Analysis of GPS link ionospheric scintillation during solar maximum at UTeM, Malaysia

The global positioning system (GPS) is one of the most important and useful technologies that has been developed. The propagated wireless signals along GPS channel are affected by the ionospheric electron density irregularities, so the GPS signals may experience amplitude and phase fluctuations. The global navigation satellite system (GNSS) ionospheric scintillation and total electron content (TEC) monitor (GISTM) receiver has been installed at UTeM, Malaysia (2.3139^°N, 102.3183^°E) for the purpose of monitoring ionospheric scintillation for many frequencies. In this paper, the GPS ionospheric scintillations are concerned for the dual frequency L1 (fL1 =3D 1.57542 GHz), and L2C (fL2=3D 1.2276 GHz). Data collection of ionospheric scintillation has been done during solar maximum cycle 2013/2014 for six months October 2013–March 2014. The solar activity effects on the GPS link performance especially when this activity increases, so the analysis of the GPS link ionospheric scintillation must be considered for this region. The ionospheric amplitude/phase scintillation, and the carrier-to-noise (C/No) ratio are reported in the proposed experimental GPS model. As a result for Malaysia, typical threshold received C/No ratio is 38 dB-Hz, that means C/No ratio should be greater than 38 dB-Hz to receive good signal at the GPS reciever.