Optimising compressed video satellite link budgets for reception at the margins

Broadcasting to a mobile military audience creates special problems for the service provider. The distribution network is often called upon to service new regions, sometimes at short notice. In order to extend the limits of satellite reception to meet these new requirements a careful evaluation of all the variables involved is necessary. The philosophy adopted in balancing the parameters relating to data rate, FEC, bandwidth, power and dish size are described. Particular attention is given to problems at low antenna elevations. This paper describes some of the ways that SSVC in the UK has approached the task.