What is Polarization?
| Polarized Data Signals |
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One frequency can be used for both sending and receiving data if the signals are polarized correctly. Since signals are analogue waves they act like light waves. Polarization of light, for example in sunglasses, removes all but one orientation of waves, so that say only vertical waves could be received. In telecommunications polarization works the same way. To communicate two independent signals on one frequency, the signals are cross-polarized. This means that they are polarized at right angles to one another. There are two types of polarization common in telecommunications: Linear and Circular. Linear polarization is used for Ku-Band signals, and Circular is used for C-Band. Polarizing the radio signals allows the same frequency to be used twice over the same coverage area while enabling the Earth Stations and the Satellites to discriminate between the two signals. This effectively doubles the amount of usable bandwidth. |
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