Physical-statistical prediction of performance for land mobile satellite communication systems

A performance analysis of land mobile satellite systems is presented. A physical-statistical model is applied to infer narrowband channel parameters, such as fade distribution, level-crossing rate or bit error ratio. The physical-statistical approach combines a ray-tracing tool with the statistical distribution of the parameters describing the environment. Simulation results are successfully compared with measurements at the L-band. The model is then used to predict the performance of a typical LMS system, with a new point of view, which differentiates temporal availability and spatial coverage. The physical nature of the method highlights the role of relevant parameters.