The communication channel between the MARECS satellite at 26 degrees W and a cruising van was measured and recorded in European areas exhibiting satellite elevations from 13 to 43 degrees . Different environments and mobile antennas were tested. The results of an extensive statistical evaluation include spectra of the fading amplitude; probability density, and distribution of the received signal power; and the percentage of time for fade and nonfade periods. Based on the physical phenomena of multipath fading and signal shadowing, an analog model of the land mobile satellite channel which can readily be used for software and hardware fading simulation is developed. The most important parameter of this model is the time-share of shadowing. The Rice factor which characterizes the channel during unshadowed periods, can vary from 3.9 to 18.1 dB. Block error probability density, error gap distribution, and block error probability are discussed. >

The land mobile satellite communication channel-recording, statistics, and channel model

We propose a new shadowed Rice (1948) model for land mobile satellite channels. In this model, the amplitude of the line-of-sight is characterized by the Nakagami distribution. The major advantage of the model is that it leads to closed-form and mathematically-tractable expressions for the fundamental channel statistics such as the envelope probability density function, moment generating function of the instantaneous power, and the level crossing rate. The model is very convenient for analytical and numerical performance prediction of complicated narrowband and wideband land mobile satellite systems, with different types of uncoded/coded modulations, with or without diversity. Comparison of the first- and the second-order statistics of the proposed model with different sets of published channel data demonstrates the flexibility of the new model in characterizing a variety of channel conditions and propagation mechanisms over satellite links. Interestingly, the proposed model provides a similar fit to the experimental data as the well-accepted Loo's (1985) model but with significantly less computational burden.

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A new simple model for land mobile satellite channels: first- and second-order statistics

We present a unified analytical framework to determine the exact average symbol-error rate (SER) of linearly modulated signals over generalized fading channels. The results are applicable to systems employing coherent demodulation with maximal-ratio combining multichannel reception. The analyses assume independent fading paths, which are not necessarily identically distributed. In all cases, the proposed approach leads to an expression of the average SER involving a single finite-range integral, which can be easily computed numerically. In addition, as special cases, SER expressions for single-channel reception are obtained. These expressions reduce to well-known solutions, give alternative (often simpler) expressions for previous results, or provide new formulas that are either closed-form expressions or simple to compute numerically.

A unified approach for calculating error rates of linearly modulated signals over generalized fading channels

The bit error rate (BER) performance of an M-branch maximal-ratio combiner (MRC) for the detection of signals in a correlated Nakagami-fading channel is analyzed. Coherent and incoherent detection of frequency shift-keying (FSK) and phase-shift keying (PSK) signals are considered. It is assumed that the fading parameters in each diversity branch are identical. The effect of correlation is studied by assuming two types of correlation among the quadrature components of the signals in each diversity branch. Outage probabilities are also calculated for the digital radio communication systems via the correlated fading channel. >

Performance of maximal-ratio diversity systems in a correlated Nakagami-fading environment

In this paper, a statistical model for the land mobile satellite (LMS) channel is presented. The model is capable of describing both narrow- and wide-band conditions. The other relevant characteristic is that it can be used to study links with geostationary as well as nongeostationary satellites. The model is of the generative type, i.e., it is capable of producing time series of a large number of signal features: amplitudes, phases, instantaneous power-delay profiles, Doppler spectra, etc. Model parameters extracted from a comprehensive experimental data bank are also provided for a number of environments and elevation angles at L-, S-, and Ka-bands.

Statistical modeling of the LMS channel

A statistical model for a land mobile satellite link is described. The model assumes that the amplitude of the line-of-sight component under foliage attenuation (shadowing) is lognormally distributed and the received multipath interference has a Rayleigh distribution. Expressions for the level crossing rate and average fade duration are given. Comparison between results calculated from the model and from measurements show reasonably good agreement. The model should be useful for designing communications systems and for simulating propagation effects in the laboratory.

Chun Loo

Papers

A statistical model for a land mobile satellite link

A statistical model for a land mobile satellite link