Spatial Variability of VHF/UHF Electric Field Strength in Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigates the coverage areas of VHF and UHF signals from three television stations in Niger State, Nigeria, by quantitatively measuring the signal levels of these signals. The signal levels of the transmitters of Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Minna, Channel 10, (210.25 MHz); NTA, Kotangora, Channel 8, (196.25 MHz) and Niger State Television, Minna, Channel 25, (503.25 MHz), and the corresponding distances were measured along some radial routes with the transmitting stations at focus. These measurements were taken using Digital Signal Level Meter and Global Positioning System (GPS). From the data obtained, Surfer 8 software application was used to draw contour maps of the signal levels around the transmitting stations to determine the coverage areas of the stations. The results obtained show that the present configurations of the transmitters of the three television stations do not give an optimal coverage of the state. Only 25.82% of the entire land mass of the state has television signal coverage. Consequently, greater percentage of Niger State is completely out of television signal coverage. So, there is need to have repeater stations at some intervals to ensure reception of television signals throughout the state.