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

The communication channel between the MARECS satellite at 26°W and a cruising van was measured and recorded in European areas exhibiting satellite elevations from 13 to 43°. 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