Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Microwave Signal Attenuation Over Terrestrial Link at 26 GHz in Malaysia

  • Published:
Wireless Personal Communications Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The effect of rain on the microwave systems is more critical especially for countries located in tropical and equatorial region that experience high rainfall rate throughout the year. In order to predict a reliable and an accurate rain prediction model, it is required to determine the one-minute integration time of rainfall rate together with direct measurement of rain attenuation. In order to counter the current trend of employing higher frequencies especially in tropical and equatorial regions, there is an urgent need to carry out studies related to the effect of rain in order to get a better rain attenuation prediction model. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of rain on terrestrial microwave system operating at 26 GHz in Malaysia. The rain intensity with one minute integration time is measured at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia-Skudai (UTM-Skudai) and 99 rain gauges located throughout the Peninsular Malaysia. This study explains the detailed experimental set up and analyses of both rain rate and rain attenuation measurements. The analysis on large-scale study area includes the comparisons between the measured rainfall data and the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) rainfall data and also with the Malaysia Meteorological Services (MMS) rainfall data. This study has successfully proposed a new rain rate and rain attenuation prediction model and the obtained results show satisfactory performance and good agreement.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ojo J. S., Ajewole M. O., Sarkar S. K. (2008) Rain rate and rain attenuation prediction for satellite communication in ku and ka bands over Nigeria. Progress in Electromagnetics Research B 5: 207–223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Mandeep J. S., Allnutt J. E. (2007) Rain attenuation predictions at ku-band in south east Asia countries. Progress in Electromagnetics Research 76: 65–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Setijadi E., Matsushima A., Tanaka N., Hendrantoro G. (2009) Effect of temperature and multiple scattering on rain attenuation of electromagnetic waves by a simple spherical model. Progress in Electromagnetics Research 99: 339–354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Mandeep J. S. (2009) Analysis effect of water on a ka-band antenna. Progress in Electromagnetics Research Letters 9: 49–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Ul Islam M. R., Rahman T. b. A., Rahim S. K. B. A., Al-tabatabaie K. F., Abdulrahman A. Y. (2009) Fade margins prediction for broadband fixed wireless access (BFWA) from measurements in tropics. Progress in Electromagnetics Research C 11: 199–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Mandeep J. S. (2007) Equatorial rainfall measurement on ku-band satellite communication downlink. Progress in Electromagnetics Research 76: 195–200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Shamsan Z. A., Rahman T. b. A. (2009) Simulation model for compatibility of co-sited IMT-advanced and point to multipoint services. Progress in Electromagnetics Research C 6: 127–144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Chebil, J. (1997). Rain rate and rain attenuation distribution for microwave propagation study in Malaysia. PhD Thesis, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia.

  9. Moupfouma F. (1984) Improvement of a rain attenuation prediction method for terrestrial microwave links. IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation 32(12): 1368–1372

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Moupfouma F. (1987) More about rainfall rates and their prediction for radio system engineering. IEE Proceedings 134(6): 527–537

    Google Scholar 

  11. Moupfouma F., Martin L. (1993) Point rainfall rate cumulative distribution function valid at various locations. Electronics Letter 29(17): 1503–1505

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Lin S. H. (1977) Nationwide long term rain rate statistics and empirical calculation of 11 GHz microwave rain attenuation. Bell System Technical Journal 56(9): 1581–1604

    Google Scholar 

  13. Lin S. H. (1979) Empirical rain attenuation model for earth-satellite paths. IEEE Transactions on Communications 27(5): 812–817

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Ong J. T., Zhu C. N. (1997) Rain rate measurement by rain gauge network in Singapore. Electronics Letter 33(3): 240–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Ajayi G. O., Olsen R. L. (1985) Modelling of a tropical raindrop size distribution for microwave and millimeter wave applications. Radio Science 20(2): 193–202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Ajayi G.O. (1985) Characteristics of rain induced attenuation and phase shifts at cm and mm waves using a tropical rain drop size distribution model. International Journal of Infrared and Millimeter Waves 6: 771–806

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Din, J. (1997). Influence of rain drop size distribution on attenuation at microwave frequency in a tropical region. PhD Thesis, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia.

  18. Dissanayake A. W., Allnut J. E., Haraida F (1997) A Prediction Model That Combines Rain Attenuation and Other Propagation Impairments Along Earth Satellite Paths. IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation 45(10): 1546–1558

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Pontes, M. S., & Silva Mello, L. A. R. (1993). An improved method for slant path rain attenuation prediction. In International Microwave Conference (pp. 533–538). Sao Paolo.

  20. Rafiqul Islam, M. (2000). Rain attenuation prediction for terrestrial microwave links based on rain rate and rain attenuation measurements in a tropical region. PhD Thesis, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Technology Malaysia.

  21. ITU-R P.618-6 Recommendations. (1999). Propagation data and prediction methods required for the design of earth-space telecommunication systems.

  22. Ogawa Seiki Co. Ltd. (1990). Instruction manual for OSK rain gauge.

  23. Ericsson (1997). MINI-LINK E-technical data. Ericsson user’s guide.

  24. Segal B. (1986) The influence of rain gauge integration time on measured rainfall intensity distribution function. Journal of Atmospheric Oceanic Technology 3(4): 662–671

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Shanmugan K. S., Breipohl A. M. (1988) Random Signals: Detection, Estimation and Data Analysis. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  26. Sharul Kamal, A. R. Tharek, J. Din, & Chebil, J. (2001). Development of rain contour map in Malaysia for microwave communication system. In Students Conference on Research and Development (SCORED), Kuala Lumpur. February 2001.

  27. Goddard, J. W. F. & Thurai, M. (1997). Radar Derived Path Reduction Factors for Terrestrial Systems. In 10th International Conference on Antennas and Propagation (Vol. 2, pp. 218–221). April 1997.

  28. Tharek, A. R., Din, J., Kamal, S., & Rahim, A. (2000). Preliminary analysis of rain attenuation measurement on two 26 GHz links in Malaysia. In 4th International Wireless and Telecommunications Symposium/Exhibition (pp. 98–100). Kuala Lumpur.

  29. Abdul Rahim, S. K., Sum, C. S., Din, J., Rahman, T. A., Aziz, Z. A. A., & Awang, A. (2002). Rain attenuation study over terrestrial and earth satellite links in Malaysia. In International Union of Radio Science XXVIIth General Assembly (p. 1483). Maastricht, Holland.

  30. Sharul Kamal, A. R., Tharek, A. R., & Din, J. (2001). Comparison of measured and predicted reduction factors models from the network rain gauges in Malaysia. Progress In Electromagnetics Research Symposium (PIERS), Osaka, Japan.

  31. ITU-R. (1994). Propagation data required for the design of earth-space land mobile telecommunication systems. Recommendation ITU-R PN.681-1, International Telecommunication Union, ITU-R Recommendations, (pp. 358–365). PN Series Volume, Propagation in Non-Ionized Media.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wireless Communication Centre, Fakulti Kejuruteraan Elektrik, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), 81310, Skudai, Malaysia

    Sharul Kamal Abdul Rahim & Tharek Abd Rahman

  2. Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Multimedia University, 75450, Melaka, Malaysia

    Kim Geok Tan

  3. Faculty of Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Ahmed Wasif Reza

Authors
  1. Sharul Kamal Abdul Rahim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tharek Abd Rahman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kim Geok Tan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ahmed Wasif Reza
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ahmed Wasif Reza.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Rahim, S.K.A., Rahman, T.A., Tan, K.G. et al. Microwave Signal Attenuation Over Terrestrial Link at 26 GHz in Malaysia. Wireless Pers Commun 67, 647–664 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11277-011-0402-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11277-011-0402-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation