Author: Greg Berlocher

The very first virtual OilComm in the show’s 20-year history spoke volumes about the interesting times we live in. In less than 12-months, our entire way of life has changed dramatically, from personal interaction with others, to facial coverings, to working at home instead of an office. In turn, oil & gas companies have been...

Unlike the aftermath of Hurricane Celia in 1970, the last major storm to hit South Texas, satellite technology played a major role in Hurricane Harvey. Satellite imagery was significantly important, both before and after the storm. In addition, on-the-scene news reporting, ad hoc data communications to support government and relief organizations, and the restoral of banking and retail point of sale networks couldn’t have happened without satellite technology. Sometimes you have to view life through the lens of a disaster to appreciate how much we rely on satellite communications.

Hurricane Harvey has dumped record-breaking amounts of rain over Texas this week, and the storm continues to hit other areas of the continental U.S. Then in South Asia, monsoon rains across India, Bangladesh, and Nepal have killed hundreds and displaced millions. In this article from 2013, we go over satellite’s critical role for emergency response and disaster recovery as...

High Throughput Satellites (HTS) have made the successful transition from concept to reality, but what started as a trickle of satellites has very quickly become a stampede of bandwidth. Virtually every

The energy market is facing some challenging times with a drop in prices of crude oil. Via Satellite examines what this means for the satellite industry.

SSPA versus TWTA: Is There Room for Both?RF amplifiers are the pulmonary systems of satellite networks pumping out RF energy, the electromagnetic lifeblood that allows earth stations to communicate with

It has been said that circuit board design is an art, but RF design is a black art. Indeed, the developers of RF amplifiers are part scientist and part sorcerer, coaxing incremental improvements in power and efficiency from tubes and transistors, while at the same time minimizing distortion created by the amplification process. Radio frequency...

Wanted: World traveler. Applicant must be rugged and well built. Must be able to travel on a moment’s notice to any continent via commercial, military, or personal aircraft and be able to live out of a suitcase for extended periods. Work locations include war zones, disaster areas, and other hostile environments. Self-starter preferred. Successful candidate...

A seminal moment in disaster recovery occurred in 1988 when a fire destroyed a central office operated by Illinois Bell in the suburbs of Chicago. The Hinsdale Central Office handled 40,000 local phone lines, which supported the O’Hare International Airport and numerous businesses. Service wasn’t restored for weeks and, one by one, thriving businesses failed...

[Satellite News 12-14-11] In part two of this 2012 oil and gas industry satcom overview, Satellite News sat down with satellite executives in the enterprise sector to discuss how advances in SCADA technology and available services will impact the interaction that energy companies have with their communications providers. The executives also outline their projections for...