Question
What is the impact of using excessive effective radiated power on a satellite uplink?
Answer Options
- A) Possibility of commanding the satellite to an improper mode
- B) Blocking access by other users
- C) Overloading the satellite batteries
- D) Possibility of rebooting the satellite control computer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation
Amateur satellites act as repeaters in space. They are often designed with a linear transponder (a wideband repeater) that retransmits every signal it receives. If one Earth station transmits with excessive effective radiated power (ERP) on the satellite’s uplink frequency, that signal will dominate the entire transponder bandwidth.
This high power effectively saturates the transponder’s final amplifier, causing distortion and blocking access by other, weaker signals. This is called ‘hogging’ the satellite and is strictly forbidden; operators must use the minimum power necessary to make contact.
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