[stormhill]

I'm also fascinated with rocket science. Of the different types of orbit the most interesting to me is geosynchronous; the satellite is in orbit around the equator at the same speed as the planet is spinning around its axis so from the surface it appears as if it's motionless in the sky. It happens when the object is about 22,300 miles from earth.

This is the basis for satellite TV which is my field of occupation.

[xone]

Ping to #50 for your answers

[Bellflower]

I haven’t a problem understanding how satellites are launched or how they remain in orbit. What I don’t understand is how the waves that are sent from them and to them are narrowed down to one Television or one phone and number. Radio waves sent forth are the same for everyone and anyone can simply tune them in, the same for the old television waves, but cell phones and televisions now, somehow, are set up so that they can only get the information intended for that particular phone or TV. Also, they can be turned off and manipulated by the company on an individual basis. How are cell phones and TVs individualized so that they do not pick up general waves and instructions, but only the the information intended for the individual phone or TV? There is probably a very simple concept behind it, but I, at this point, do not know how this works and like to know the fundamentals of how things operate.