Spot Beam Signal Strength Analyzer

DIRECTV Inc. Engineering, 2000-01

Liaison(s): Benjamin Mui
Advisor(s): Carl Baumgaertner
Students(s): Katherine Wade (TL), Adi Drost, Richard Trinh, Shamik Maitra

To conserve frequency bandwidth when offering local broadcasting, DIRECTV will implement a system of 40 individual satellite spot beams. Each spot beam will transmit local channels to a specific geographic area. The team’s assignment is to design and build a prototype system to measure the relative signal strength of satellite spot beams and to transfer this information to DIRECTV headquarters for analysis. DIRECTV will use this data to adjust the power levels of individual spot beams and decrease interference of co-frequency spot beams.