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Since the dawn of satellite technology, this modern tool has been used by businesses and individuals to communicate throughout the globe. The majority of communications satellites remain in a fixed position above earth's surface, at an altitude of 36,000 kilometers (22,370 miles) above the equator (at that height the satellite moves at a speed of about 3 km/second, or 1.9 miles/second, in order to stay above the same point at all times). Satellites have the ability to receive a transmission from one part of the globe, and beam it down in a different region of the world (the altitude of the geostationary orbit was planned to allow full coverage of anywhere on the globe using a maximum of three satellites).
Even with high speed internet and trans-Atlantic optic fibers available today, satellites still carry much of the overseas telephone communications traffic. However- the most important use of satellites is carrying TV programming, most of which is transparent to the average viewer. Satellites are used by all TV networks in the world to broadcast video anywhere in the world. Whether it is the war in Iraq or the Maccabi basketball game at Yad Eliyahu, natural disasters in Northern America or live broadcasts of Israeli election candidates speaking to the nation, satellites are used to broadcast the images to the TV network's headquarters, where they are edited and aired at the appropriate time. The majority of satellite TV is digital, hence, satellites can transmit video and audio at a much higher quality than common antennas. This is why many networks in Europe have abandoned the usual method of terrestrial television distribution (which requires constant maintenance of amplifiers and relay stations), and rely solely on satellite broadcasts. European TV stations are willing to pay up to 3 Million Euro a year, for the privilege of broadcasting their station on a major satellite. Encryption raises broadcasting prices even higher, so many networks broadcast regular programming free-to-air (unencrypted). Obviously, thanks to satellites, viewers are not limited only to Israeli service providers, but can now enjoy quality programming from around the world (either free-to-air or pay-tv). Digital broadcasting also allows for more than one station to be broadcasted simultaneously on any single frequency. This, together with recent improvements in satellite technology, mean that in most cases- the dish size need not exceed 1 meter in diameter (approximately 3 ft.). Nevertheless, the satellite beams down the information just as a flashlight were shining on an object- the light is most intense in the center of the beam and it dimes towards the edges. Larger dishes are required when the location of the dish is in these fringe areas. Either way- satellite dishes are passive- they concentrate the existing radiofrequencies that are already in the air on to a single point; they do not emit any radiation on their own.
If you are installing a satellite dish in your home there are a few things you should pay attention to: the dish should be affixed firmly- swaying can result in jumpy video. Another thing you should know is that in many cases one dish can receive signals from more than one satellite. This is obtained by installing more than one "head" on the dish (each aimed at a different satellite), and it is a popular way to maximize the systems capabilities, at a minimal cost.
If you are building or renovating a house, and considering getting a satellite system you should be aware that in order to make the most of the system each viewing point should have a direct wire to the dish (roof), so it would be wise to use extra wide piping for TV points. This is also useful because many of the new satellite receivers have the ability to connect to the internet and enhance the viewing experience by downloading news and whether reports or verify viewing policies. Satellite viewing, once experienced, is not a luxury but a way of bringing the whole world to your living room and enables you to keep in up with your favorite shows, from wherever they may be broadcast.
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