A satellite system for CATV

The increasing capacity of CATV systems has generated a demand for more program material than can be economically generated with local facilities. A possible solution is a nationwide satellite distribution system dedicated to CATV which would provide the additional material directly to the CATV head-end. This paper presents a satellite system design that would distribute six TV channels to 10 ft antenna terminals located at the head-end. Since such a system requires thousands of receiving terminals, their cost must be minimized to produce an economically viable system. The system addressed in this paper requires a ground terminal that is comparable to a standard microwave relay terminal in both cost and complexity. The system consists of three satellites, covering the Eastern, Central, and Western portions of the United States. Based on tradeoffs of spectrum availability and low-noise amplifiers, the 12 GHz frequency band has been selected for the satellite to terminal link. The proposed terminal uses a fixed high-efficiency 10 ft antenna with extremely simple but rigid construction. A low-cost tunnel diode amplifier is used for the receiver front end. After the necessary down-conversion, detection of each channel is performed at the standard 70 MHz IF frequency. The required satellites could be launched on an Atlas Centaur launch vehicle using present technology. The satellites would weigh an approximate 1500 Ib and generate 5 kW of dc power.