Time diversity as a rain attenuation countermeasure in satellite links in the 10-100 GHz frequency bands

Abstract

We present a preliminary statistical assessment of the performance (in terms of gain) of time diversity as a rain attenuation countermeasure in non real-time satellite communications, in a 37.7° slant path, in the frequency range 10 to 100 GHz, by simulating rain attenuation time series with the Synthetic Storm Technique (SST) at Spino d'Adda (Italy). The rain rate data bank spans a period of seven years (1994-2000). The SST statistical gain (dB) is given by an equation which is a function of frequency f (GHz), rain attenuation A (dB) in the range 0-30dB, and time delay T (min) in the range 0-60 minutes. We have also compared the gain obtained from this formula against the Italsat 18.7 GHz measurements. The SST predictions are more optimistic than the measurements.