Radiometric rain attenuation measurements at 11.6 GHz in Peru

Rain attenuation is one of the key design parameters when setting up satellite communications systems at frequencies above 10 GHz. Reliable and economical system design requires fairly accurate estimates of this parameter. Although rain attenuation prediction models are available for temperate climates, little has been reported for tropical regions where rain impairments can be very much more severe. This letter presents radiometrically determined rain attenuation results at 11.6 GHz in a tropical climate.