Very-High-Frequency and Ultra-High-Frequency Signal Ranges as Limited by Noise and Co-channel Interference

Theoretical ground-wave ranges for smooth-earth and standard-atmosphere conditions are shown for frequency-modulation and television broadcast services and for mobile services for frequencies between 30 and 3000 megacycles, and practical limits of antenna size and antenna gain are discussed. The effects of extermal noise, terrain, and penetration of buildings are considered and their probable trends with frequency are indicated, together with the need for comprehensive data for their evaluation. A comparison is made between theoretical ground-wave and tropospheric ranges computed for 50 megacycles and the results of continuous field-intensity measurements made at various distances, from which it is concluded that theoretical ground-wave curves can be used as reliable measures of service ranges. Theoretical ground-wave curves are found not to be direct measures of probable ranges of tropospheric interference and it is suggested that a factor of 2 be applied to the station-separation distances obtained from such curves at 50 megacycles, with the probability of larger factors for higher frequencies. Two families of curves, one for sporadic-E-layer and one for F-layer transmission, showing skip distances as a function of frequency for the frequency band under consideration, are derived from the National Bureau of Standards measurements of layer characteristics at Washington, D.C., for the purpose of estimating the occurrence of interference from one other co-channel station. The effect of increasing the number of stations is investigated, and estimates of five times the single-station interference for sporadic-E-layer and three times for F-layer interference are made.