Telecommunications Earth Stations Supplied by Solar Generators

Until very recently, the electric power consumption of telecommunications earth stations was high. Presently, because of the new technologies implemented both in the equipment on board the satellites and in the earth stations, the power consumption of these stations for low capacity networks has substantially decreased and it is now possible to supply them by photovoltaic generators. This makes it possible to install low capacity telephone and television reception stations in geographically remote locations where no power source is available. Several such stations have already been built. The writer describes their characteristics, the equipment installed as well as the initial results obtained.