Propagation of radio waves over land at 1046 MC :

Abstract

The Air Navigation Development Board asked the Central Radio Propagation Laboratory to investigate radio wave propagation in the 960-1600- Mc frequency banned. A primary focus was assessment of the reliability of air-to-grounds communications or radio navigation. NBS originated Cheyenne Mountain Field Station in Colorado Springs, Colorado to investigate the propagation phenomena associated with simulated air-to-ground transmissions, not only at distances within line-of-sight where the question of service reliably is involved but also at points far beyond the radio horizon which may be involved in the solution of mutual interference problems. This report presents experimental data on 1046 Mc for the period February 1 1952 through January 31 1953. An analysis of diurnal and seasonal variations in hourly median signal levels, of variations in instantaneous signal levels, of prolonged space-wave fading within the radio horizon, of the effects of irregular terrain, and of scattered signals beyond the radio horizon are presented.