Charles M. Rush et al.

Abstract: The Institute for Telecommunication Sciences has undertaken an assessment of the link margin required for the satisfactory performance of a direct broadcasting satellite service operating in the high frequency (HF) and in the very high frequency (VHF) bands. The assessment involved the determination of a number of issues relating to performance of HF and VHF satellite-based transmission systems. These issues included determining under what conditions a frequency allocated to the broadcasting service can be expected to reach the surface of the Earth from a satellite, the loss of signal strength due to passage through the ionosphere, the impact of sporadic E and ionospheric ducting, the effect of scintillation on broadcast performance, the impact of Faraday rotation on system design, and the possibility of a satellite-based broadcasting service interfering with existing ground-based services. In this report, the results of this study are presented.

Keywords: HF propagation; direct broadcasting satellite; Faraday rotation; HF broadcasting satellite; ionospheric loss; ionospheric penetration frequency

Disclaimer: Certain commercial equipment, components, and software may be identified in this report to specify adequately the technical aspects of the reported results. In no case does such identification imply recommendation or endorsement by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, nor does it imply that the equipment or software identified is necessarily the best available for the particular application or uses.

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