Satellite Deployment

Satellite deployment establishes internet connectivity at field locations where terrestrial options are unavailable or unreliable. This task covers the physical installation of satellite equipment, antenna alignment for optimal signal acquisition, modem and router configuration, service activation with the provider, and integration with local network infrastructure.

Prerequisites

Verify you have the correct antenna size for your service plan. Ku-band VSAT installations commonly use 1.2m or 1.8m dishes; undersized antennas produce marginal link budgets that fail during rain fade. Confirm the antenna diameter matches the service provider’s specification for your geographic location and contracted bandwidth.

Check the equipment manifest against the packing list before travelling to the installation site. VSAT installations require specific components that cannot be substituted:

VSAT Equipment Checklist
========================
[ ] Antenna reflector (dish) with feed horn assembly
[ ] Block upconverter (BUC) - verify wattage matches service spec
[ ] Low-noise block downconverter (LNB)
[ ] Indoor unit (IDU) / satellite modem
[ ] Coaxial cables (2x): IFL cables, length per site survey
[ ] Mounting pole or non-penetrating roof mount
[ ] Grounding kit: copper strap, ground rod, clamps
[ ] Weatherproofing: coax sealant tape, silicone, cable glands
[ ] Power inserter (if BUC requires separate power feed)

For LEO constellation terminals (Starlink, OneWeb), the equipment checklist is simpler but still requires verification:

LEO Terminal Equipment Checklist
================================
[ ] Phased array antenna unit (Dishy/terminal)
[ ] Router unit
[ ] Power supply and cables
[ ] Mounting adapter (roof/pole/ground)
[ ] Ethernet cable (Cat6, length as required)
[ ] Grounding kit

Procedure

The installation sequence differs by satellite system type. VSAT (geostationary) installations require precise antenna pointing and are covered first. LEO constellation terminals follow with their simplified self-alignment procedures.

VSAT installation

1. Assemble the mounting structure at the designated location. For non-penetrating roof mounts, position the mount frame and add ballast blocks totalling at least 200kg to prevent wind displacement. For pole mounts, verify the pole is plumb using a spirit level, with deviation less than 0.5 degrees from vertical.

   Pole plumb verification:
   - Attach spirit level to pole at 1.5m height
   - Check north-south orientation: bubble must be centred
   - Rotate level 90 degrees, check east-west: bubble must be centred
   - If deviation >0.5°, shim base or adjust ground anchors

2. Mount the antenna reflector to the mounting structure without the feed assembly. Leave azimuth and elevation bolts loose enough to allow adjustment by hand but tight enough to hold position when released.

3. Calculate the pointing coordinates for your specific location. Obtain your site coordinates using GPS (accuracy within 10 metres is sufficient). Use the service provider’s pointing calculator or the following formulas for geostationary satellites:

   Azimuth (true north reference):
   Az = 180° + arctan(tan(ΔL) / sin(lat))

   Where:
   - ΔL = satellite longitude - site longitude
   - lat = site latitude

   Elevation:
   El = arctan((cos(ΔL) × cos(lat) - 0.1512) /
        sqrt(1 - cos²(ΔL) × cos²(lat)))

   Example for Nairobi (-1.286°, 36.817°) pointing to IS-39 (62°E):
   ΔL = 62 - 36.817 = 25.183°
   Az = 180 + arctan(tan(25.183) / sin(-1.286)) = 180 + (-20.3) = 159.7° (true)
   El = arctan((cos(25.183) × cos(-1.286) - 0.1512) /
        sqrt(1 - cos²(25.183) × cos²(-1.286))) = 67.4°

Convert true azimuth to magnetic azimuth by subtracting magnetic declination (obtain from provider or NOAA calculator). For Nairobi in 2024, declination is approximately 1.2°E, giving magnetic azimuth of 158.5°.

4. Perform coarse antenna alignment using compass and inclinometer. Set the elevation first by adjusting the elevation bracket until the inclinometer reads the calculated elevation angle (67.4° in the Nairobi example). Lock the elevation bolts to finger-tight.

   +------------------+
   |                  |
   |    REFLECTOR     |
   |                  |
   +--------+---------+
            |
            |  <- Elevation arm
            |
   +--------+---------+
   |  Elevation       |
   |  bracket         |  Inclinometer here
   +------------------+     reads 67.4°
            |
            |
   =========+=========  <- Azimuth bearing
            |
            |
       Mounting pole

Rotate the entire antenna assembly until the compass indicates the calculated magnetic azimuth. The compass should be held at the back of the dish, aligned with the feed arm, pointing toward the satellite position.

5. Install the feed assembly (LNB and BUC). The feed must be positioned at the precise focal point of the reflector. For offset-fed antennas, this position is above centre when the dish is at operational elevation. Secure the feed support arms and verify the feed is perpendicular to the reflector surface.

   Connect the BUC and LNB to the feed horn. Orientation matters: the LNB polarisation must match the satellite’s transmitted polarisation (vertical or horizontal, or RHCP/LHCP for circular). The provider specifies the required polarisation; incorrect setting results in zero signal.

6. Run the inter-facility link (IFL) cables from the antenna to the indoor unit location. Use proper coaxial cable rated for outdoor burial or UV exposure. For runs exceeding 50 metres, use RG-11 or equivalent low-loss cable rather than RG-6.

   Cable loss budget example (30m run at Ku-band):

   RG-6 cable: 0.20 dB/m at 12 GHz = 6.0 dB loss
   RG-11 cable: 0.13 dB/m at 12 GHz = 3.9 dB loss

   Each connector: ~0.5 dB loss
   Total with RG-6: 6.0 + (2 × 0.5) = 7.0 dB
   Total with RG-11: 3.9 + (2 × 0.5) = 4.9 dB

   For link margins under 3 dB, use RG-11 or fibre.

Crimp F-connectors onto the cable ends using the appropriate compression tool. Poor connector crimps cause intermittent signal loss and are the most common cause of installation failures.

7. Connect the IFL cables to the modem/IDU. Most VSAT modems use a single-cable solution where DC power for the BUC and LNB travels up the same coaxial cable as the RF signals. Verify the modem’s DC output voltage matches the BUC requirement (typically 24V or 48V DC).

   IDU rear panel connections:

   +------------------------------------------------------------+
   |  [PWR]  [TX/RX]  [RX]  [MGMT]  [LAN1] [LAN2] [LAN3] [LAN4] |
   |    o      o       o      o       o      o      o      o    |
   +------------------------------------------------------------+

   TX/RX: Single-cable IFL to antenna (combined TX and RX)
   RX: Secondary RX input (dual-cable configurations only)
   MGMT: Console/management port (RJ-45, 9600 8N1 if serial)
   LAN1-4: User network ports

8. Install the grounding system before applying power. Connect the antenna mounting structure to the building’s grounding system using 10 AWG or larger copper wire. Install a ground rod if no building ground exists, driving it at least 2 metres into soil. Connect the coaxial cable shields to ground using appropriate grounding blocks at the building entry point.

   Lightning protection

   Satellite antennas are lightning strike targets. Never operate without proper grounding. A direct strike to an ungrounded antenna will destroy the modem and potentially injure personnel or start fires.

9. Apply power to the modem and allow it to initialise. The boot sequence takes 2-5 minutes depending on the modem model. Access the modem’s management interface through a web browser at the default IP address (commonly 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1; check documentation).

   # Connect laptop to modem LAN port with static IP
   # Linux/macOS:
   sudo ip addr add 192.168.1.100/24 dev eth0
   # or
   sudo ifconfig en0 192.168.1.100 netmask 255.255.255.0

   # Verify connectivity
   ping 192.168.1.1

   # Access web interface
   firefox http://192.168.1.1
   # Default credentials vary by vendor; check documentation

10. Perform fine antenna alignment using the modem’s signal strength display. The management interface shows received signal level in dBm and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or Es/No in dB. Initial signal after coarse alignment is typically -80 to -90 dBm for Ku-band.

    Make small azimuth adjustments (0.5 degree increments) while watching the signal meter. Move slowly; satellite systems have response latency of 1-2 seconds. When you find a peak, make elevation adjustments in 0.5 degree increments. Iterate between azimuth and elevation until reaching maximum signal.

    Signal strength progression during alignment:

    Coarse alignment:     -85 dBm, SNR 3 dB  (marginal lock)
    After azimuth peak:   -72 dBm, SNR 9 dB  (solid lock)
    After elevation peak: -68 dBm, SNR 12 dB (optimal)

    Target values (Ku-band, 1.2m dish, clear sky):
    Receive level: -65 to -75 dBm
    SNR/Es/No: >10 dB for stable operation

    +------------------------------------------------------------------+
    |                    ANTENNA ALIGNMENT PATTERN                     |
    +------------------------------------------------------------------+
    |                                                                  |
    |     Start at calculated      Move azimuth east in 0.5° steps     |
    |     coordinates (X)          until signal peaks                  |
    |                                                                  |
    |            .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .                 |
    |            .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .                 |
    |            .  .  .  .  +--+--+--+--+  .  .  .  .    Elevation    |
    |            .  .  .  +--+  |  |  |  +--+  .  .  .    sweep after  |
    |            .  .  +--+  |  |  |  |  |  +--+  .  .    azimuth peak |
    |            .  .  |  |  |  |  P  |  |  |  |  .  .                 |
    |            .  .  +--+  |  |  |  |  |  +--+  .  .                 |
    |            .  .  .  +--+  |  |  |  +--+  .  .  .                 |
    |            .  .  .  .  +--+--+--+--+  .  .  .  .                 |
    |            .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .                 |
    |            X------->                                             |
    |            Start    Azimuth sweep                                |
    |                                                                  |
    |     P = Peak signal (optimal pointing)                           |
    |     Contours show signal strength decreasing from centre         |
    +------------------------------------------------------------------+

11. Lock the antenna mounting bolts once optimal signal is achieved. Tighten all bolts in sequence: elevation first, then azimuth. Re-check signal after tightening; mechanical stress can shift alignment by 0.1-0.2 degrees.

12. Contact the service provider’s Network Operations Centre (NOC) for commissioning. Provide your terminal ID, site coordinates, and current signal levels. The NOC performs transmit calibration by measuring your uplink signal and adjusting power levels. This step requires an active phone or alternative communication channel.

    Typical NOC commissioning call:

    1. Provide terminal serial number / site ID
    2. NOC enables transmit carrier
    3. NOC requests CW (continuous wave) transmission
    4. NOC measures received power at satellite
    5. NOC instructs power adjustment if needed (±1-2 dB)
    6. NOC configures bandwidth allocation
    7. NOC confirms service activation

    Duration: 15-45 minutes

13. Verify bidirectional connectivity after NOC commissioning. The modem should show “Network Ready” or equivalent status. Test with ping and traceroute to confirm packets traverse the satellite link.

    # Test latency (expect 550-700ms for GEO satellite)
    ping -c 10 8.8.8.8

    # Expected output:
    # 64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=1 ttl=115 time=638 ms
    # 64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=2 ttl=115 time=641 ms
    # ...
    # 10 packets transmitted, 10 received, 0% packet loss
    # rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 635/640/648/4.2 ms

    # Verify path through satellite
    traceroute 8.8.8.8
    # First hop after modem should show satellite ground station

14. Weatherproof all outdoor connections. Apply self-amalgamating tape around F-connectors, wrapping from cable upward to prevent water ingress. Cover tape with UV-resistant electrical tape or weatherproof boots. Seal any penetrations through walls or enclosures with silicone.

LEO constellation terminal installation

LEO terminals (Starlink, OneWeb ground terminals) use phased array antennas with electronic beam steering, eliminating manual pointing. Installation is substantially simpler but still requires attention to mounting and cabling.

1. Select a mounting location with unobstructed sky view. LEO constellations require visibility across a wide arc of sky (100-110 degrees for Starlink). Use the provider’s mobile app to assess obstructions before mounting.

   Starlink obstruction requirements:

   +--------------------------------------------------+
   |                                                  |
   |              CLEAR SKY REQUIRED                  |
   |                                                  |
   |                    * * *                         |
   |                 *         *                      |
   |               *             *                    |
   |              *               *                   |
   |             *                 *                  |
   |            *    110° field     *                 |
   |           *      of view        *                |
   |          *                       *               |
   |         *                         *              |
   |        +-----------[====]-----------+            |
   |                    Dishy                         |
   |                                                  |
   |   Obstructions within this cone cause dropouts   |
   +--------------------------------------------------+

2. Mount the phased array antenna using the appropriate adapter. Starlink provides roof mount, pole mount, and ground mount options. Ensure the mounting surface is stable and level within 5 degrees; the antenna’s motorised positioning has limited range.

3. Route the cable from the antenna to the router location. Starlink uses a proprietary cable that cannot be extended or spliced; plan the cable route within the supplied length (typically 23m or 46m depending on kit). The cable carries power to the antenna and data back to the router.

4. Connect the antenna cable to the router and apply power. The antenna automatically positions itself and begins searching for satellites. Initial acquisition takes 5-15 minutes as the antenna maps the sky and downloads configuration.

   Starlink boot sequence indicators:

   Router LED states:
   - White: Booting
   - Red: No connection to antenna
   - Violet: Searching for satellites
   - Blinking white: Firmware update
   - Solid white: Connected, online

   Duration from power-on to connectivity: 5-20 minutes

5. Access the management interface through the provider’s mobile app or web interface (typically http://192.168.1.1 or http://dishy.starlink.com for Starlink). Verify the terminal shows “Online” status and displays latency and throughput statistics.

   # Test LEO constellation latency (expect 25-60ms)
   ping -c 10 8.8.8.8

   # Expected output:
   # 64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=1 ttl=115 time=38 ms
   # 64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=2 ttl=115 time=42 ms
   # ...
   # rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 32/40/58/6.8 ms

6. Configure the router’s network settings for your local requirements. Change the default WiFi SSID and password. Enable or disable the built-in DHCP server depending on network architecture. For integration with existing network infrastructure, configure the router in bridge mode.

   Bridge mode configuration (Starlink):

   1. Open Starlink app > Settings > Network
   2. Enable "Bypass Mode"
   3. Connect your router's WAN port to Starlink router's LAN port
   4. Your router receives public IP via DHCP from Starlink

   Note: Starlink uses CGNAT; incoming connections require
   configuration of Starlink's port forwarding or use of VPN/tunnel

7. Install grounding for the antenna mounting structure. Although LEO terminals operate at lower power than VSAT, lightning protection remains essential. Bond the mounting pole or bracket to building ground using appropriate conductors.

Network integration

After the satellite link is operational, integrate it with the local network infrastructure. The satellite connection becomes either the primary WAN link or a backup to terrestrial connectivity.

1. Configure the satellite modem’s LAN settings to match your network architecture. For simple deployments, enable DHCP on the satellite modem to serve local clients directly. For integration with existing infrastructure, disable DHCP and configure a static IP for the modem’s LAN interface within your addressing scheme.

   Example network integration (VSAT as primary WAN):

   +------------------------------------------------------------------+
   |                                                                  |
   |  [Satellite]                                                     |
   |      |                                                           |
   |      | RF                                                        |
   |      v                                                           |
   |  +--------+                                                      |
   |  | VSAT   |  WAN IP: (provider assigned via DHCP)                |
   |  | Modem  |  LAN IP: 192.168.100.1/30                            |
   |  +---+----+                                                      |
   |      | 192.168.100.2/30                                          |
   |      v                                                           |
   |  +--------+                                                      |
   |  | Router |  WAN: 192.168.100.2/30 (to modem)                    |
   |  |        |  LAN: 10.0.0.1/24 (internal network)                 |
   |  +---+----+                                                      |
   |      |                                                           |
   |      +----+----+----+                                            |
   |      |    |    |    |                                            |
   |     PC   PC  Phone  AP                                           |
   |                                                                  |
   +------------------------------------------------------------------+

2. Configure Quality of Service (QoS) rules to prioritise critical traffic. Satellite bandwidth is constrained and expensive; prioritisation ensures essential services remain functional when bandwidth is saturated.

   QoS priority configuration example (Linux tc):

   # Create queuing discipline with 3 priority bands
   tc qdisc add dev eth0 root handle 1: prio bands 3

   # High priority: VoIP, video conferencing (DSCP EF)
   tc filter add dev eth0 parent 1: protocol ip prio 1 \
     u32 match ip tos 0xb8 0xff flowid 1:1

   # Medium priority: Web, email (DSCP AF)
   tc filter add dev eth0 parent 1: protocol ip prio 2 \
     u32 match ip tos 0x00 0x00 flowid 1:2

   # Low priority: Bulk transfers, updates (default)
   tc filter add dev eth0 parent 1: protocol ip prio 3 \
     u32 match ip src 0.0.0.0/0 flowid 1:3

3. Configure DNS settings appropriate for satellite latency. Local DNS caching significantly improves perceived performance by eliminating DNS round-trips over the satellite link.

   # Install and configure dnsmasq as local cache
   apt install dnsmasq

   listen-address=127.0.0.1,10.0.0.1
   cache-size=10000
   no-negcache
   server=8.8.8.8
   server=8.8.4.4

   # Restart service
   systemctl restart dnsmasq

   # Point clients to local DNS (10.0.0.1)

4. Enable TCP optimisation for satellite latency if not handled by the provider. High latency links suffer TCP performance degradation due to the bandwidth-delay product. Many satellite providers operate Performance Enhancing Proxies (PEPs) that handle this transparently; verify with your provider before implementing local optimisation.

   # Linux TCP tuning for high-latency links
   # Add to /etc/sysctl.conf:

   # Increase TCP buffer sizes
   net.core.rmem_max = 16777216
   net.core.wmem_max = 16777216
   net.ipv4.tcp_rmem = 4096 87380 16777216
   net.ipv4.tcp_wmem = 4096 65536 16777216

   # Enable window scaling
   net.ipv4.tcp_window_scaling = 1

   # Enable SACK
   net.ipv4.tcp_sack = 1

   # Apply changes
   sysctl -p

5. Document the installation parameters for future reference and troubleshooting. Record antenna coordinates, pointing angles, signal levels, IP configuration, and provider contact information.

   Installation record template:

   Site: [Location name]
   Coordinates: [Lat, Long]
   Date: [Installation date]
   Installer: [Name]

   Antenna:
   - Type: [Model, size]
   - Azimuth: [degrees true]
   - Elevation: [degrees]
   - Polarisation: [V/H/RHCP/LHCP]

   Signal levels (clear sky):
   - Receive: [dBm]
   - SNR/Es/No: [dB]
   - Transmit power: [dBm]

   Network:
   - Provider: [Name]
   - Service plan: [Plan name, bandwidth]
   - Terminal ID: [Serial/ID]
   - WAN IP: [Static/DHCP, address if static]
   - LAN IP: [Modem LAN address]

   Provider NOC:
   - Phone: [Number]
   - Email: [Address]
   - Ticket system: [URL]

Verification

After completing installation, verify that the satellite link meets operational requirements through systematic testing.

Run a connectivity test to confirm bidirectional communication:

# Basic connectivity
ping -c 20 8.8.8.8

# Expected results by satellite type:
# GEO VSAT: 550-700ms latency, 0% packet loss
# LEO (Starlink): 25-60ms latency, 0% packet loss

# Verify packet loss over extended period
ping -c 1000 8.8.8.8 | tail -3
# Acceptable: <1% packet loss in clear weather

Test throughput against the contracted service level:

# Download speed test
curl -o /dev/null -w "Speed: %{speed_download} bytes/sec\n" \
  http://speedtest.tele2.net/100MB.zip

# Or use speedtest-cli
speedtest-cli --simple

# Expected results vary by plan; example for 10 Mbps service:
# Download: 8-10 Mbps (80-100% of rated speed)
# Upload: 2-3 Mbps (typical asymmetric ratio)

Verify DNS resolution performance with local caching:

# First query (cache miss)
time dig google.com

# Second query (cache hit)
time dig google.com

# Cached response should return in <10ms
# Uncached response will show satellite latency (500-700ms for GEO)

Confirm VoIP feasibility if voice services are required:

# Install and run VoIP quality test
apt install ooniprobe
ooniprobe run ndt

# Key metrics for VoIP:
# Jitter: <30ms acceptable, <15ms preferred
# Packet loss: <1%
# Latency: <150ms one-way for acceptable quality
# Note: GEO satellite (>250ms one-way) degrades VoIP quality

Record baseline signal levels for comparison during troubleshooting:

Troubleshooting

For rain fade on Ku-band systems, the attenuation increases exponentially with rainfall intensity:

Ku-band rain attenuation (approximate):
- Light rain (2 mm/hr): 0.5 dB
- Moderate rain (10 mm/hr): 3 dB
- Heavy rain (25 mm/hr): 8 dB
- Intense rain (50 mm/hr): 15+ dB (likely service outage)

Link margin determines rain tolerance:
- 3 dB margin: Outages during moderate rain
- 6 dB margin: Survives moderate rain, outages in heavy rain
- 10 dB margin: Survives most rain, outages only in intense storms

Mitigation options:
- Uplink power control (automatic, provider-dependent)
- Larger antenna (increases margin ~3 dB per doubling of area)
- Ka-band or LEO alternative (different propagation characteristics)

See also

• Satellite Connectivity for equipment selection criteria and service provider comparison
• Field Site IT Establishment for integrating satellite within complete field site setup
• Low-Bandwidth Optimisation for configuring applications and services on constrained satellite links
• Solar and Off-Grid Power for powering satellite equipment in locations without reliable mains electricity