What frequency is the Ka-band subcarrier?
The subcarrier for Ka-band downlink will be at 375 kHz. The Small Deep Space Transponder’s Ka-band modulation index at low subcarrier frequency (25 kHz) is very sensitive to temperature, and hence the downlink performance is unreliable. Using a high subcarrier frequency will eliminate this problem. (See “How is extra data sent in the radio signal” for an explanation of subcarriers and modulation.
The subcarrier for Ka-band downlink will be at 375 kHz. The Small Deep Space Transponder’s Ka-band modulation index at low subcarrier frequency (25 kHz) is very sensitive to temperature, and hence the downlink performance is unreliable. Using a high subcarrier frequency will eliminate this problem.
