SOURCEFORGE » RALF » 2014 SatLinkTool : a tool for analysing geo satcom

h1. Implementation

At this point we were familiar with the system analyse of a link budget, knowledge acquired throughout the different subjects imparted in the master course and especially thanks to the realisation of the project 2 (_Design of a regional multi-beam satellite system_), that has an strong bond with the present project.

h2. Diagram block of application development

The diagram below shows the planning with the different phases we have designed in order to perform the successful and coherent development of the tool.

{UPDATE} Block diagram

p=. !{width: 70%}figure4.jpg!

In short, the first steps were to decide what would be the basic structure of our link budget program and identify all the parameters and possible calculations, as well as the logical place to perform them in this structure. Thus, a preliminary design with the fundamental and simplest conditions has been performed, to then add gradually other features in order to improve its capabilities. Finally, verification of results and testing with subjects has been done in order to finish the complete design of the tool. These steps are further explained below.

h2. Overview Application Plan

At the beginning of this project it was essential to ask ourselves about what we would expect of tool a Link Budget Tool. For instance, some thoughts we considered were:  _If I had an analysis tool... what would I do with it? What would be the settings I give? What would be the results that I expect?_

Hence, in order to design a tool to help with the comprehension of the link budget analysis, we have had to ask each time the question _"How will I present my results and information?”_. This leads us to the *GUI (Graphical User Interface)*, one of the key points of this project.

When we thought about all this aspects, we know what it has to do, which are the necessary parameters and results we want to show, etc. At this point, we can start to design our screen according to this. Thus, we identified the topology of the satellite communication system and we divided it in the following block groups:

* *Service:* ...

* *System Geometry:* ...

* *Uplink:* ...

* *Payload:* ...

* *Downlink:* ...

* *Overall link:* ...

h2. Preliminary design

It is known that link budget equations can become messy and complex and this calculus involve several aspects and conditions, furthermore, link budget can be analysed from different points of view. Globally, it can be defined with the following approaches:

* The first approach is a feasibility study: The user gives the features of the system, the targeted service, the bit rate, the bit error rate, etc., and the link budget says either if it is possible with this margin or if this is not possible (negative margin).

* In the second approach the user also defines the features of the system, and then the link budget says what is possible to do in terms of bit rate, bit error rate, etc.

* Finally there is a third approach where the user says which is the service he would like to have, and the link budget tool finds all the system settings. But this approach is much more complex, because as there are several parameters to define, it turns into a lot of different configuration options.

tip. Explicar los primeros cálculos básicos del link budget. The idea was to at first design the main link budget.

h2. Added features

tip. Citar y detallar un poco todas las características añadidas a fur et a mesure.

h2. Final design

tip. Capturas finales de las distintas pantallas

h2. Validation & Final tests

tip. Explicar que se han hecho tests y cómo hemos comprobado resultados

h2. Delivery Application

tip. Breve párrafo diciendo que el logiciel está terminado e introducir el manual de usuario que se detalla en How to do?