One-Way Multiaddress Satellite Data Communication System

An experimental one-way multiaddress data communication system accommodating many small receive-only terminals is described. In this system, a digital facsimile is used as the output equipment. A simple one-way transmission protocol adopting the flag synchronization method has been developed so that facsimile equipment of different speeds can be used. The receive-only terminal comprises an antenna, an RF receiver, a demodulator, and a channel selector. The antenna is an offset parabolic type with an effective diameter of 60 cm and uses a printed spiral type primary radiator. Dimensions of the terminal are 70 cm wide, 88 cm deep, and 126 cm high. The satellite channel bit rate is 64 kbits/s in order to transmit multiple facsimile data simultaneously. Experiments using the Japanese "CS" satellite have been carried out to verify the system feasibility. The normal bit error rate was less than 10^-6and line errors occurred less than once in three facsimile transmissions.