A method and apparatus for providing half-duplex communications for a Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) operating on a continuous received stream is disclosed. The method includes: decoding the continuous received stream to establish synchronization with the continuous received stream; locating, in the continuous received stream, a time plan including a receiving timeslot and a transmitting timeslot; demodulating the continuous received stream by adapting to a timing and frequency variation of the continuous received stream in the receiving timeslot, freewheeling the adapting of the continuous received stream during the transmitting timeslot, and resuming the adapting of the continuous received stream when the transmitting timeslot ends; stopping a receiving of the continuous received stream during the transmitting timeslot; and transmitting from the VSAT during the transmitting timeslot. The freewheeling includes saving a signal acquisition parameter at the start of the transmitting timeslot and restoring the saved signal acquisition parameter at the end of the transmitting timeslot.