A Refresher On The Components Of VSAT Terminals

Byintersat

Satellite communication is used by a huge number of people across the planet. In fact, it may touch your lives in ways you don’t even know. Right from satellite TV to GPS systems, there are many ways satellite technologies are used by people today. While most people think of massive arrays and constellations when dwelling talking about satellites, this technology implies to many more elements. For example, the Very Small Aperture Terminal, or “VSAT” system.  Usage of VSAT Internet in Africa is quite common, as this satellite communication technology provides stable connection to areas where it is not feasible to install typical terrestrial systems.

VSAT Terminals are often referred to as “private earth stations.” They are extensively used for both personal and commercial purposes in Africa today. In fact, there is a good chance that the satellite dish you see on the roof of your neighbor or office is a VSAT terminal.  The “very small” part of the essentially refers to the size of the antenna reflector used on the system. This reflector is generally less than 3.8 meters in diameter. A VSAT terminal is not too complicated at all. It just consists of two primary components, the Outdoor and Indoor units. You can easily get the system installed with the help of a good VSAT Engineer in Africa.

The ODU or Outdoor Unit of the VSAT system tends to encompass everything you see outside the building where the terminal has been located. This equipment also allows the terminal to transmit and receive signals to and from the satellite. The ODU comprises of:

  • The reflector
  • The feed that is meant to both transmit signals toward, as well as receive signals back from the reflector
  • The Block Upconverter (BUC) is used for transmission, and features a local oscillator and a power amplifier
  • The Low Noise Block Downconverter (LNB) used for receiving signals

The ODU tends to be connected to the indoor VSAT component with the help of an Intra-Facility Link (IFL) cable. In most cases, a coax cable is used for this purpose. The Indoor Unit (IDU) includes an IP router and modem that connects to an Ethernet interface. It is here that the data is received by end-users, as well as data and commands are entered in to be transmitted back to the satellite. Detailed insight into the workings of VSAT Equipment in Africa can be found on the web.