Depolarization at 11.6 GHz on a terrestrial radio link

Abstract

This paper presents some early data from an 11.6 GHz, 18 km terrestrial radio link operating in circular, linear horizontal and vertical polarizations. Rain, snow and clear weather effects are presented and analysed together with cumulative statistics over a fourteen month period. Observations indicate that rain depolarization is most severe on the circularly polarized transmission followed in order of magnitude by horizontal and vertical polarizations. Linear polarizations usage on a practical microwave link appears to be limited primarily by clear weathereffects. A good agreement with theoretical models for rainfall is obtained on circular and linear polarizations. During snow the variability of effects precludes a definitive classification of this type of precipitation, however, circular polarization exhibits a marked sensitivity to depolarization, generally less than that for the same rain attenuation level. The attenuation experienced during snow can be markedly different from event to event.