Recent Advances in Microwave Interference Prediction

For sometime now we have used an interface prediction technique for terrestrial microwave relay systems that is based on terrain scattering. Although this technique has considerably improved prediction of interference compared to direct sidelobe coupling calculations over great circle paths, cases exist where the model is inadequate. Significant improvement in our interference estimations have been achieved by incorporating the following additional features in the original terrain scattering interference program (Terscat): earth curvature and atmospheric K factor, terrain shadowing, scattering coefficients for various types of land cover and large man made structures. Development of this refined model was guided by FM radar measurements which helped in evaluating our progress qualitatively and quantitatively.