The Combined Attenuation Of Rain And Wind Of Parabolic Antenna At Ku-Band Frequencies
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Date
2011-08
Authors
Sahaq, Khaled Sahal Amer
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
In wireless communication systems, especially satellite and terrestrial communications as well as in radar and remote sensing systems the effect of the rain water accumulated on the antenna surfaces (reflector and feed window) during the rain event is considerable especially at higher frequency bands. This effect is known as wet antenna attenuation and it differs in its mechanism from the rain attenuation which is caused by rain on the propagation path. Wet antenna attenuation is one of many other factors that can degrade the system performance at higher frequency-bands such as the Ku-band.
This dissertation is dealing with the issue of wet antenna attenuation for the receiving parabolic antenna at Ku- band frequencies. A short LOS (Line Of Sight) Ku- band link was set up so that microwave signals were generated by a signal generator and transmitted via horn antenna. The signals were received using parabolic antenna and the received power level was measured and recorded using spectrum analyzer. In order to simulate the rain with wide range of rainfall rates at the receiver site only, a rain simulator was constructed. To measure the influence of the wind on the wet antenna attenuation an industrial directional fan was used to produce simulated wind which can blow toward the antenna from different directions and with different wind speeds. Three parabolic antennas with different designs and sizes were used in simulated rain experiments as receiving antennas. The dependency of wet antenna attenuation on the frequency, the elevation angle and the rainfall rate was experimentally investigated and experimental data were analytically evaluated. It was noted that the wet antenna attenuation increases gradually at all Ku-band frequencies when the rainfall rate increases.
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Keywords
The combined attenuation of rain and wind , parabolic antenna at Ku-band frequencies