Ham Radio Extra Class Practice Test

Which of the following techniques is normally used by low Earth orbiting digital satellites to relay messages around the world?

1. Digipeating

2. Store-and-forward

3. Multi-satellite relaying

4. Node hopping

The correct answer is: Store-and-forward

The correct technique used by low Earth orbiting digital satellites to relay messages around the world is the store-and-forward method. This approach involves the satellite receiving data from one source, storing it temporarily, and then forwarding it to the next designated destination. Low Earth orbit satellites move quickly relative to the Earth's surface, which makes continuous communication more complex. By utilizing the store-and-forward technique, these satellites can manage data queues and ensure that messages are transmitted when the satellite is in range of the receiving station, effectively overcoming the limitations posed by their fast orbits. Other methods mentioned, like digipeating, typically apply to radio communication networks on the ground or within other types of networks, while multi-satellite relaying involves coordinating multiple satellites for simultaneous data transmission, which might not be a standard approach for low Earth orbit satellites specifically. Node hopping refers to various routing techniques used in networks, but it does not directly apply to the relay process of low Earth orbit satellites in the same context.