SATCOM Signal Lab

Signal path

Drag equipment into the five signal stages, or select a unit and then select its stage. Select a fitted unit to configure it.

NO LOCK

NO SIGNALComplete the link and press Validate & transmit.

Select equipment to open its settings.

Set up a simulated GEO video circuit. Pick C, Ku, or Ka band and keep both RF legs consistent with the chosen plan.

Read the five-stage signal guide

Baseband. Frame the source video data, apply FEC and modulate it onto a 70 or 140 MHz IF.
Uplink. Match the modem IF at the upconverter, tune the uplink RF, apply HPA gain and point the transmit dish.
Payload. Match the receive frequency. Bent-pipe translates and relays the carrier with its accumulated noise. Regenerative must decode the uplink, then can choose a new modulation and FEC for the downlink.
Downlink. Select the destination beam and tune the transmit RF. Weather affects the simplified margin on both legs.
Destination. Point the VSAT dish, match the RF and modem settings, then recover and deliver video.

Margins are an illustrative teaching model. Frequency pairs are example lab values.