A satellite communications system (10) includes a hub (14), a satellite
(32), and any number of remote terminals (16). Each remote terminal (16)
includes a remote receiver (38), a monitor (40), and a network access
controller (42). Each remote receiver (38) is configured to receive and
down convert the system's entire spectrum of interest from which channels
are accessed by the remote terminals (16). The monitors (40)
independently perform FFT processes over this entire spectrum, but at a
low frequency resolution which is no higher than needed to distinguish
channels. Based on these spectral analyses, uplink/inbound channels are
independently selected by the network access controllers (42) at each
remote terminal (16). Remote terminals (16) immediately transmit data to
the hub (14) as soon as they select an uplink/inbound channel.