Satcom Guide for the Technically Challenged - Softcover

Tony Radford

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0966545133 ISBN 13: 9780966545135

Publisher: Tony Radford, 2010

Synopsis

Recently updated for 2015, Satcom Guide for the Technically Challenged provides an indepth view of Satellite Communications as a primer for the non-technical reader or entertainment reading for the seasoned satcom veteran. This guide begins with an overview of some basic principles of satcom and walks the reader through the step-by-step design of a simple earth station, while explaining the function of each component contained in the design. Each chapter covers a technical element that builds on the next until a fundamental understanding of basic earth station architecture is attained, including antennas, modems, RF converters, HPAs and everything inbetween. Satcom Guide for the Technically Challenged ends with an overall view of the industry as seen through the eyes of a 30 year satcom veteran and for those seriously considering satcom as a potential career, the book details and roasts many of the individual positions that comprise the satcom family. Satcom Guide for the Technically Challenged is intended to give anyone who is interested in expanding their knowledge and understanding of the satcom industry the opportunity to do so in a technically-entertainng way. The back cover says it all; If you think Ohm's Law is a primetime drama series, this book is for you.

About this title

About the Author

Tony Radford is a 30 year veteran of the satellite communications industry having served in numerous positions ranging from CATV electronics production technician to Vice President of Sales and Marketing for several well known brands. Positions held include Field Engineer, Project Engineer, Applications Engineer, Sales Director, VP of Sales and VP of Sales and Marketing. Much of his career was spent traveling the world selling, designing and installing satellite earth stations for many well known companies including ESPN, HBO and Disney. Mr. Radford possesses a unique writing style that is engaging and at times humorous and satirical. The result is a light, informative and non-intimidating narration guaranteed to enlighten and entertain.

Review

We Laughed, We Cried... Radford Ruined An Otherwise Boring Afternoon... OK, we were looking at a number of honey-do's and wondering how to fulfill the promise of a boring afternoon by doing absolutely nothing. Then we remembered retrieving a copy of Tony Radford's new book, SATCOM Guide For The Technically Challenged directly from the author during a recent satellite trade show and decided to become doubly-bored! Guess what? That didn't happen! Radford's book is a humorous and insightful look into the satellite industry, specifically written for those who are non-technical and would like to learn more about the dynamic satellite industry. A prime primer is what Tony's book has turned out to be, complete with all sorts of important topics that range from the characteristics of satellites, orbits and tracking, transmission particulars, as well as an industry overview. There's also some advice as to how you, too, can enter this exciting and fascinating realm... especially if you have a sense of humor and would enjoy a career in the world of communications. Order this terrific tome today and enjoy! The SatNews Editors --Satnews Daily March 28, 2010

Satellite dishes are all around us, but have you ever wondered how they work? How does the TV signal get from the satellite to your dish? How do the satellites maintain their orbits? If you re a satellite user, dish installer, or simply an interested bystander, you could do worse than read this little book, which will answer most of your questions. Written by someone with experience as an electronics technician and project engineer, and later in sales and marketing, this is a chatty and informative guide to the technology and the industry. There are chapters on the satellite, the orbit, beams, frequencies and earth stations, and even one on careers, all drawn from author Tony Radford s personal experience of the business. He is under no misconceptions about his audience: Though rudimentarily technical nature , he begins, anyone who is able to read a clock or dial a phone should have no problem understanding this book , adding If you think Ohm s Law is a prime-time drama series, this book is for you . While this might be seen as limiting one s market by insult , Radford s style is unremittingly tongue-in-cheek, which you ll either take to...or not. His style is reflected in his choice of images ( just to soften the message...I included an occasional animal picture ): chapter 1 on The Bird - or satellite as it is formally known - includes a bat ( see the similarity? , he asks) and a dolphin (because Flipper is my favorite TV show! ). He does eventually get down to explaining a little technology, but it s so intertwined with the author s style that talk of attitude stabilisation, cross-strapping and EIRP - short for Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (I sneaked that one in on you) - could be easily ignored. Arguably, a few well-designed pictures could put it better. That being said, when it gets to the electronics and radio-frequency stuff (there, I m getting the hang of this style business), the author does impart some pretty technical information. There s an earth station block diagram, a photo of the rear panel of a satellite modem and oscilloscope images showing carrier waves and guardbands, no less. Mind you there s also a semi-naked girl dressed up as a mermaid, a model used for obvious-if-not-relevant reasons in adverts by the book s sponsor. However, there are a few quite useful images that really do aid understanding: I particularly liked the photo of ripples made by dropping an object in water as a 3D illustration of a main beam and sidelobes; there is also an excellent photo comparing the sizes of waveguide for frequencies from S-band to Ka-band. The book has no references and no index, but it does have a glossary of terms, which is useful. It is printed in colour on glossy paper, which makes it a nice little package, but it is a bit expensive for its diminutive size. Nevertheless, if you like the sound of an easy, often entertaining, sometime amusing introduction to satellite communications, this is the book for you. --Mark Williamson, Space Technology Consultant, Satellite Evolution Group

I decided to update the original version of my book (partly because I ran out of the original printing)with a few of the latest buzzwords in in the industry. As a matter of fact, I completely reformatted it with enlarged images and a few that failed to make it into the original printing. This is a full color, high-resolution book with pages of detail you can actually read. My intent ws to create something that was light and enjoyable to read while being a bit educational. --Tony Radford - the author

Edition details

• Publisher: Tony Radford
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0966545133
• ISBN 13: 9780966545135
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 106
• Editor: KC Murphy
• Illustrator: KC Murphy