A reliable communication facility has been a major requirement for the setting up of remote research stations, particularly when it is in Antarctica, where the problems are more severe. None of the traditional communication equipment can effectively overcome the distances and elements covered. A new all solid-state generation of satellite communication equipment (Debeg 3211) is available today to meet the requirements of reliable communication—telex, voice and slow-scan video transmission. The equipment operates with all C- band (4–6 GHz) domestic satellites. This type of satellite terminal has opened up a whole new era of private reliable communications from Antarctica. Maritime satellite communication provides a number of advantages over the conventional radio communications. Among them are: • instantaneous, high-quality service at any time of the day or night, unaffected by weather or ionospheric disturbances; • privacy of communications; • direct dial capability for voice and telex communications; • interconnection of services to the worldwide public telecommunications networks.