Operating an SNG uplink

We have not discussed what qualifications or training a person operating an SNG uplink needs to have. Amazingly, considering the potential damage that an uplink can cause both to the satellite and to the people in the vicinity of the SNG uplink (as we shall see when we look at safety issues), there is no qualification required to operate a satellite uplink in virtually any country in the world. In general, neither governments nor satellite operators demand that operators should have undertaken specific satellite operations training or reached a defined level of competence before being allowed to switch an uplink into transmit.

The emphasis is, and always has been, on the equipment meeting very stringent technical requirements, but no parallel requirements for the operators. Consequently, the majority of training is ‘on the job’, and the company operating the uplink allows an individual to operate an uplink when they are satisfied that the operator is competent. There are only a few specific training courses in SNG uplink operations.

Placing a booking for occasional space segment

Having obtained satellite system registration for the uplink, deployed the uplink to the location of the story with skilled operators and secured whatever licence or permission is required to operate, the process of securing satellite capacity (assuming you are not working onto your own lease) should have already begun.

To find and book occasional capacity segment there is a process that has to be followed, step-by-step. In many parts of the world, finding and booking space segment is like shopping around for any other commonly traded commodity, particularly where there is a thriving competitive market to provide space segment.

Before seeking capacity, the operator will need to obtain a suitable licence or permission from the National Administration of the country of operation. Having obtained this, or at least begun the process, there are a number of basic parameters that need to be established:

As previously mentioned, capacity is normally bought on the basis of a minimum booking of 10 min transmission, with extra time being bought on one or 5 min increments. Often a 5 min allowance is given prior to the transmission for technical line-up, provided there is time available on that particular channel/transponder.

In DSNG we speak of ‘booking a channel’ for a transmission. For digital SNG transmissions, where it is common for data rate of 8 Mbps to be used, a satellite transponder can be subdivided into a number of channels, typically 9 MHz wide. As a very rough rule of thumb, in 2003 an 8 Mbps digital channel costs around US$10 per minute.

Certainly in the United States and Europe, the process of purchasing capacity is essentially very simple. Armed with the required information, as above, it is a matter of telephoning service providers, whether system operators or satellite segment brokers, and placing the enquiry. In highly developed markets, the whole process of seeking offers and deciding as to which suits best in either price or service can be achieved in under an hour, virtually around the clock.

Before finally committing to using the capacity, there will probably be a requirement to provide the national radiocommunications administration with the details of the transmission for frequency clearance or as a condition of the terms of the licence or permission.

Multi-and unilateral operations

When a satellite transmission is from point-to-point, it is described as a unilateral transmission. This is the typical SNG transmission from an uplink in the field back to a single destination such as a broadcaster’s studio. Where a transmission is from one origin to a number of destinations simultaneously, this is called a ‘multilateral’ transmission. In the TV news environment, examples of multilaterals are the daily news exchanges between members of broadcasting unions, e.g. Eurovison (EBU) and Asiavison (ABU), where news material shot by one member is offered up for sharing with other members – a type of news co-operative.

Pools

Another type of multilateral is where an uplink is providing pool material to a number of clients. A pool is where a group of newsgatherers agree to share pictures and/or resources on a story for common use, and a pool may be set up for a number of reasons. A number of broadcasters and news agencies have standing arrangements to share material with each other, and some similar arrangements exist between individual broadcasters. The purpose is usually either to save cost, or because access to a particular news event has been granted on the basis that material will be shot by one camera crew and pooled with other interested parties.