A Terrestrial Air Link for Evaluating Dual-Polarization Techniques in Satellite Communications

Abstract : This article describes the radio frequency design and test data for an experimental terrestrial air link, which simulates a satellite-to-ground communications link operating in a dual polarization frequency reuse mode in the 17.7-to-21.2-GHz band. The terrestrial air link comprises a transmit site located on Mount Pack Monadnock in Temple, New Hampshire, and a receive site 42.2 km away in Westford, Massachusetts. The transmit site uses a 1.8-m-diameter dish, and the receive site uses an 18.3-m-diameter dish enclosed by a 28.4-m-diameter air supported radome. The terrestrial air link provides a test bed for evaluating atmospheric effects of fading and scintillation, along with amplitude, phase, and polarization distortion that can compromise the performance of satellite-to-ground communications systems.

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