Prediction Model of Fade Duration Statistics for Satellite Communications at Ka- and Q-Bands

With the transition of satellite communications to higher frequencies, such as the Ka- and Q-bands, atmospheric phenomena, in particular rain, have a significant influence on earth-satellite signal propagation, manifested as signal fades that limit the availability and reliability of links. To mitigate signal fades, properly design, and operate such a high-frequency system, the statistical information of fade durations is inevitably needed. This paper presents a new model for predicting the fade duration statistics in earth-satellite communications in the Ka- and Q-bands. This model is based on a novel method that uses the copula theory and can be applied to single site slant paths as well as to site diversity systems. For the model development and evaluation, experimental data from 21 single site experiments and 10 site diversity experiments were included in the study. The performance of the new model for single site was compared to that of the ITU-R P. 1623 model and the Cheffena-Amaya model. The proposed model is notably more accurate and easier to apply that the other models. The new fade duration prediction model also performs well for site diversity systems and is believed to be the first model of its type in the field.