PAGE CONTENTS
Objectives
The main objective of this activity was to improve the characterisation of the radio channel modelling and ground system requirements for the development of a Ka-band SatCom system covering tropical regions.
This includes the assessment of the accuracy of current prediction models with particular regard to statistical distribution of rain and cloud attenuation and the improvement of the statistical models for the parameters describing signal fade slope, signal fade duration and gain of site and time diversity techniques.
The results of this project were submitted to the ITU-R SG3.
Challenges
The setup and operation of ground propagation terminals in tropical regions together with ancillary equipment (disdrometer, … ) reveals a number of challenges. These include the logistics, data transfer, trouble shooting actions, provision of replacement parts and others more. Thanks to the great cooperation with the local Malaysian partners, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) all these challengegs could successful be met. The below figure shows the antenna of one of the Ka-band ground propagation terminals and the 2D-Video-Distrometer (2DVD).
System Architecture
Malaysia’s climate can be classified as equatorial. Due to the geographical location, the climate in this region is characterized by uniform temperature and pressure, high humidity and abundant rainfall. The average annual amount of rain is 2340 mm.
The experimental locations for site diversity measurements are the premises of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) (1.561° N, 103.645° E) and Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) (1.858° N, 103.089° E). The elevation angles of the receiving antennas are 25.49° and 26.15° respectively. The distance between the two sites is 70 km, as shown in below Figure.
In this region the propagation equipment was set up, including two ground propagation terminals, one disdrometer and a meteorological station measuring rainfall rate, air temperature, pressure, relative humidity, wind speed and wind direction.
Plan
The measurement campaign and the data analyses are successfully completed.
Current Status
The results of the measurement campaign and data analyses has already been submitted to the ITU-R SG3.
