1.2 Meter 8 Watt BUC Upgrade. Brackets required to hang the relatively heavy BUC compared to the previously used 3 Watt BUC.

Why the upgrade from a 3 to 8 watt capable block up converter?

When using the smaller 1.2 Meter diameter antenna the other end or gateway earth station can usually make up for our being at a weak spot by just transmitting more individual carrier power to us, but the small 1.2 M VSAT antenna we have at this location does not have enough gain to be able to transmit enough signal to the bird without a higher power BUC such as this 8 watt unit. When in a weak area of the satellites footprint, both ends must transmit more power, within limits of course, if too far out you can't make up for the loss.

There is another way of accomplishing the same thing, to have a bigger antenna on the ground which has higher receive and transmit gain, making a higher power amplifier unnecessary. If this location had a 1.8 meter dish we would not need more TX power. Edit