Performance analysis and optimization of site diversity techniques for EHF satellite links

In this work authors investigate the use of Propagation Impairments Mitigation Techniques (PIMTs) based on site-diversity for Extremely High Frequencies (EHF) satellite links. ¹²This work has been performed in the frame of the joint European/Italian satellite scientific payload named Alphasat TDP#5; this scientific payload will be used to perform experimental analysis on the use of Q/V band frequencies to support satellite telecommunication services. Because of the highly variable attenuation experienced at these frequencies, PIMTs have to be adopted. Site diversity techniques could provide great benefit to EHF satellite communications, dramatically increasing the percentage of operational time of the links. As a matter of fact, through these techniques a large number of services could be supported by EHF satellite links. Different site diversity configurations are analyzed and optimized, through a software simulation tool, in order to obtain the best performance for different service scenarios.