An example of satellite "spot
beam"
footprints with a reception area of Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and
Central Command (CENTCOM). This coverage is for US Air Force satellites
F8, F9, F10 and SATCOM KU2 as well as leased commercial satellites Galaxy
10 and Telstar 11. These satellites were used to transmit Video,
Television and Internet data to remote locations and ships that
otherwise would not have that capability. These maps were created for
planning purposes as well as operations.
The ellipses/horseshoes
indicate the location where reception is available and the necessary
antenna diameter for receiving data. When searching for a satellite,
it's very important to know if the beam reaches your location.
The footprint of a communications satellite is the ground area that its
transponders offer coverage, and determines the satellite dish diameter
required to receive each transponder's signal. There is usually a
different map for each transponder (or group of transponders), as each
may be aimed to cover different areas. Footprint maps usually show
either the estimated minimum satellite dish diameter required or the
signal strength in each area measured in dBW.
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