International Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Journal

Modelling of the Rain Rate and Rain Attenuation for the Design of Line-of-Sight Link Budget over Warri, Delta State

E. R. Anaka

Department of Physics, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Nigeria.

J. T. Zhimwang *

Department of Physics, Federal University Lokoja, Nigeria.

O. S. Shaka

Department of Physics, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Nigeria.

E. P. Ogherohwo

Department of Physics, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Nigeria.

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

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Abstract

This paper presents the modeling of the rain rate and rain attenuation for the design of line-of-sight link budget. Rain rate data were collected from the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) for Warri, Delta State (5.554⁰N 5.793⁰E). The rain rate data were collect for the period of two years (2018 and 2019).The rain rate data was measured using Davis Vantage Vue weather station which is equipped with an integrated sensor suite (ISS)  and weather link data logger, and was used to measure and record one-minute rain-rates. It is able to measure rainfall intensity from a minimum of 0.8 mm/h up to a value of 460 mm/h, with an accuracy of 0.2 mm/h. Cumulative distributions of rain rate values computed from the data obtained shows that the effect of rain attenuation on Line of Sight is more severe from rain rate of 50mm/hr at CDF of 0.0176%. As seen from the results, ITU-R model remains the most standard model for designing LOS link due to the moderate rain attenuation either signal losses obtained compared to the Moupfouma model. The impact of rain attenuation on received signal was investigated and also the cumulative distribution function calculated was used to predict at what point a signal is meant to be stable and the effect of attenuation on LOS link budget was computed using ITU-R and moupfouma model.

Keywords: Rain rate, attenuation, line-of-sight, link budget

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