NovelSat | Offshore Communications

Offshore Communications

Reliable, efficient satellite communications for remote applications

The demand for higher data communication rates have steadily increased for offshore facilities, such as gas and oil platforms, and ships, including yachts and cruise lines. In addition to voice communication, offshore applications now include many data-based services including Internet access, data communication and even virtual presence and live video links.

Unpredictable weather conditions and power limitations, however, make offshore satellite communications particularly challenging. In addition, smaller antennas and constant motion on ships can reduce signal quality leading to poor bandwidth efficiency. To overcome these challenges, offshore facilities and ships need the most secure, reliable and efficient satellite communications available.

NovelSat flexibility, mobility, efficiency and reliability

NovelSat satellite modems enhance any satellite communications solution, offering a wide range of modulation options and superior link reliability and efficiency. NovelSat modems are compatible with all satellite industry standards including DVB-S and DVB-S2 and also offer NovelSat NS4. NovelSat NS4 is an optional software package that typically delivers more than 450% improvement in spectral efficiency compared with DVB-S2.

NovelSat modems can deliver superior reception quality and higher throughput at significantly lower SNR than similar modems, which makes it possible to use smaller, lighter, lower gain antennas and to increase the satellite coverage footprint, even when reception is impeded by 2 to 5dB more than other systems. NovelSat satellite modems also overcome the challenge of weather fluctuations through the implementation of smart ACM (Automatic Coding and Modulation) which automatically adjusts fade margin to ensure that bandwidth usage is optimized without sacrificing link quality in unpredictable weather conditions.

NovelSat DUET CeC

NovelSat DUET CeC (Channel Echo Cancellation), the satellite industry’s only software based band reuse technology, effectively doubles channel capacity in bi-directional satellite links with no need for additional hardware. This optional feature can significantly reduce bandwidth costs when bi-directional communication is needed.

FreeBand – Free satellite bandwidth

For offshore facilities and crafts that communicate back and forth over a multipoint network with a central office on land, NovelSat FreeBand is a great, money-saving solution. The satellite bandwidth that is used for outbound transmission from the hub can be reused for communication from multiple ships, platforms and land-based facilities. This can save organizations enormous satellite bandwidth fees that NovelSat FreeBand eliminates for the return channel. NovelSat FreeBand can work anywhere in the world where an organization’s remote units use relatively smaller antennas compared with the hub and within the footprint of the hub’s satellite coverage.

Jamming, interference, and signal piracy mitigation

When you are at sea and isolated, you want to know that your satellite communications will not be compromised by interference or intentional signal jamming. Extremely low SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) makes it impossible for other satellite receivers to lock-on to signals transmitted by NovelSat equipment. Additionally, NovelSat NS4 technology, when implemented, ensures the superior signal resilience that is required for mission-critical satellite communications. Radio interference and intentional signal jamming also degrade signal quality. These factors can be reduced by most satellite transmission technologies. However, NovelSat equipment and NovelSat NS4 waveform, are more resilient to interference – up to 15dB greater than industry standard DVB-S2.

OTA (Over-the-Air) Software Updates

When a hardware solution requires hardware updates, the logistics and cost of an on-site visit can be disruptive and expensive. On the other hand, when maintenance and upgrades can be performed Over-the-Air (OTA), new features and fixes can be implemented quickly and inexpensively from anywhere on earth or sea using the satellite network.

All NovelSat hardware platforms are designed around a software-upgradable architecture. The hardware is designed for forward compatibility, with all satellite industry transmission standards, plus NovelSat NS4 waveform technology. NovelSat equipment can also be updated and upgraded with advanced features without adding or changing cards. This is critical feature for installations where physical presence of technical support staff is challenging or even impossible.

Bandwidth Efficiency
Solutions based on NovelSat NS3 typically deliver 40% to 60% higher bitrate availability per MHz, reducing the overall amount of bandwidth required. Located in the distribution hub and receive sites, in front of the IRD, NovelSat NS3-based modulators and demodulators enable the addition of more channels at higher resolutions, without adding more satellite capacity. Moreover, by enabling work with a single carrier over a 84MHz transponder, NovelSat NS3-based solutions push throughput gains even further.
Resillience
NovelSat NS3 technology, embedded in NovelSat modems, modulators and demodulators, uses advanced algorithms to minimize and in some cases eliminate the effects of weather fluctuations, interference, phase noise, saturation and the increasing menace of intentional jamming which can reduce efficiency, and even block transmission completely.
Flexibility
NovelSat NS3-based solutions are also backward compatible with DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-SNG and other standards and forward compatible with new technologies such as HTS. So, broadcasters can take advantage of the speed, resilience and flexibility of NovelSat satellite transmission equipment without expensive forklift upgrades.
Security
In Full-Duplex communication facilitated by NovelSat DUET, very low SNR signals from remote terminals links are treated as noise by any other modem and will not be intercepted. For applications such as FreeBand, when NovelSat NS3 is used, signals can be transmitted at SNR as low as ‑3dB. At such low SNRs, most modems cannot even lock-on to the signal.

“SatLink is always on the lookout for the most advanced technology to offer our customers a creative, high end, flexible and efficient solutions. NovelSat modems are a part of that vision.”

David Hochner, CEO, SatLink Communications

Offshore Communications

Reliable, efficient satellite communications for remote applications

NovelSat flexibility, mobility, efficiency and reliability

NovelSat DUET CeC

FreeBand – Free satellite bandwidth

Jamming, interference, and signal piracy mitigation

OTA (Over-the-Air) Software Updates

Bandwidth Efficiency

Resillience

Flexibility

Security

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