Application of 2D-Direction Locked Loop Tracking Algorithm to Mobile Satellite Communications

Mobile satellite terminals especially with high-gain antenna require fast and accurate beam tracking algorithms for communication. The main topic of this paper is the extension of a tracking algorithm to mobile satellite communications, its implementation and performance. The presented considerations and simulation results concern low SNR condition and narrow antenna beam configuration as existing in satellite communications. The assumed satellite is geostationary. The work is presented in context of SANTANA-2 project, (Smart Antenna Terminal), founded and supported by the German DLR on behalf of BMBF. The realized terminal uses an antenna array in Ka-band and fully implements digital beamforming (DBF) to control the beam pointing direction and the antenna beam shape