A single hop data/voice VSAT

The hub-configured double-hop VSAT (very small aperture terminal) considered to be a cost-effective method for transmitting/receiving low-speed data during the 1980s was costly in terms of quality, transmission delay, loss of revenue, and dependence on the hub station. It is demonstrated that newer satellites, combined with the state-of-the-art ground station technology of the late 1980s, eliminate the need for double hopping. Calculations show that a satellite earth station equipped with a 1.2-m antenna can transmit and receive a data rate up to 64 kb. Analytical results indicate that it is possible to design a station with 1.8-m antenna for transmitting and receiving data rates higher than 64 kb