Introduction of Satellite Communication System in Ships

Shipboard communication has always constrained the distance people can travel on rivers, lakes, and seas. With the development of the information age, the Internet revolution has come to the shipping industry, and the demand for shipborne communication is continuously increasing. Whether it is a warship, fishing boat, or merchant ship, communication systems are essential.

With the development of technology, communication methods are becoming increasingly diverse, but satellite communication is becoming the mainstream of shipborne communication due to its communication quality, distance-independent pricing, and freedom from ground fixed station constraints.

With shipboard systems, any type and size of vessel can quickly obtain high-speed and secure global communication services after equipping themselves with shipborne system products, including internet access, calls, videos, information, remote assistance, and maintenance management.

Components of satellite communication system in ships

Shipboard satellite communication system includes: satellite ground station system and shipborne communication system.

• Ground satellite station system: responsible for the communication hub of satellite communication, its main functions are: to establish satellite communication links with shipborne equipment through satellites, receive various on-site information transmitted by the shipborne platform (including images, sounds, voices, data, etc.), and transmit them to various communication targets through the Internet backbone network while forwarding various information and instructions from ground equipment to shipborne platform-related equipment.

• Satellite communication system in ships: video monitoring, shortwave intercom, IP telephone, WIFI, and other shipborne devices establish a network connection with the satellite ground station through shipborne dynamic mid-communicator and transmit data to designated locations.

Functions of satellite communication system in ships

According to the characteristics and actual business needs of shipboard satellite communication systems, shipborne broadband satellite communication systems have the following objectives: multiple communication services; broadband network bandwidth, multiple access methods; advanced technology, reliable operation; excellent performance, easy operation, and certain automation and intelligent functions; not only can interconnect with the public telecommunications network, but also with the national defense communication network and the military command automation network.

• The ship is equipped with various communication devices, such as mobile communication base stations, shortwave communication systems, wired telephones, etc., as well as communication methods like WIFI hotspots, to achieve data, voice/fax, scheduling, real-time image transmission, and network interconnection functions.

• The ship is equipped with multiple camera devices, which can photograph the sea conditions and scenery on the ship and nearby areas, transmit them to the ship and display them on the monitor so that the ship's command personnel can observe them, and then encode the images and transmit them back to the ground satellite fixed station through various communication methods.

• The ship is configured with local area network functionality and equipped with network hotspot services to facilitate computers, cell phones, and other devices to connect to the internet, access the Internet through the ground satellite mainstation, and surf the web.