Measurements of satellite beacon attenuation at 11.7, 19.04, and 28.56 GHz and radiometric site diversity at 13.6 GHz

The results from about 2 years of space and frequency diversity measurements of attenuation, obtained in Austin, Texas, are presented. The data from 11.7, 13.6, 19.04, and 28.56 GHz were analyzed with regard to fade probability, seasonal and diurnal variations, time duration between fades, frequency scaling, and, at 13.6 GHz, site diversity. With reasonably typical weather, fades were found to be most likely to occur during summer afternoons. The diversity gain was about 80% of the attenuation value, and the frequency scaling, based on the statistical results, closely follows a dependence given by (ƒ/ƒ₀)².