title: Satellite Communications Systems Engineering: Atmospheric Effects, Satellite Link Design and System Performance
author: Louis J. Ippolito Jr.
description: <b>Provides an invaluable, detailed and up-to-date coverage of atmospheric effects and their impact on satellite communications systems design and performance.</b>
zlib_text:  
   
  Sheet 
  1 of  12 
   
  Satellite Communications Tutorial 
  J P Silver  
   
  E-mail: john@rfic.co.uk 
   
  1 ABSTRACT 
  This tutorials discusses the key areas of satellite 
  communications, discussing the various elements of a 
  satellite communications system eg antennas, path 
  loss etc. The communication system elements can 
  then be connected together and analysed to deter-
  mine a link budget. 
   
  2 FREQUENCIES FOR MICROWAVE 
  SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS 
  The frequencies used for microwave satellite communi-
  cations are determined by 
  (i) the absorption of the atmosphere as a function of 
  frequency 
  (ii) the antenna size needed to produce a beam with the 
  required angular spread 
  (iii) international agreements/regulations 
   
  2.1 ATMOSPHERIC ABSORPTION 
  Figure 1 & Figure 2 indicates the average atmospheric 
  absorption as a function of frequency at different alti-
  tudes above sea-level and the effects of rain and fog.  
  Note that the figures cover different frequency ranges. 
   
  Note 1. The first grap