|
Ka-Band internet is offered via the Anik F2 satellite, located at 111.1°West and Anik F3 at 119°W.
If Ku-Band (9.75-12.75GHz) revolutionized television via satellite in the 90s, Ka-Band has revolutionized internet via satellite.
Technical background
A Ka-Band signal is very narrow: it is approximately 15mm wide, as opposed to 30mm for a Ku-Band and 75mm for a C-Band signal. Given such a narrow signal, Ka-Band is ideal for spot beam distribution: the Ka-Band footprint of Anik F2 consists of 45 spot beams that cover Canada and the United States. Each spot beam is 36MHz wide. The Ka-Band operates in the 18.3-18.8 and the 19.7-20.2 GHz range for downlink frequencies and 28.35-28.60 and the 29.25-30 GHz range for uplink frequencies.
 |
Traditional Ku-Band coverage as currently available on Anik F2
(used by Star Choice and other television / V-Sat services) |
There are 6 groups of spot beams. Each group can re-utilize frequencies from the previous group and each group is operated by a dedicated gateway to the internet on the ground. The gateway stations are located in Vancouver, Winnipeg and Toronto for Canadian operations. Wild Blue, the US operator has 3 gateways in the US. The Network Operations Center (NOC) is located in Allan Park, ON.
 |
| Spot beam coverage on Anik F2 for 2-way internet via satellite.
(this footprint is not representative of the actual Ka-Band coverage of Anik F2)
|
Not unlike C-Band, Ku-Band or any other satellite receive station, Ka signals received by the outdoor unit on the antenna are downconverted into a frequency range that can be carried through coaxial cable - the lower portion of the L-Band (950-1450 MHz). Signals sent to the outdoor unit travel in the 1800 to 2300MHz range, which is why it is critical to use only certified RG6 coaxial cable for Ka-Band installations (such as CommScope 5729 or 5773 RG6 coaxial cable).
Unlike Direcway or other V-Sat terminals (Very Small Aperture Terminal), the Ka-band modem must be located between 50' (15m) and 150' (46m) from the outdoor unit - no more, no less - in order to work properly. If you intend to use your internet via-satellite service more than 150' (46m) away from the outdoor unit, the modem must be installed within the 150' range and the rest of the distance must be covered using approved CAT-5 Ethernet cable. If your modem is located less than 50' (16m) away from the antenna, extra coaxial cable must be left rolled up under the antenna or next to the modem.
In order to amplify the receive and transmit signals, the outdoor unit receives 30VDC from the indoor modem via the transmit coaxial cable. This is one reason why it is critical to use only the highest grade coaxial cable and F-Connectors available.
|
