Satellite TV Basics

How Does Satellite TV Work?

A satellite is an object that orbits around another object in space. The satellites we’re speaking of transmit television directly to the consumer. These satellites require a special orbit, so a little information about orbits is a good place to start in understanding satellite television basics.

The time it takes for a satellite to complete an orbit depends upon its distance from the object that it orbits. The moon is a natural satellite that is 238,328 miles from Earth. It takes 27.32 days for the moon to complete one orbit of the Earth. The space shuttle operates in a low Earth orbit. The shuttle orbits less than 200 miles to about 350 miles above the Earth. The average time for the space shuttle to complete an orbit around the Earth is about 90 minutes. The moon takes longer to complete an orbit of the Earth because it is much further from the Earth than is the space shuttle. The type of orbit that is required of the satellites that transmit television signals to the Earth lies between these two extremes.

In order for a satellite to be used for television transmission, it must “hang” over one spot above the Earth. The types of orbits described so far would require a receiving dish that is constantly moving, in order to keep up with the transmitting satellite. Satellite TV satellites are in a geosynchronous orbit that exactly matches the speed that the Earth spins.

When a satellite is in a geosynchronous orbit, the satellite appears to be stationary when viewed from the ground. In order to accomplish a geosynchronous orbit, a satellite must be directly over the equator and about 22,300 miles from the Earth. This area around the Earth is often called the Clarke Belt. Satellites maintain proper positioning in the Clarke Belt with onboard fuel. Ground stations constantly monitor these satellites to make any adjustments that are necessary to keep a satellite in it’s orbital slot.

The television signals transmitted by a satellite are quite different from the television or radio signals that are broadcast over the air. The particulars of a satellite TV signal are beyond the scope of this small article, but there are some basics that you should know. Satellite TV is transmitted by microwaves. Microwaves don’t behave like the lower frequency radio waves of off-air television or radio, which can bounce off obstructions, clouds, and the ground. Microwaves are strictly line of sight. In order for a satellite TV dish to receive a signal, there can be no obstruction between the transmitting satellite and the receiving satellite dish.

The very first thing that a prospective dish owner should do is perform a site survey in order to ensure that there are no obstructions blocking the satellite(s) of interest. Because microwaves are highly directional, the satellite TV dish and associated components must be properly aligned.

Satellite television in the USA is divided into two major types. The first major type is TVRO. TVRO satellite systems have a large dish which is movable. The movable dish enables a TVRO system to view programs on the many satellites that are positioned in the Clarke Belt. TVRO satellite systems are also called BUD, Big Dish, C-Band, and Full View satellite TV. Just remember that if the dish is large (usually 6 – 12 feet across) and it moves, it is a TVRO satellite system.

The second major type of satellite TV is DBS which have small, stationary dish (18 inches to 3 feet across). In the US there are currently 2 major types of DBS satellite systems. Each DBS system requires it’s own special receiving equipment and has it’s own programming line up. The 2 major types of DBS systems are DIRECTV and Dish Network.

There are only a couple of choices in satellite TV dish systems. The Direct Broadcasting System (DBS) features a small, easy to install satellite dish and a digital quality picture and a host of channels. Conventional large satellite dish systems also provides all the channels but it is hard to install and requires some maintenance.

The programming packages for the DBS satellite TV dish systems comes from the manufacturer of the DBS hardware. You can choose the programming, then get the hardware that comes with it, or choose your preferred brand of hardware, then subscribe to the programming that’s available for it.

The large C-band satellite TV dish systems offer unlimited number of channels and you may not need to subscribe for its programming. But it is now a slow market, with only one company manufacturing C-band receivers. The giant 7/12-foot C-band satellite TV dish systems require professional installation and ongoing maintenance.