I suspect it's the same system with 'satellite' being used as a
bit of hyperbole

Parabole, surely.

Parabolic orbits are open (ie end up shooting off into deep space),
and so not much use for satellites. Personally, i'd never let such a
technically inaccurate pun pass my ellipse.

Satellite *dishes* are parabolic.

Doh! Of course. I wonder why i immediately started thinking about orbital
mechanics? ...

Well, what *else* would anyone think of when different conic sections
are mentioned in connection with satellites?

Besides, dish antennas are three-dimensional, hence paraboloidal.

Too much Star Trek as a kid, probably.

And since when did anything in Star Trek ever have anything to do with
actual orbital mechanics?
--
Mark Brader | "[Jupiter's] satellites are invisible to the naked eye
Toronto | and therefore can have no influence on the Earth
| and therefore would be useless
| and therefore do not exist." -- Francesco Sizi