scope:

This European Telecommunication Standard (ETS) provides specifications for the standardization of the characteristics of transmit-only or transmit-and-receive Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs) operating as part of a satellite network (e.g. star, mesh or point-to-point) used for the distribution and/or exchange of information between users.

In such a network a Centralised Control and Monitoring Function (CCMF) is responsible for the monitoring and control of transmit-only and transmit-and-receive VSATs.

These VSATs have the following characteristics:

- operating in the shared part of the C-band allocated to the Fixed Services (FS) and to the Fixed Satellite Services (FSS), 5,850 GHz to 6,650 GHz (earth-to-space), 3,400 GHz to 4,200 GHz (space-to-earth);

- in these frequency bands circular and linear polarization are normally used;

- the VSAT operates through geostationary satellites at least 3° away from any other geostationary satellite operating in the same frequency band and covering the same area;

- designed usually for unattended operation;

- antenna diameter not exceeding 7,3 m, or equivalent corresponding effective area.

The equipment considered in this ETS comprises both the "outdoor unit", usually composed of the antenna sub-system and associated power amplifier and Low Noise Block (LNB), and the "indoor unit" composed of the remaining part of the communication chain, including the cable between these two units.

This ETS applies to the VSAT with its ancillary equipment and its various terrestrial ports, and operated under the conditions which are within the ranges of humidity, temperature and supply voltage declared by the manufacturer.

There are no EMC specifications under this ETS, however ETS 300 673 [3] contains the EMC specifications for VSATs.

This ETS does not contain any specification or information on the installation of the VSATs.

The specifications have been selected to ensure an adequate level of compatibility for VSATs. The levels, however, do not cover extreme cases which may occur in any location but with a low probability of occurrence. In such a case it may be necessary to use special protection supplied to either the source of interference, or the interfered part or both.

This ETS deals with two types of specification:

- specifications defined in order to protect other users of the frequency spectrum, both satellite and terrestrial, from unacceptable interference. In addition, these specifications are specified for the purposes of structural safety and lightning protection as well as protection from harmful interference;

- specifications related to characteristics which contribute to the quality of reception by providing the VSAT with minimum interference protection from other radio systems. These specifications apply if required by the manufacturer