ * The medium temperature is assumed to be 270 K for the rain ].

Thus the antenna temperature has increased from 30K in

clear air to 194K in rain.
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Satellite Link Design

Rain Effects at Ku-Band: Downlink
The system noise temperature in rain, Ts rain, is increased
from the clear air value of 140K (30K sky noise temperature +
110K LNA temperature) to
Ts rain = 194 + 110 = 304 K or 24.8 dBK
The corresponding increase in noise power is
ΔN = 10 log10 (304 ∕ 140) = 3.4 dB
The signal is attenuated by 5.0 dB in the rain, so the total
reduction in downlink C/N ratio is 8.4 dB (5.0 dB+3.4 dB),
which yields a new value for (C/N)dn rain as
(C/N)dn rain = 17.2 − 8.4 = 8.8 dB.

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Satellite Link Design

Rain Effects at Ku-Band: Downlink
The overall C/N is then found by combining the clear air
uplink (C/N)up of 30dB with the rain faded downlink
(C/N)dn rain of 8.8 dB, giving (C/N)o rain≈ 8.8 dB.
Use: 1 ∕ (C/N)o = 1 ∕ (C/N)up + 1 ∕ (C/N)dn (not in dB)
(C/N)up = (C/N)up clear sky = 30 dB ⇒ 1000 Hence, (C/N)o rain = 7.528885872
and (C/N)dn rain = 8.8 dB ⇒ 7.586 ⇒ 8.7673 dB

Remark: The overall (C/N)o rain of 8.8 dB is below the minimum

acceptable value of 9.5 dB. The 8.8 dB value does not meet
the requirement, and falls short by only 0.7 dB (9.5 – 8.8).
Design Modifications Needed: The writer suggests that the
falling short of the (C/N)o rain by 0.7 dB from the minimum
acceptable value of 9.5dB is a very narrow margin. In this
regard, he offers the following two options for solution. 25

Satellite Link Design

Rain Effects at Ku-Band: Downlink (First Option)
First Option: His first suggestion is to accept the design, as
is, and re-declare the downlink rain attenuation value for
which the overall (C/N)o rain meets the minimum acceptable
value of 9.5 dB.
Since the downlink atmospheric and rain attenuation of 5.5
dB causes the overall (C/N)o rain to go below the minimum
permissible value of 9.5 dB, we should recalculate the
maximum attenuation that the downlink can sustain.
This involves an iterative process, since changing the
attenuation changes both C and N values in (C/N)dn.

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Satellite Link Design

Rain Effects at Ku-Band: Downlink (First Option)
An intelligent guess and some iterations lead to the fact that if
the total path attenuation from the atmosphere and the rain is
(0.5 + 4.5) = 5.0dB, instead of the initially defined 5.5 dB. The
corresponding Tsky rain becomes 184.62 K, and the total increase
in noise power, ΔN, becomes
ΔN= 10 log10 [(184.62+110)/140] = 3.23 dB.
Thus, the total attenuation becomes 7.73 dB (4.5 dB + 3.23 dB).

Now, the (C/N)dn rain = (C/N)dn no rain – Attenuation

= 17.2 – 7.73 = 9.47 dB.
and after calculation, the (C/N)o rain becomes 9.432 (≈ 9.5 dB),
which may be regarded as closely satisfying the minimum
acceptable value of 9.5dB. 27

Satellite Link Design

Rain Effects at Ku-Band: Downlink (Second Option)
Now, if we accept the first option, and if the rain attenuation
becomes more than 4.5 dB, the performance in the received
signal quality will degrade and the outage time will increase. If
better availability is required – less outage time – the diameter
of the receiving antenna can be increased.
Second Option: Based on the above idea, the writer suggests
a second possible option, which is to increase the fade margin
in the receiver by increasing the diameter of the receiving
antenna from its initial calculated value of (2.23716m) ≈ 2.24m.
To do that let us first calculate the downlink link margin.
Now, the Downlink Link Margin is the
Downlink Fade Margin = (C/N)dn no rain − (C/N)minm
= 17.2 − 9.5 = 7.7dB. 28

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Satellite Link Design

Rain Effects at Ku-Band: Downlink (Second Option)
Increasing the diameter of the receiving antenna will increase
the fade margin. For example, if the receiving antenna
diameter is increased to 2.5m from 2.23716m (≈2.24)m, the
increase in antenna gain is 20 log10(2.5/2.23716) = 0.965 dB,
which increases the downlink fade margin from 7.7dB to
8.665dB (7.7+ 0.965).
Now, the 8.665dB fade margin will cover the total rain and
sky noise attenuation of 8.4dB (5.0 dB rain attenuation on
the downlink plus a noise power increase of ΔN=3.4dB.)
Receiving Antenna Gain Depends on the Diameter of the Antenna
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When D=2.23716m (≈2.24m), Gr = 46.700 dB; ratio = 46773.5.
When D=2.5m, Gr = 47.665 dB; ratio = 58410.5
Increase in Receiver Antenna Gain = 47.665 – 46.700= 0.965 dB
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 29

Satellite Link Design

Rain Effects at Ku-Band: Downlink (Second Option)
By increasing the dia from 2.23716m ≈ 2.24m to 2.5m, we
equivalently get an increased received power
Pr = (–113.5 + 0.965) dBW.
Now, the Power Balance Eqn. is verified as follows:
(–113.5 + 0.965) dBW = Gr –160.2 dBW
= 47.665 (≈ 58410.5) – 160.2 .
The equivalent (C/N)dn can now be considered as
(C/N)dn no rain = (17.2 + 0.965) = 18.165 dB.
The new downlink (C/N) ratio with the 5.0dB rain attenuation is
obtained as
(C/N)dn rain = (C/N)dn no rain – Attenuationrain & sky noise
= 18.165 – 8.4 = 9.765dB ⇒ 9.473271845.
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Satellite Link Design

Summary of Ku-Band Link Performance (Second Option)
Using (C/N)dn rain = 9.765dB ⇒ 9.473271845 and using (C/N)up =
(C/N)up clear sky = 30 dB ⇒ 1000 in the following Eqn., we can
find out (C/N)o rain. 1 ∕ (C/N)o = 1 ∕ (C/N)up + 1 ∕ (C/N)dn (not in dB)

After proper calculation, the overall (C/N) becomes

(C/N)o rain ≈ 9.384371154 ⇒ 9.724 dB.
Thus the extra antenna gain (47.665 – 46.700 = 0.965dB) now
ensures that the link meets the required specification of
(C/N)o rain ≥ 9.5 dB, which will ensure a maximum of about 50
mins outage in an average year in the eastern Untied States.
The Ku-band link with a 2.5m receiving earth station
antenna will suffer rain outages because rain attenuation
exceeding 5.0 dB could occur occasionally on the
downlinks, affecting individual customers. 31

Satellite Link Design

Rain Effects at Ku-Band: Downlink (Second Option)
A receiving antenna with a diameter of 2.5m or more is
needed to ensure that the Ku-band downlink will be out for
no more than 0.01% of an average year with the given
attenuation statistics.
Drawbacks: However, an increase in antenna diameter will
reduce the beamwidth of the antenna and may require an
upgrade in the tracking requirements. With a fixed pointing
antenna, diurnal motion of the satellite may cause a variation
in received signal strength as the satellite moves through the
antenna beam.
Concluding Remark: This option makes things more
complicated. It is advised to look for a better and more
realistic solution.
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Satellite Link Design

Rain Effects at Ku-Band: Downlink (Third Option)
Third Option: Redefine the minimum threshold < 9.5dB.
We can redefine the minimum requirement for the overall
(C/N)o to be 8.5dB or 8.0 dB, to be on the safe side. This
requires that we use upgraded/sensitive receiver equipment,
which can amplify the received low power signal with minimum
noise, and extract the required information properly.
Concluding Remark: If the minimum acceptable value for
the overall (C/N)o is set at 8.0dB, and appropriate equipment
is used for the reception, we can safely say that the design,
as is (with a receiving antenna dia, D = 2.24m, we have met
all the requirements of the system specification (a 5.0dB
rain and 0.5dB atmospheric attenuation), and can be
confident that our video distribution system will provide the
required availability. 33

Satellite Link Design

Summary of Ku-Band Link Performance (Option 3)
Outages will rarely occur on the uplink.
With UPC and a more powerful transmitter, uplink
outages can be restricted to a few minutes per year.
The threshold value for overall C/N was set at 8.0dB
because we can use QPSK and half rate error correction
coding to obtain an equivalent (CNR) ratio of about 14.0 dB
without coding.
Allowing a 0.5 dB implementation margin (see Chapter 5),
the BER on the downlink will remain below 10−7 except
when very heavy rain affects the downlink.
In clear sky conditions, there will be no errors on the link.
The 43.2 Msps QPSK signal with half rate FEC can deliver
a data rate of 43.2Mbps, which can support up to 10 live 34

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Satellite Link Design

Summary of Ku-Band Link Performance (Gen. Comments)
MPEG 2 video channels and 20 pre-recorded video channels.
The video distribution system described here is designed to
deliver multiple video channels to cable TV stations with
low risk of outages.
DBS-TV delivers video signals directly to the customer’s
location using a much smaller, 0.5m, receiving antenna.
The smaller antenna can be used because the DBS-TV
satellites transmit at a higher power level (typically 160W),
the symbol rate is lower (20–27Mbps) and availability of
the signal at the receiving antenna is guaranteed for only
99.7% of the year.
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Satellite Link Design

Summary of Ku-Band Link Performance (Gen. Comments)
The gateway station can transmit multiple carriers on
different frequencies to separate transponders on the
same satellite.
For example, by transmitting to five transponders, 50
full motion MPEG-2 compressed digital video
channels and 100 pre-recorded video channels can
be sent to every cable TV head end for distribution over
hundreds or thousands of local cable TV systems.
This requires five separate high power transmitters or an RF
combining network plus a single high power transmitter at
each uplink earth station.

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Satellite Link Design Example

Fig. x: Illustration of video distribution system supplying cable TV signals via a GEO satellite.
Satellite distribution of TV programs to cable TV systems is widely employed because a single
uplink earth station and a GEO satellite can send hundreds of TV channels to every cable
TV system in an entire continent. 37

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