Fixed VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminals) antennas are available in Ku, Ka, C and X-Band (specific transmit and receive frequency bands) and from sizes as small as 75cm or as large as several meters in diameter.
The smaller models will most often be used at remote locations supporting a single terminal whereas the larger models are to be found in teleports where stronger reception and transmission is needed to achieve higher bandwidth required for the HUB to process the data traffic.
Fixed antennas are less expensive than their auto-acquiring and mobile counterparts and are ideal for individual remote systems which are on a solid and stable location and do not need to be moved once installed.
For a complete ready to use VSAT system you will need
- A parabolic VSAT antenna
- A BUC (Block Up Converter) transmitter to transmit your data to the satellite
- An LNB (Low Noise Block) receiver which will receive the signals reflected off the parabolic dish and bring down its frequency so it can be used by the modem.
- A modem to convert the Radio signal into a data signal
As a rule we suggest to always select the largest parabolic dish you can install/afford. A larger parabolic antenna will offer a much stronger signal which will result in higher throughput speed. It will continue to work in bad weather when smaller models will fail.
From a transmit point of view the higher speed you require the stronger the signal the satellite receives from you will need to be. This can be achieved in two ways: by increasing the size of the parabolic antenna (which will actually make the beam more narrow) and by increasing the transmit power (BUC Power). In case of doubt how much bandwidth you will be able to transmit always ask your VSAT operator for a link budget which will calculate exactly what you can expect from certain equipment on your end and their equipment at the teleport..