Development of rain-attenuation and rain-rate maps for satellite system design in the Ku and Ka bands in Colombia

The predictions of rain rate and rain attenuation are the most important steps when analyzing a satellite link operating in the Ku and Ka bands. It can be a time-consuming process, especially when the analyses are made on a large number of sites, as might be the case with the broadband satellite systems of today. In this work, tools for the prediction of rain rate and rain attenuation are given in the form of contour maps for a tropical region (Colombia). The maps presented use the rain rate predicted by different methodologies, and the attenuation caused by these rain rates, using ITU recommendations. The information from these maps can then be entered into attenuation-prediction or system-planning tools. Additionally, a review of the results of the most important rain-rate and rain-attenuation campaigns is presented.