Rain-induced Attenuation at Ku-Band in a Tropical Region

Abstract

Communication at higher frequency bands has numerous benefits but susceptible to rain impairments. Rain-induced attenuation becomes more prominent as the carrier frequency and rain rate increase. Hence precise knowledge of rain rate can help in predicting the level of rain-induced attenuation. The paper determines point cumulative rainfall rate at 0.1% of time exceedance and converts integration time from 5 min to 1 min. The specific and total rain-induced attenuation were predicted at 0.1% of time exceedance from 12 GHz to 18 GHz for both horizontal and vertical polarizations. Lavergnat-Gole rain rate conversion model and ITU-R 838-3 model were employed using four year rainfall data obtained from Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The results revealed that the peak activities of rainfall rate were recorded at lower integration times. And the total rain-induced attenuation increases with increasing operating frequencies. Which is greater for horizontally polarized waves compared to vertically polarized waves