This seminar outlines the process of selecting a waveform for satellite communications. Satellite systems, like many communications systems, require that many signals be transmitted simultaneously. Since there is a limited amount of bandwidth available, the frequency separation
between the signals can be quite small. Therefore, it is critical to design a waveform that does not result in significant adjacent channel interference for the neighboring signals. Unfortunately, creating such a
spectrally contained waveform often results in significant intersymbol interference. The focus of the seminar is the description of a tool that MIT Lincoln Laboratory developed to help evaluate the many choices for the pulse-shaping filters (which define the waveform). The tool is based on
the ambiguity function, which allows for a unified analysis of the levels of adjacent channel and intersymbol interference that result from the selection of a particular pulse-shaping filter.

Speaker:	Dr. Tom MacDonald
Title:	MIT Lincoln Laboratory Technical Seminar
Date:	November 14, 2003
Time:	3:00 pm
Location:	GCATT Room TBA
Abstract:	This seminar outlines the process of selecting a waveform for satellite communications. Satellite systems, like many communications systems, require that many signals be transmitted simultaneously. Since there is a limited amount of bandwidth available, the frequency separation between the signals can be quite small. Therefore, it is critical to design a waveform that does not result in significant adjacent channel interference for the neighboring signals. Unfortunately, creating such a spectrally contained waveform often results in significant intersymbol interference. The focus of the seminar is the description of a tool that MIT Lincoln Laboratory developed to help evaluate the many choices for the pulse-shaping filters (which define the waveform). The tool is based on the ambiguity function, which allows for a unified analysis of the levels of adjacent channel and intersymbol interference that result from the selection of a particular pulse-shaping filter.
Biography:	Tom MacDonald is a member of the Technical Staff at MIT Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, Mass., where he is in the Advanced SatCom Systems and Operation Group. Tom received his Ph.D. from Clemson University.
Slides: