Link budget worksheet
March 17, 2009
1 Link Budget
The calculation of the power, that we have to use in the link satellite - earth
(down-link) and in the reverse path (up-link), is called Link-Budget.
It’s necessary to examine a lot of parameters to define perfectly the link budget:
1. Calculation of Uplink path loss
1.1 Up link frequency: up link frequency is frequency at which Ground Station
is communicating with Satellite. For C band, for example, up link frequency is
in the order of 6 G Hz
1.2 Up link path loss: up link path loss depend on up link frequency distance
between satellite and ground station
Up-link path loss= 10log(4pdC/f )2 [dB]
where:
’d’ is the distance between satellite & ground station
’f’ is the frequency;
’C’ is the velocity of light
IN OUR LINK BUDGET:
Up link frequency:
Up link path loss: 200.9
1. Calculation of Transmit antenna gain
2.1 Antenna diameter: diameter of parabolic reflector antenna is referred as
antenna diameter. It is denoted by ’D’
2.2 Antenna efficiency: Antenna efficiency is the ratio of input power to the
radiated power of the antenna. It is denoted by ’h’. The value of ’h’ lies be-
tween 0.55 to 0.73.
2.3 Antenna gain GT : The isotropic power gain of the antenna, GT , is de-
fined as the power density in the maximum direction, denoted here by PD , to
the power density archived by a 100% efficient isotropic radiator.
1
Thus GT = P D/(P T /4p)
where:
’PT’ is the total power radiated.
Antenna gain in GT = 10log(p2 D2 h/(l2 ∗ 100)) = 10log(p2 D2 h/(3/f )2 ) (dB)
IN OUR LINK BUDGET:
Antenna gain GT : (gain satellite)
3.Calculation of Transmit EIRP
3.1 Transmit EIRP: This is the product of actual power given to transmitting
antenna and antenna power gain of transmitting antenna. That the equivalent
isotropic power (EIRP) may be defined as EIRP = PT · GT EIRP is often
expressed in decibels relative to 1 watt, or dBW. Let Pt be in Watts then
EIRP = [P T ] + [GT ]dBW IN OUR LINK BUDGET:
Transmit EIRP [dbW]: (Nominal Satellite Eirp) 40.5
4.Calculation of uplink to noise ratio
4.1 Up link rain attenuation (dB): Rain fall results in attenuation of radio waves
by scattering , and by absorption , of energy from the wave. Rain attenuation
increases with increasing frequency and in worse at Ku band compared to C
band. Studies have shown that the rain attenuation for horizontal polarization
is considerably greater than for vertical polarization. 4.2. Satellite G/T (dB/k):
G/T ratio indicates figure of merit. G/T ratio is the ratio of gain of the satel-
lite to the thermal noise temperature of the satellite. G/T ratio depends on
the satellite components. 4.3 Uplink C/No(dB Hz): The up link of a satellite
circuit is the link in which the earth station is transmitting the signal and the
satellite is receiving it .
Carrier to noise ratio of up link is given as
[C/N o]U = [EIRP ]U + [G/T ]U − [losses]U + 228.6
=Transmitter EIRP- (Up link path losses + Up link rain attenuation) + Satel-
lite G/T + 228.6 (dB)
IN OUR LINK BUDGET:
Up link rain attenuation (dB): not considerable Satellite G/T (dB/k): -10.4 Up-
link C/No(dB Hz): 73.2 5.calculation of satellite operating band width
5.1 Avarage data rate (Kb/s): It is the number of actual message signals per
second.
5.2 Symbol Rate (KS/b): is the number of symbol changes (signalling events)
made to the transmission medium per second.
IN OUR LINK BUDGET:
Avarage Data Rate: ((????) it depends on the bearer)
Symbol Rate (KS/b): 151.2
6.Calculation of Downlink path loss
6.1 Down Link frequency: Down link frequency is frequency at which satel-
lite is communicating with ground station. For C band up link frequency is in
2
the order of 4 G Hz , 12 G Hz for Ku band. 6.2 Downlink path loss: Down link
path loss depend on up link frequency & distance between satellite and ground
station. Down-link path loss=10log(4pd/(C/f ))2 [dB]
where:
’d’ is the distance between satellite & ground station
’f’ is the frequency;
’C’ is the velocity of light
IN OUR LINK BUDGET:
Down link frequency:
Down link path loss:188.4
7.Calculation of receiver antenna gain
IN OUR LINK BUDGET:
Receiver Antenna gain GT :
8. Calculation of receiver G/T
8.1 Antenna elevation angle (deg): Antenna elevation effects the antenna noise
temperature. Antenna noise temperature decreases with increase of elevation.
8.2 Receiver G/T (dB/ k): Receiver G/T is the Figure of merit at the receiver
antenna. IN OUR LINK BUDGET:
Antenna elevation angle(deg): <10
Receiver G/T (dB/ k): (User equipment G/T) -7.0
9. Calculation of link margin
9.1 Eb/No required for BER of 1/103 It is Signal to noise ratio required to
achieve Bit Error Ratio of 1 error bit per 103 message bits. 9.2 Down link C/No
(dB Hz): It is the down link carrier to noise ratio. IN OUR LINK BUDGET:
Eb/No: (????) it depends on the bearer
Down link C/No: 72.2
Let’s resume the values of parameters of our link budget:
• Up link frequency: 1525.0 - 1559.0 MHz
• Up link path loss: 200.9
• Antenna gain GT : (gain satellite)
• Transmit EIRP [dbW]: (Nominal Satellite Eirp) 40.5
3
• Up link rain attenuation (dB): not considerable
• Satellite G/T (dB/k): -10.4
• Uplink C/No(dB Hz): 73.2
• Avarage Data Rate: ((????) it depends on the bearer)
• Symbol Rate (KS/b): 151.2
• Down link frequency:1626.5 - 1660.5 MHz
• Down link path loss:188.4
• Receiver Antenna gain GT :
• Antenna elevation angle(deg): <10
• Receiver G/T (dB/ k): (User equipment G/T) -7.0
• Eb/No: (????) it depends on the bearer
• Down link C/No: 72.2
• Mean Atmosphere loss [dB]: (dw-l or up-l) 0.4
References: Inmarsat BGAN system info.doc TT_SAILOR_500_FleetBroadband.pdf
site: http://tutorialsweb.com/satcom/link-power-budget/
