Study and test of a new stochastic rain attenuation time series synthesizer based on a mixed law for tropical and equatorial areas

The development of Fade Mitigation Techniques [1] real-time algorithms requires a good knowledge of propagation impairment dynamics. To test and adjust FMT control loops, propagation time series are needed. Nevertheless, as only few data have been collected so far in tropical and equatorial areas at Ku-band (almost no data are available at higher frequencies [2]), an alternative to using real data collected from propagation experiments is generally to generate time series representative of propagation impairments making use of climatological characteristics as well as geometric and radiowave parameters of the link under investigation. The aim of the study presented in this paper is to compare a new rain attenuation time series synthesizer based on a mixed law with models relying on the Maseng-Bakken approach and especially with Rec. ITU-R P.1853 with respect to four rain event databanks collected during Brazilian experiments.

I. Introduction

Currently, one main part of the telecommunication market is driven by the increasing demand for fixed high data rates Satellite Services and more particularly in tropical and equatorial areas where the terrestrial telecommunication infrastructure is less developed than in temperate regions. As the Radio Spectrum below 20 GHz is in extensive use, there is a necessity of expanding Satellite Communication in the higher frequency bands where better performances in terms of spectrum availability, equipment size and bandwidth can be reached.