Abstract

This chapter discusses digital satellite communications. The first digital transmission method to be used commercially was pulse code modulation (PCM); this is still the most common method of encoding voice signals and it is the progenitor of most of the more complex coding methods now in use. Nevertheless, satellite communications systems are turning to digital methods because: (i) digital methods make it possible to use satellites in new and more efficient ways, such as time-division multiple access (TDMA) and will, in the future, make it possible to carry out complex processing of signals on board satellites; (ii) digital systems can be used for the efficient transmission of both voice and data signals; (iii) digital signals can easily be encoded so that they cannot be used by unauthorised persons; (iv) digital satellite systems can be designed to be part of national and international integrated service digital networks.

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