SNR estimation algorithms for channel quality detection in Ka/EHF band satellite systems employing fade mitigation techniques

The channel state of a satellite RF link is best provided as the Signal to Noise ratio (SNR) estimate of the received signal. This form of channel state is utilised by satellite capacity optimization techniques like Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM), which comes under the hood of Fade Mitigation Techniques (FMT). The performance of the SNR estimation algorithm, used as the channel state estimator, directly impacts the efficiency of the FMT. In this paper we analyse the contemporary SNR estimation algorithms considering only the rain attenuation as the fading process. Their performances are quantified in terms of the number of received symbols needed to obtain an estimate with a given error margin. Their suitability as a channel state estimator for a typical DVB type satellite system is analysed by considering the various assumptions involved in the algorithm, the effect of noise due to interference as encountered in such systems on the estimation algorithm.