About SES

SES is a world-leading satellite operator, providing reliable and secure satellite communications solutions to broadcast, telecom, corporate and government customers worldwide.

SES owns and operates a fleet of 55 geostationary satellites that are complemented by a network of teleports and offices located around the globe. This far-reaching infrastructure enables our customers to reach 99% of the world’s population and places SES at the heart of the global communications chain.

SES is headquartered in Luxembourg and operates worldwide through dedicated regional teams.

The Global VSAT Forum

Global VSAT Forum, headquartered in London, with a regional office in Washington DC and global affiliates, is an independent, non-partisan and non-profit organization with 200+ members from every major region of the world. The broad-based membership represents every sector of the satellite industry, including fixed and mobile satellite operators, satellite network operators, teleports, satellite earth station manufacturers, system integrators, value added and enhanced service providers, telecom carriers, consultants, law firms, and users.

The organization’s mission is to facilitate the use of satellite communications. This is achieved by heightening awareness of successful regulatory and policy practices, through testing and approval of terminal equipment and validation of networks, by providing capacity building and coordinating stakeholder involvement in satellite-enabled programs, and through delivery of training and Certification. GVF’s online training program has been developed in partnership with SatProf, Inc. For more information please visit http://gvf.org/training

I. ABOUT THE PROGRAM

1. Modality of the courses: Online

2. Start and end dates of the course: 12 August to 14 November, 2014

3. Course duration: Self-paced online course expected to take 5 -15 hours of online study. Approximately 200 pages.

4. Language of instruction: English, Spanish, and Portuguese are integrated throughout the course. Students may switch instantly between languages on any learning page, simulator, or exam.

5. Coordinator of the course:

Mr. David Hartshorn, GVF, London, United Kingdom, [email protected], Academic co-ordination: Mr. Greg Selzer, SatProf, Inc Account Manager, Email: [email protected].

6. Course Objectives:

Improper installation technique is a major cause of interference, which degrades satellite transponder performance for all users. Developed in coordination with major satellite operators, GVF 510 provides core skills required by all fixed VSAT installers for accurate antenna alignment and prevention of major sources of uplink interference.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES Understand why an improper VSAT installation can cause interference in the satellite. Assemble a basic VSAT. Correctly attach an F connector on an RG-6 cable. Understand latitude, longitude, satellite position, azimuth, elevation, pol angle. Aim the antenna towards the approximate satellite position based on local lat, long, and satellite long. Preset feed pol angle. Find the correct satellite using a typical meter. Point a small antenna accurately enough to minimize adjacent satellite interference. Adjust feed pol angle for best cross pol using uplink test, receive null balance, and inclinometer methods. Correctly decommission a VSAT to prevent it from making interference.

7. Course Content:

The full 3-D interactive antenna simulator, with operating meter and compass, teaches accurate antenna pointing and evaluates real-world find-and-point skills

As the first step towards GVF Satcom Professional Certification, GVF 510 teaches and evaluates the core skills that all VSAT field technicians must have – regardless of the type of equipment they install.

Students learn, practice, and demonstrate their knowledge and skills with online, interactive, simulator-driven training modules developed by SatProf, Inc. Courses are self-paced and available 24/7.

Hands-on skills testing and supplementary classroom sessions are supported by GVF Examiners and Regional Training Centers located in every major region of the world.

CONTENTS:

1. Learning system orientation

2. Course introduction, including review of GVF Certification requirements.

3. VSAT Hardware, with a review of the key components found in all satellite terminals.

4. Cables and connectors, including animated instruction on cable preparation and crimp and compression connector attachment.

5. Selecting a site, including 3-D interactive animations of latitude, longitude, and satellite orbits.

6. Polarization theory, with 3-D animation of polarization angles and interactive exercises in pre-setting feed rotation.

7. Finding the satellite, with tutorials and practice on a full 3-D interactive VSAT antenna simulator with working signal meter.

8. Accurate peaking, including tutorial and 3-D simulator practice of the beam balance method for preventing adjacent satellite interference.

9. Cross-pol alignment, with tutorials covering three different methods and real-time simulated NOC co- and cross-pol transponder spectrums.

10. Decommissioning and equipment faults, including the key steps for preventing accidental interference from a deactivated terminal.

11. Final exam.

DELIVERY: Animated & interactive HTML/Flash, self-paced, on-line format. Requires Internet access while studying the course material. High speed access is preferred but is NOT required. Student's computer must have a current browser and the current version of the Adobe Flash player (free) installed.

TESTS: 10 quizzes, 1 final Exam, 3 simulator-based skills assessments.

REFERENCE MATERIALS INCLUDED: GVF Quick Reference Sheet for satellite field technicians; extensive glossary.

II. ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP

1. BENEFITS:  A complete scholarship of the registration fee to the course

• Scholarship recipients will be eligible to afterwards attend a GVF Hands On Skills Test (HOST) required to complete the GVF Basic Satcom Professional certification. HOST sessions are scheduled at regional training locations several times each year. These scheduled HOST sessions require a payment to the Examiner of $100.00 in developing countries and up to $200.00 in developed countries. Developing and Developed Countries are as established by the UN. http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/definitions/regions/

2. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

• Be a citizen or permanent resident of an OAS Member State (Antigua and Barbuda, Argentine Republic, Bahamas (Commonwealth of the), Barbados, Belize, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil (Federative Republic of), Canada, Chile, Colombia (Republic of), Costa Rica, Dominica (Commonwealth of), Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador (Republic of), United States of America, Grenada, Guatemala (Republic of), Guyana, Haiti (Republic of), Honduras (Republic of), Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama (Republic of), Paraguay (Republic of), Peru, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis (Federation of), Suriname (Republic of), Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay (Eastern Republic of), Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of))
• Participant profile: All public or private sector installers, field technicians, and engineers who may be responsible for activating any type of VSAT terminal with at least a basic knowledge of VSAT systems.

If you were awarded an OAS Professional Development Scholarship in the past twelve (12) months or if you currently hold an OAS Scholarship for Academic Studies, you are NOT eligible to apply for another Professional Development Scholarship.

Also, Staff members of the General Secretariat, persons under performance contracts with the General Secretariat, staff members of the permanent missions to the OAS, and their relatives are not eligible for OAS academic scholarships.

4. SUBMISSION OF SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION: Please contact your National Liaison Office (ONE) http://www.oas.org/es/becas/programaregular/one.asp, to find out the deadline to submit applications in your country.

4.1 Required documents:

· Completed OAS Scholarship Application Form at: http://www.oas.org/en/scholarships/professionaldev.asp

· After having read this course information thoroughly, click “Continue/Continuar” at the end of the page.

· Complete application form.

· After completing application form click “Send/Enviar” at the end of the page 5.

· A copy of the application form will be sent automatically to your e-mail account.

· Print and sign application form e-mailed to your account.

· Submit signed form and

· Copy of the transcript of the latest degree obtained

· Updated resume

· One letter of recommendation of current or most recent employer

The documents must be submitted to the National Liaison Office (ONE) http://www.oas.org/es/becas/programaregular/one.asp in your country.

5. SCHOLARSHIP SELECTION CRITERIA:Scholarships shall be granted based on the following criteria:

· The merits and overall credentials of the candidate, including his/her academic and professional background, and

· An extensive and equitable geographic distribution for the benefit of all member states that takes into account the greater needs of the smaller and relatively less developed economies.

6. RESPONSIBILITIES OF SCHOLARSHIPS RECIPIENTS: All Scholarship Recipients must:

• Confirm their acceptance of the scholarship award by signing and returning to OAS DHDEE their completed form: “Acceptance of the Scholarship Award”.
• Inform the OAS Department of Human Development, Education and Employment at least one week before the program start date in the event he/she is unable to begin the program of study so that the scholarship may be offered to the next ranked candidate.
• If after accepting the scholarship, the scholarship recipient for whatever reason cannot attend the course, he or she must immediately notify the Department of Human Development, Education, and Employment of the OAS.

Students who pass this course and the GVF Basic Hands On Skills Test will receive the GVF Basic Satcom Professional Certification. This course is also required as a pre-requisite for the GVF Advanced Satcom Professional certification and all GVF Satcom Professional Specialist certifications.

OAS/CITEL will provide an electronic certificate to the scholarship recipients who pass this course.