Site-Diversity Ka-Band Satellite Propagation Campaign in Attica, Greece, Using Alphasat: First 2 Years' Results

The migration of satellite services to higher frequency bands, namely Ka- and Q-bands, necessitates the use of accurate propagation modeling. To this end, there is currently an ongoing effort to improve and develop new models based on actual propagation measurement data around the globe. In this letter, the results for the first 2 years of the Ka-band propagation measurement campaign conducted using Alphasat & x0027;s Ka-band beacon at two locations in Attica, Greece, are analyzed and presented. The letter begins with a brief description of the experimental setup, then rain rate statistics as well as attenuation first-order statistics (overall, seasonal, and diurnal) for the two locations are presented. The letter focuses on the investigation of a site-diversity scenario across the two locations comparing three switching techniques. Finally, some overall remarks are made, commenting on the plans for future work.