European satellite broadcasting with L-Sat - Technical concept and experimental program

The L-Sat payload components for two 12-GHz-band TV channels (one covering Italy and one for experimental national or European experimental broadcasts) are briefly characterized, and preliminary plans for their use after the launch of L-Sat in 1986 are reviewed. A single antenna and receiver are used for the 18-GHz uplink, with a 3.7 x 2.4-deg 3-dB-illuminated zone; channel amplifiers with AGC, 230-W TWTA transmitters, and pointable antennas provide 62-dBW EIRP in channel 24 for Italy and either channel 20 or channel 28 for the experimental program, which is to last 3 years and include both production experiments (such as simultaneous translations and use of multiple subtitles via videotext) and technical trials (such as power control and forward adaptive cross-polar cancellation on the uplink). Maps of the coverage areas, block diagrams, tables, and drawings are provided.