The course is targeted at engineers, technicians, and managers engaged in satellite communications in policy and regulation, coordination, and registration procedures and in technical operations. It covers a wide range of topics relating to satellite communications and regulatory aspects, including the role of regional and international satellite communications organizations. 

This is an intermediate course in Satellite Communications and is suitable for engineers, technicians and technical managers having general knowledge of, and work experience in, telecommunications operations, regulation, and spectrum management. The participant is expected to have attained a higher diploma /degree in telecommunications, electrical engineering, physical, computer engineering, or related fields.

The main objective of the training is to provide a general initial understanding of the main concepts of Satellite Communications, the regulatory aspects, satellite orbit resources, among several others.

Upon completion of this training course, learners will gain an understanding of the key aspects of:

• Basics of satellite communications
• Radio Regulations related to satellite orbit and spectrum resources
• Policy and regulatory guidelines for satellite services 
• Network planning and link budget analysis 
• Earth station and VSAT systems
• Radio Regulations related to earth station coordination and registration.

The course on “Satellite Communications and Radio Regulations Procedures” is an online, instructor-led training course with a six-week length. It uses various educational methods and tools to meet the needs of learners in online education. 

The course is structured around six Modules (one per week of the training course). Each module has:

• Power Point slides, 
• video recordings (of the instructor presenting the PPT slides) ,
• recommended reading materials, 
• a Discussion Forum,
• one-hour instructor-led online meetings, and 
• Quiz.

Materials for each module will become available on Mondays of each week. The instructor will post at the same time in the Discussion Forum, a new set of topics for discussion and close out the discussion of those topics after 7 days. Questions inside the video and PPT slides should be attempted as they give valuable hints to what could be contained in the Quiz.

The online meetings take place on Thursdays at 11:00 a.m. CEST on 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th of October 2023 and at 11:00 a.m. CET on 2nd and 9th of November 2023 (six meeting in all).

In each Module, the Quiz is opened immediately after the online meeting and remains open for 7 calendar days.

It is recommended that the learner watches the video recordings concurrently with reviewing the PPT slides after which they may read the recommended accompanying materials. Learners are encouraged to read the accompanying materials and/or other relevant information, books, articles and publications but mastery of these is not expected for passing this course.

For each module, the assessment of the participants shall be based the following parameters:

• Quiz: 60 %
• Online Meeting Attendance: 15%
• Participation in the Discussion Forum :25 %

Total: 100 %

A total score over the six modules higher than 70% is required to obtain the ITU certificate. Each module carries the same weight in computing the total score, but the learner must score at least 50% in each module to pass the course.

MODULE 1 – COMMUNICATION SATELLITES

i. Birth of Satellites and Satellite Launches

 ii. Orbits

iii. Radio Waves

iv. Signal, Noise and Spectrum

v. Modulation

vi. Propagation

vii. Space and ground segment

• Transponder
• Antenna and Polarization
• Level, Gain and Loss
• Footprint
• Earth Stations in Motion
• Satellite links

viii. Evolving Technologies and Technology Trends

MODULE 2 – POLICY, INSTITUTIONAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

 i. UN System and ITU

ii. International Legal Framework: the Radio Regulations and World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRC)

iii. The Role of National Administrators and Regional Coordinating Agencies 

iv. ITSO and other Specialized Agencies

v. Satellite Operators and Satellite Industry

MODULE 3 – ORBIT AND SPECTRUM RESOURCES

i. Satellite Services and Frequency Bands

ii. Access to Satellite Orbit/Spectrum Resources: 

• Coordination and Notification Mechanisms
• BSS and FSS Plans

iii. Harmful Interference Cases

iv. Introduction to BR Space Software 

MODULE 4 – SATELLITE COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

i. Network Topologies

ii. Access Schemes

iii. C-Band vs Ku-Band

iv. Internet Traffic over Satellite Networks

v. Coding and Modulation

vi. Introduction to Network Planning and Link Budget Analysis

MODULE 5 - EARTH STATION AND VSAT SYSTEM

i. ANTENNA

• Types
• Parameters

ii. UPLINK

• Modulation
• Up-converters
• Transmitters
• Inter Facilities Link

iii. DOWNLINK

• LNA/LNB
• Down-converters
• Inter Facilities Link
• Demodulation

MODULE 6 – EARTH STATION COORDINATION AND REGISTRATION

i. Purpose and Tools

ii. Demonstration of Earth Station Coordination and Registration

iii. Practical Exercise using Offline Earth Station Coordination Software (GIBC)

See full training course contents below.