From: bondage@frontiernet.net   
      
   Ian Stirling wrote:   
      
   > In general, there is little problem with satellites being at the equator,   
   > and users near the pole.   
   > The only problem that arises is that when you get very close to the   
   > pole (10,20 degrees) then the dish needs to point close to the horizon,   
   > so any landscape features are more likely to get in the way.   
      
      Anything above/below 81.3 degrees noth/south won't see a   
   geostationary satellite at all, and as you say, things get messy (more   
   antenna gain at the ground station, for one) as your line of sight even   
   gets close to the horizon.   
      
      This is why the Soviets/Russians have used Molnya (sp?) satellites,   
   in the kind of elliptical, high-inclination orbits that often bear that   
   name. However, it means having several in that orbit, and tracking and   
   handing off communications off to the next sat approaching apogee. But   
   it does allow easier communications with their far north regions.   
      
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