Zusammenfassung der Ressource
3l Satellite
communications
systems
- GPS
- Applications
- SatNav
- Offers maps, directions and warnings ETC
- GeoCaching
- GeoTagging
- How it works
- 24 satellites in NAVSTAR constellation.
- Always at least 4 satellites in line of sight
- Uses 3 satellites to do trilateration,
using distance from each station
- Orbit earth twice a year
- Advantages
- O- No need for large maps
- O- Time saved planning journeys
- O- Calculates new route if error is made
- O- very accurate (as good as +- 30cm)
- O- Maps can be updated via internet
- O- GPS on phone can be used to find lost people
- Disadvantages
- X- Blind-spots due to tunnels or building
- X- Maps may not up-to-date
- X- Atmospheric conditions can affect accuracy of GPS
- X- Drivers may become lost if GPS breaksdown
- X- Desired destination may not be recognised
- X- Setting destination and looking
at SatNav may distract from driving
- Weather
- Applications
- Monitor cloud formations to
predict direction of weather fronts
- Collect data on snow ad ice cover, pollution
effects, fires, smog, dust and ocean currents
- How it works
- Can have geostationary orbit 35,000
km over one spot on the equator
- Used by TV companies
to provide cloud
formation photos
- Polar orbit, orbits over the
poles 850km above earth
- Higher quality pictures
- Can use thermal and infrared images
to find land and water temperatures
- Advantages
- O- Can monitor fires, hurricanes
and sand clouds to give warnings
- O- Can track energy usage and light pollution
- Disadvantages
- X- Expensive to build and launch satellites
- X- Weather forecasts may not always be accurate
- X- Concern over use of equipment for spying
- Television
- Applications
- Can watch more channels than with aerial due to high bandwidth
- Can be free to air or subscription
- Can be used with set top box to see TV guide
- How it works
- TV companies send signals fro earth to a geosychronous satellite
- Direct Broadcast satellite (DBS) encrypt signal so
homes can only receive channels they have paid for
- Signal compressed so more channels can
be broadcast with same frequency
- Satellite dish receives microwave signals from space
- Receicer, set top box, decodes and decrypts signals to
receive subscribed channels and decompress signal to
find individual channel
- Advantages
- O- High bandwidth=> Hundreds of channels available
- O- Can be received in remote areas where antenna signal is weak
- O- Encrypted signals so viewers can pay for one-off programmes or subscriptins
- Disadvantages
- X- Equipment/ subscription is initially expensive
- X- Need extra set top boxes to
have satellite TV in other rooms
- X- Weather conditions affects satellite signal
- X- Signal dish is unsightly